We leverage our proven expertise to target investment opportunities and drive market leading performance & returns to our select family of partners.

Chelsea Island, London

Marriott Residence Inn, Montreal

NHOW Hotel, Berlin

JW Marriott, Cannes

Gare Viger, Montreal

AC Marriott, Antibes

Best Western, North Bay Village

Clevelander Hotel, South Beach

Essex House, South Beach

The Stiles Hotel, South Beach

Jesta Group manages a diversified portfolio of prime real estate assets in the commercial, residential, retail and hospitality sectors in North America and Europe. With headquarters in Montreal and offices in Miami, London and Paris, we are well placed to capitalize on strategic opportunities in some of the world’s most desirable locations.

We leverage our intellectual capital and deep international relations to target, acquire and manage property transactions of significant scale. Our diversified asset base and proven track record make us superbly qualified to manage risk and deliver market leading results.

Since 1992, we have diversified beyond real estate investments having successfully bought, built and sold significant interests in the information technology, aerospace, nautical manufacturing and fashion industries.

Guiding Principles
INTEGRITY
As a multigenerational family office, we are committed to make our future leaders proud of their heritage. We define success not only by financial results but also in the quality of our reputation, the strength of our partnerships and the moral character through which we lead our investments.
RISK MANAGEMENT
As an opportunistic private equity group, we are attracted to higher risk investments. We have built internal processes to capitalise on our intellectual capital and expertise from both bear and bull cycles. As a result, our proprietary diligence procedures ensure appropriate risk mitigation that allow us to close on bold investment strategies.
DISCIPLINED EXECUTION
Action speaks louder than words. Our management team is comprised of do-ers. We have hired, built and shaped a family of leaders across our companies who harness vision, own strategic plans and deliver results through disciplined execution.
Executive Team
Our team of real estate professionals bring a world of expertise to every project.

Elliott Aintabi, CPA, CA
Chairman of the Board & CEO, Jesta Group

Eric Aintabi, CPA, CA
Vice-President, Jesta Group

Judah Bendayan, CPA, CA , MBA
CFO, Jesta Group

Stephanie Aintabi
Vice-President, Development, Jesta Group

 

Steven Myszka, CPA, CAVice-President,
Finance, Jesta Group

Bing Li, CPA, CA
Vice-President, Tax Compliance, Jesta Group

David Berman
Director, UK

Expertise
Canada

The Jesta Group emerged on the real estate scene when we acquired our first property in Texas, in 1993. Since then, Montreal, Quebec, Canada has remained our headquarters as we have grown and diversified in various real estate sectors across the world.

Jesta first focused on residential, office and industrial assets, before branching out to compelling projects in other verticals requiring significantly more operational oversight such as hospitality and commercial. In just a few years, we tripled our hospitality holding with over 1,200 hotel keys under ownership in Montreal and Toronto. In 2012, we acquired Gare Viger in Montreal, a landmark hotel and railway station built in 1898 located on 6 acres of land.

Since then, we have successfully converted the historic buildings a prestigious office space for our tenant, Lightspeed; and have begun construction of a one million square foot mixed use project that comprises hotel, residential, retail and office components. Jesta has since acquired several million square feet of development lands throughout the region to ensure a strong pipeline of projects for our growing development company.

France
The Jesta Group started building our reputation in Europe with prestigious acquisitions in France. In Paris, we have built a robust portfolio of high-end residential spaces with historic addresses such as Rue de la Croix-Nivert, Allée de Fontainebleau, Avenue de L’Opéra and Allée Claude Monet.

Jesta has also been instrumental in developing some of the country’s most celebrated buildings. In 2000, our complex at Faubourg Saint-Martin was awarded the First Prize for Architecture at MIPIM, an international property event hosted in Cannes each March. Since then, this award-winning building has attracted such prestigious tenants as advertising agency, BETC Euro RSCG.

We continued to diversify our portfolio in France with acquisitions in the leisure and tourism industry. In 2001, we purchased the Centre Parcs resorts in Normandy and Sologne and two condo hotels in Courchevel. Soon after, we purchased the Palais Stephanie in Cannes, one of only four palaces on the renowned Croisette, and lovingly restored it to its former glory as a luxury hotel, casino and conference space branded under the JW Marriott banner.

UK
The Jesta Group’s initial expansion into the UK involved several acquisitions and dispositions to gain a strong foothold in this highly competitive market. Several notable transactions include the 2003 acquisitions of Red Lion Court, a 120,000 a 128,000-square-foot property on the now-fashionable South Bank of the River Thames; and the 2012 acqusition and redevelopment of the Arndale Shopping Center.

Jesta is currently developing a prestigious condominium project named Chelsea Island Appartments, in Chelsea.

Germany
After our success in the UK and France, the Jesta Group expanded our presence in Europe when we acquired the NHOW Hotel in Berlin, Germany, a one-of-a-kind hospitality asset in our portfolio. This upbeat hotel on the River Spree and at the epicentre of music, fashion and culture, embraces the offbeat, dynamic energy of a new generation of hotels appealing to the cosmopolitan traveller. Jesta is currrently developing a 688-unit student and serviced appartment complex in Berlin as well.
USA

The Jesta Group’s first foray into the USA began when our Founder and President, Elliott Aintabi, acquired several million square feet of commercial and retail space in Houston, Texas in the early 80s. Since then, we have pursued assets and built a portfolio of commercial, retail and residential spaces, including the Federal East Plaza, the Gessner, the Baybrook, and the Easton Commons Plaza. Propelled by these achievements, we moved into retail property management investments, acquiring the Southway, the Stafford and the Rummel Creek shopping centres.

In the last few years, we have continued to acquire shopping centres across Texas, including the Plaza Del Sol, the Village West Oaks, the Sherman and the Waco Shopping Center. Over the years, our partnerships with retailers and big-box tenants have earned us a solid reputation as a top tier savvy landlord.

Besides our major acquisitions in Texas, we have made significant investments across the United States, adding several commercial, residential and hospitality properties to our portfolio in Florida with a focus on Miami Beach.