Shamim Ehsani

Shamim Ehsani is Co-Founder, Director and Developer of Tribe Hotel, a family-owned and operated, 5-star luxury hotel in Nairobi, Kenya, that channels African authenticity and excellence. Shamim
co-founded the hotel, located in the city’s prestigious diplomatic district, and serves as its Creative Director, developing new concepts relating to F&B and service. He is also the hotel’s Marketing Director,
overseeing all branding and marketing efforts across the companies and outlets, including developing all of the brands.
Shamim also plays a key role in a constellation of family enterprises that are centered on real estate development. A prolific and successful entrepreneur, he is also Co-Founder, Director and Developer of Trademark Hotel, Tribe Hotel’s 4-star sister property; Director and Co-Founder of VMX Fitness, Nairobi’s top fitness facility; Principal and Creative Director of Beeline, a luxury brand marketing agency; Director of Guardian Holdings, a holding/investment company; and Marketing Director of
Village Market, East Africa’s largest lifestyle and recreation complex.

It’s a Family Affair
The Ehsani family is very close knit and when Shamim was growing up, they would routinely discuss their real estate business and opportunities over dinner. Both of his parents have been sources of
inspiration and support throughout his career. His brothers have been invaluable sounding boards, challenging ideas and debating details that have ultimately created every brand and experience that the family presents.

Shamim’s father, Hamed, is Village Market’s Managing Director and a Board Member of Tribe Hotels Group. His mother, Faranak, is Art Curator for Tribe Hotel and Trademark Hotel, and owns Kalabash,
which retails African art. His elder brother, Hooman, is a Tribe Hotels Group Board Member and takes the lead on negotiations and new developments, while his younger brother, Soha, is a Village Market
Board Member and a wizard of finance and leasing.
As real estate developers, the Ehsani family has been involved with construction projects for more than 30 years. Some of Shamim’s earliest memories are of visiting project sites and looking at scale models of buildings in his uncle Mehraz Ehsani’s architecture studio. While developing hotels is more complicated, having a foundational understanding of construction has been a tremendous advantage to Shamim.

Tribe, an Iconic Hotel in Nairobi That Sets a Higher Standard of Global Hospitality
Shamim co-founded Tribe Hotel with his brother Hooman in 2008 to fulfill a need for a 5-star luxury hotel in Nairobi’s upscale diplomatic district. The brothers listed the 20 things they did not like about
hotels and set about to create their own that addressed them. The result is a higher standard in global hospitality, with the hotel distinguished as one of the most iconic properties in Africa. The hotel’s guests include royalty, heads of state and countless celebrities. The property boasts 128 rooms, a 10,000-sq.-ft.
spa and a heliport.

Better Reflecting the Wealth and Dignity of Africa and the Kenyan People at Tribe Hotel
Tribe Hotel broke away from the colonial style hotels that existed in the market and presents a space that supports the arts and is a better reflection of the wealth and dignity of Africa and the Kenyan people.

They transformed the attitude of service from a subservient approach to one that is more egalitarian and congenial, with guests being “hosted” rather than “served.” The hotel boasts 900 African artworks and artifacts curated by Shamim’s mother, Faranak, supports local Nairobi artisans and purveyors, while its
acclaimed Jiko restaurant has elevated African cuisine to new heights.

Tribe Hotel as a Laboratory for Best Practices
The success of Tribe Hotel is due to Shamim focusing on its people, building its culture and creating moments of joy. Shamim has been fearless in breaking and reinventing systems when he has discovered a better way to do something and views hotels as part logistics, part theater and part game theory. Shamim believes that hotels are immersive experiences that should engage all of the senses and create harmony among them. Above all, Shamim stays true to his vision and does not try to have Tribe Hotel appeal to
everyone.

Creating Nairobi’s First Speakeasy Bar, Hero, Atop a Luxury Hotel
Shamim is also Co-Founder, Director and Developer of Trademark Hotel, a 215-room sister property of Tribe Hotel and a member of Design Hotels located in Nairobi. At the hotel, Shamim is engaged in all levels of design, development, opening and operations of this 4-star hotel primarily focused on the corporate and meetings/events segments. The hotel is also the home of Hero, a superhero-themed
speakeasy bar (Nairobi’s first) conceptualized and operated by Shamim that ranked No.75 on The World’s 50 Best Bars 2024 extended list. The bar embraces African flavors and ingredients to create unique, world class cocktails that cannot be sipped anywhere else. The drinks are coupled with Japanese-inspired fare that also proudly celebrates the flavors of the continent. Shamim oversees sourcing local ingredients, including sushi rice from a Japanese farmer in Kenya.

Creating Nairobi’s Premier Gym, VMX Fitness, with 1,300 Members
Together with his brother Hooman and younger brother Soha, the trio took over a defunct 35,000-sq.-ft. gym in Village Market, East Africa’s largest lifestyle and recreation complex. Together, they successfully transformed it into VMX Fitness, the city’s top fitness facility with more than 2,000 members.
Advocating for Kenyan Artists Through AVAC, a Local Arts Nonprofit
An ardent supporter of the arts, Shamim is a Board Member of the Association of Visual Artists & Collectives (AVAC). The nonprofit advances the visual arts in Kenya through advocacy and resource
mobilization. It is building a local ecosystem for the arts and a community of artists that support one another, while combating exploitation by galleries so artists can focus on creating.
Orchestrating Brand Buzz with Beeline, a Luxury Brand Marketing Agency Shamim is Principal and Creative Director of Beeline, a brand marketing agency specifically focused on the East African luxury and premium markets. The agency’s client experience includes Jaguar Land Rover, Canali, Philips, Nestlé, Dilmah, Palm Valley Estate, The Majlis Resort, Patrick Mavros, Village Market, Tribe Hotel and Trademark Hotel. The agency’s work includes organizing luxury events, running brand workshops for clients and developing 20 brands from scratch.

Learning Import/Export, Publishing and Serviced Offices at Guardian Holdings
Shamim is Director of Guardian Holdings, a holding/investment company that is engaged in a number of businesses. They include Spa Siam product distribution, where Shamim mastered the nuances of import/export; Host Magazine, where Shamim honed his publishing prowess; and two serviced offices where Shamim was immersed in planning, leasing and marketing.
Turning Around Boundary Plaza, a Landmark Vancouver Property
At the tender age of 23, Shamim was entrusted to oversee the family’s Boundary Plaza, a landmark building on the edge of Vancouver, Canada, which had fallen on hard times. Tenants owed large amounts of rent payments and several were involved in illegal activities. Shamim worked with tenants and created payment plans that reduced collectibles to zero. He also collaborated with the city to evict the undesirable elements and attracted a Starbucks and other major tenants. In just two and a half years, Shamim transformed a C-grade property into an A-grade property and sold it for a 60 percent higher return than what was originally anticipated.

Revitalizing Village Market, One of East Africa’s Most Acclaimed Shopping Malls
Upon completing a B.S. in Business at Babson College in the U.S., Shamim oversaw the Marketing and PR departments of Village Market, East Africa’s largest lifestyle and recreation complex, at a time of increased competition from other properties for attractive tenants and footfall. Thanks to his marketing campaigns and communications strategies, Village Market has remained a market leader and benchmark.

Since 2007, Shamim has led two brand overhauls and been involved in five physical redevelopments of the property.