Selina, the fast-growing lifestyle and experiential hospitality brand targeting Millennial and Gen Z travelers, announced that it has bolstered its management team with the hire of Sam Khazary as Senior Vice President and Head of Global Corporate Development, and the promotion of Steven Ohayon to Head of Strategy; both individuals sit on Selina’s Executive Committee. In their respective roles, Khazary and Ohayon will work closely with Selina’s highly experienced senior management team to fuel the company’s global expansion and cultivate new corporate partnerships, and represent Selina in global markets as it moves to becoming a publicly listed company.
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“Selina is at a critical point in its evolution, and I look forward to leveraging my expertise and relationships to find new opportunities for growth that will allow us to further develop and scale our product for the fastest-growing cohorts of travelers.”
Khazary brings to Selina nearly 20 years of financial and capital markets experience, with a core focus on the analysis and development of corporate strategies. As Head of Global Corporate Development, he will lead the evaluation and execution of Selina’s global business development strategy to enhance both enterprise and shareholder value. His responsibilities include securing corporate financing, joint ventures, partnerships and strategic investments, as well as advising on opportunities to accelerate entrepreneurial growth and global product innovation.
Ohayon joined Selina in 2016 and has played an integral role in fueling Selina’s growth from two locations to 144 open or secured hotels across 25 countries and six continents. During his tenure, Ohayon has led critical initiatives that have meaningfully contributed to Selina’s relationships, culture and investment outcomes, having raised approximately $350 million of equity for the company and facilitating hundreds of millions of dollars worth of real estate transactions on behalf Selina’s capital partners. As Head of Strategy, he is responsible for overseeing the evolution of Selina’s strategic growth priorities across all verticals. He is also playing a leading role in executing Selina’s business combination with BOA Acquisition Corp., which, if consummated, will result in Selina becoming a publicly traded company.
Rafael Museri, Selina’s Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, said, “As we grow and continue to advance our plans to corner a $350 billion travel segment, having the right strategy team in place is crucial to our success – this is why I am thrilled to have Sam and Steven in these positions. Steven has been a part of the Selina family almost from inception, and he has been instrumental in building the company into what it is today. His promotion reflects the critical role he has and will continue to play as we further scale the platform. Sam, being a proven talent in the industry, brings a strong track record and extensive network that will help us to deepen our existing relationships and formulate new ones as we look to accelerate our global expansion.”
Khazary joins Selina from Fosun International Limited, where he served as Managing Director of Investments and Capital Markets of North America, and was responsible for all facets of commercial real estate and hospitality strategy, investments, and capital markets for the region. Prior to Fosun, he served in senior roles at FTI Consulting, RCS Capital and Cole Capital. He also held positions at Morgan Stanley, Ehrenkranz Partners and OppenheimerFunds. Khazary holds a B.S. in Finance from the Tobin School of Business at St. John’s University and received a CIMA® designation from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He also holds Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) Series 7, 63, and 79 security and investment banking licenses.
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“I couldn’t be more excited to be joining an innovative lifestyle brand that is fundamentally disrupting the future of accommodations,” said Khazary. “Selina is at a critical point in its evolution, and I look forward to leveraging my expertise and relationships to find new opportunities for growth that will allow us to further develop and scale our product for the fastest-growing cohorts of travelers.”
Ohayon previously served as Selina’s Head of Business Development, where he lived the company’s lifestyle as a Selina digital nomad across the world, quickly establishing himself as a critical member of the senior management team. Prior to joining Selina, Ohayon served in various roles at Nomura Securities focusing on hospitality investment banking, mergers and acquisitions, and private capital markets. He speaks four languages and earned a B.S. with a concentration in Finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
“Joining Selina early on, it has been an honor to work hand in hand with the founding team whose future-forward vision really has disrupted industry norms. Being able to witness firsthand the global demand for this type of experience, that only we are capable of manufacturing, has been truly gratifying,” said Ohayon. “Over the years, I’ve become intimately ingrained in influencing the evolution of Selina’s growth strategy, and it has been a privilege to grow alongside this incredible company.”
