Michael Evanoff Joins BH2I as Senior Counsel
Michael B. Evanoff: Believes in a respectful approach to concluding negotiations
28 August 2022
Michael B. Evanoff has joined Benjamin Hirasawa Hospitality International (BH2I) as senior counsel based in Singapore. Evanoff has 38 years of experience in international commercial law and globally renowned expertise in all aspects of the hospitality sector.
BH2I is an international corporate, real estate and hospitality legal and consultancy firm with Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore and Bangkok.
Evanoff worked in private practice for top-tier international law firms in New York and London before joining Hyatt International Corp in 1984. During his 20-year career at Hyatt, in roles that included as vice president development and general counsel, he oversaw the development of more than 70 Hyatt hotels worldwide and several casinos and multi-use developments. These included landmark projects such as the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, Park Hyatt Milan and Hyatt Regency Casino in Thessaloniki, Greece, Europe’s largest casino. As general counsel, he was also responsible for Hyatt’s global compliance, litigation, intellectual property, employment, technology, and corporate and commercial matters.
His other stints included as chairman of First Oriental Holdings Corp, a Singapore-based private equity firm investing in the development of residential and hotel properties Asia-Pacific. He was also founder and chairman of Marlborough Hospitality Services Singapore, a provider of a range of legal, development and project services for the hospitality and residential housing industries.
“Michael’s technical excellence, commercial acumen and advanced deal-making skills exponentially increase the depth, capabilities and industry knowledge of our senior ranks,” said Benjamin Hirasawa, BH2I’s founder and managing partner. “His vast experience as a trusted general counsel for a global hospitality corporation creates immense value for our hotel operator and other clients. His nearly four-decade track record in objectively evaluating legal and commercial issues and creating practical and effective solutions reflects the core values of our firm. He is a fantastic addition and we are ecstatic to welcome him to BH2I.”
Evanoff said of his move to BH2I, “I am extremely pleased to be joining Ben Hirasawa and BH2I. We share the same goal of solving our clients’ problems in an efficient, practical and ethical manner, taking into account commercial as well as legal issues. We also prefer to work with those on the other side in a friendly and respectful way, concluding negotiations with all parties being on good terms and ready to do other deals together.”
Evanoff holds law degrees from the University of Michigan and the London School of Economics and is a member of the New York and US Federal Bars. He has authored numerous articles on various aspects of hotel management agreements and lectured at the university level on global hotel development.
BH2I provides legal and consultancy services to investors, developers, hotel operators and other real estate, corporate and hospitality clients on private equity financings, joint ventures, cross-border mergers and acquisitions, and development, operation and disposition of hotels, commercial and residential projects and master planned communities. It advises on all aspects of the development cycle, and projects include timeshare, fractional, branded residence, franchise, gaming and mixed-use developments.