Equity International Completes Sale of Remaining Investment in SAMHI Hotels Limited
CHICAGO, United States:
Equity International Management, LLC (Equity International), a private equity firm founded by Sam Zell, announced the sale of its remaining stake in SAMHI Hotels Limited (SAMHI), a hotel ownership and asset management platform in India with operating brands including Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield by Marriott, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Place, Sheraton and Holiday Inn Express by IHG. The company’s shares are listed on the BSE Limited (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited (NSE) under the ticker symbol SAMHI.
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Equity International made its first investment in SAMHI in 2011 and has been its largest shareholder for most of its history. Blue Chandra Pte. Ltd. (Blue Chandra), an affiliate company of Equity International, sold approximately 49.8% of its equity holdings in the company in conjunction with SAMHI’s Initial Public Offering in September 2023. In March 2024, Blue Chandra sold an additional 27.0% of its initial interest in SAMHI, retaining 8,721,414 shares. The sale of the remaining 23.2% of shares was completed on April 29, 2025.
SAMHI grew from a business plan at the time of Equity International’s initial investment to a current portfolio of 34 hotels (includes 3 under development) comprising over 5,500 keys (includes 700 keys under development) and a diverse geographic presence in 13 cities across India. Equity International initially identified SAMHI as a compelling investment opportunity based on India’s economic growth, favorable demographics, and urbanization with the potential to drive demand in the travel and tourism sector. SAMHI’s focus on scaling the hospitality platform by operating under international brands differentiated the company from other competitors in the region.
“Equity International has been an invaluable long-term partner that helped guide SAMHI’s growth and accelerate the expansion of our platform,” said Ashish Jakhanwala, chairman, managing director and chief executive officer of SAMHI.
“Equity International and Sam Zell recognized Ashish and the SAMHI team as high-quality partners with impressive prior experience in the hospitality sector. This sale marks the full exit of Equity International’s interest in the company, which is part of the normal course of our ongoing portfolio management activity and disciplined monetization philosophy. We wish the SAMHI team success in their future endeavors,” commented Tom Heneghan, chief executive officer of Equity International.
About Equity International
Founded by Sam Zell in 1999, Chicago-based Equity International Management, LLC (“EI”) is a private equity firm focused primarily on investing outside of the United States. The firm makes entity-level investments in real estate and infrastructure-related operating companies, as well as in innovative solutions within the housing sector. EI leverages its network and experience to build institutional businesses alongside strong operating partners.
About SAMHI Hotels Ltd.
SAMHI is a prominent branded hotel ownership and asset management platform in India with an institutional ownership model, experienced leadership and a professional management team. SAMHI has long-term management arrangements with three of the established and well-recognized global hotel operators, namely, Marriott, IHG and Hyatt. SAMHI has a portfolio of 31 operating hotels comprising 4,823 rooms and has a diverse geographic presence in 13 cities across India, including National Capital Region (NCR), Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai and Pune.
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