JLL appoints Rui Diogo as head of Spain and Portugal hotels transactions

JLL, the global leader in real estate services, today announced the appointment of Rui Diogo as Head of Spain and Portugal Hotels Transactions, Capital Markets, effective immediately. In this newly elevated role, Rui will lead JLL's hotel capital markets business across Spain and the Iberian Peninsula, reporting directly to William Duffey, Head of Hotels & Hospitality, EMEA. Rui succeeds Ana Ivanovic, building upon the strong foundation she established during her time with JLL.

"We are immensely grateful to Ana for her contributions and dedication throughout her tenure. Her efforts have been instrumental in positioning the Iberia hotel capital markets business for this next phase of growth, and we wish her well in her future endeavors," said William Duffey, Head of Hotels & Hospitality, EMEA at JLL.

Rui brings nearly a decade of deep expertise in European hotel investment markets to the position. Since joining JLL in 2017 in the London office before relocating to Madrid in January 2024, he has established himself as one of the foremost advisors on complex hotel portfolios, luxury hotel assets, and cross-border M&A transactions across Iberia and Greece.

His track record includes landmark transactions totaling more than €3.9 billion, including:

• Mare Nostrum Tenerife — the largest single-asset hotel deal ever achieved in Spain, executed on behalf of Brookfield to Spring Hotels
• Hoxton Barcelona – 240-room hotel in Barcelona on behalf of Norlake Hospitality to Trinity Investments and Partners Group
• Project Empire — a 17-hotel portfolio spanning Madrid, Costa del Sol, San Sebastián, the Canaries, and Granada on behalf of a club of investors to ADIA/Petra
• Grand Hyatt Athens — 548-room hotel in the centre of Athens on behalf of Henderson Park and Hines to Blackstone
• Corinthia Lisbon — the largest 5-star hotel in Portugal, on behalf of IHI PLC to Orion Capital
• Intercontinental Palacio das Cardosas & Infante Sagres Porto – two landmark hotels in the market, on behalf of GCP Hospitality (Gaw Capital Group)

William Duffey commented: "Spain and Portugal continues to be one of the most dynamic and sought-after hotel investment markets in Europe. Rui's appointment reflects both the strength of our platform and our conviction in the opportunities ahead. His relationships, market insight, and transaction expertise make him ideally placed to lead our business in Spain and Portugal and drive further growth across the Iberian market."

Rui Diogo added: " I am delighted to take on this role at such an exciting moment for Spanish and Portuguese hospitality. The fundamentals are compelling — strong tourism performance, growing investor appetite, and an increasingly diverse asset base. I look forward to building on the strong foundation created and continuing to deliver outstanding outcomes for our clients across the region.”

Rui's appointment comes at a time of significant activity across JLL's broader Southern European hospitality platform. Currently, the firm is also very active advising on operator selection mandates across Spain, Portugal, and other Southern European markets, consisting of over 1,300 hotel keys and 270+ branded residence units. Led by Anina Pira, Executive Vice President and Head of Operator Selection Southern Europe within Capital Markets, these operator selection efforts reflect the critical importance of this decision for hotel owners. This integrated approach positions JLL to meet the evolving needs of investors and owners who are increasingly sophisticated in their approach to operator-asset alignment across the region.