$3 billion Aman Group secures fresh investment 

The investment by a group of strategic partners including Abu Dhabi-based Mubadala Capital and Alpha Wave Ventures comes off the back of 2022 investment of $900 million from two other partners, including Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF).

Aman owner, chairman and CEO Vlad Doronin said these latest commitments “will support the company’s ongoing global expansion, securing future Aman and Janu projects, and new brand development”.

Since buying the company in 2013, Doronin has not just expanded the group’s hotel footprint, but also sought to broaden Aman’s brand proposition, launching Aman Skincare; a range of health supplements called Sva; Aman Fine Fragrance; and retail collection The Essentials by Aman.

“My long-term strategic vision has been to create ecosystems which centre on the complete Aman lifestyle both in urban destinations and resort settings,” Doronin said. “The proven success of this model, while always retaining the brand’s DNA, has resulted in a diverse pipeline which will enable us to continue to create unparalleled experiences for guests and owners.”

“The validation of Aman’s strategy by prominent investors in regions where we have considerable expansion planned enables us to leverage the extraordinary potential of the Aman brand and accelerate the pipeline to deliver sustainable growth,” he added.

Meanwhile, new brand Janu will focus on a different demographic and is set to launch its flagship destination, Janu Tokyo, this winter. The move helps Aman Group expand quicker on the hospitality front, with a speedy pipeline of around 11 hotels, far more than Aman would focus on simultaneously, given the exclusivity it has become known for. 

Under the old mantra of “I loved it so much, I bought the company”, Doronin is a self-confessed “Aman junkie” who sought out the hotels around the world to stay in before becoming the owner. He is also the founder and CEO of Miami-based international real estate development firm, OKO Group. 

He remains Aman Group’s majority shareholder and other recently announced investors also retain their stake in the business. Last year the group announced it was partnering with PIF to launch Aman at Sea, a new mega-yacht coming in 2027.

Doronin said the company’s value is “demonstrated through its market leading premiums secured for average daily rates, as well as the unrivalled price per square foot of Aman Branded Residences”.

Aman features 34 hotels across 20 countries, 12 of which include Aman Branded Residences, with pipeline projects including Amanvari, the first Aman destination in Mexico; Aman Nai Lert in Bangkok; and Aman’s fourth property in the US, Aman Miami Beach.

The brand was born in Thailand with the 40-room Amanpuri resort in Phuket, which is currently celebrating its 35 anniversary. It also recently announced a new chief operating officer, Ben Trodd, who joined the business from Four Seasons, and will be based in Aman’s Switzerland office.