J/Brice names Latif senior vice president, Middle East operations and new busniess development

Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia Khalid Latif has been named senior VP, Middle East operations and new business development, of J/Brice Design International, Inc. Latif manages the firm's marketing among hotel developers and operators and the commercial real estate community in the Middle East. J/Brice Design is currently under contract with several resort and hotel projects that include The Khalifa Hotel in Doha, Qatar, and Al-Khobar Hotel and Towers in The Kingdom Saudi Arabia. Upcoming signature real estate developments are in Bahrain, Ethiopia, Jordan, Libya, Tanzania and Zanzibar. Before joining J/Brice Design, Latif was a consultant with Bivings Group, a Washington, D.C. lobbying and public affairs firm, where he developed business relationships and campaigns to foster relationships between western and middle eastern clients. Jeffrey Ornstein, CEO and founder of the two-decade-old design firm, said, "Khalid possess a versatile professional background in marketing management, coupled with an international cosmopolitan education that culminated with degrees in International Relations and Economics from the Tufts University Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy." Latif also studied in the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Algeria. In addition to his native Urdu, he is fluent in English, French and Arabic. Latif said, "A new global perspective is developing throughout the Arab world and I am proud to be associated with a cutting-edge firm that is participating in Arabia's emergence as an international architectural and design innovator." CBRE Hotels facilitates sale of 322-room hotelNew Orleans, LA CB Richard Ellis Hotels (CBRE) arranged the sale of the Windsor Court Hotel on behalf of Orient-Express Hotels. The 322-room, full-service hotel was acquired by a partnership of The Berger Companies of New Orleans and Crow Holdings of Dallas. "CBRE Hotels competed and earned the confidence of Orient Express to market this truly iconic asset, and clearly meet the clients' expectations," said Kevin Mallory, senior managing director & U.S. practice leader. "Our team lead by Ron Danko and Bradley Burwell of our N.Y.C. office conducted a highly controlled marketing campaign leading to the competitive bidding, pricing and terms desired by Orient Express," said Mallory. "We were excited to represent Orient Express in structuring this highly visible transaction and assisting them to execute their broader portfolio strategy," said Ron Danko, executive VP in CBRE's N.Y.C. Hotel Group. "Despite the uncertainty in the national and local economies, and fractured capital markets, we intuitively knew that a segment of the investment community would be induced by this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." Orient Express selected the Berger/Crow partnership due to their substantial knowledge of the local market, desire and ability to operate the one-of-a-kind hotel in a manner appropriate to its stature. Danko said, "The Berger family and Crow team knew just how special the Windsor Court is as a hotel and to the New Orleans community. They were a natural fit to act as its next proprietor." The 322-room Windsor Court Hotel is a landmark, ideally located steps from the French Quarter, Central Business District, Garden District, Convention Center, Harrah's Casino and shopping and dining amenities. More than 80% of the Hotel's luxuriously appointed rooms are suites ranging from 600 to 2,000 s/f and offer petite kitchens or refreshment centers and balconies. The 23-story hotel includes three of New Orleans' most established dining venues, more than 11,000 s/f of opulent meeting space, a terrace deck pool, expansive fitness center and a 120-space parking garage. This elegant hotel is recognized as "The Hotel" in the city and has a long tradition of awards and accolades.