Noted M&A Specialist Ben Hakim of Blackstone Advisory Partners Headlines NPA's Parking Industry Winter Leadership Forum

Hakim To Provide Capital Markets Outlook and Mergers & Acquisitions Update

WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Parking Association (NPA) today announced that Ben Hakim, senior managing director for Blackstone Advisory Partners will headline NPA's annual executive briefings and Winter Leadership Forum February 4-8.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120111/DC34302)

The NPA Winter Leadership Forum is a prestigious thought leadership event that provides senior level executives first-hand insights into market trends affecting the parking industry. The forum provides expert briefings on financial markets, legal issues, technology, strategic growth and parking industry trends that affect asset management, innovation and growth. Registration is available online until January 20.

Ben Hakim is a senior managing director for the Mergers and Acquisitions Advisory Group at Blackstone. He has been directly involved in various transactions including the sale of Impark to the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, Central Parking to a consortium of Kohlberg & Company and Lubert Adler and Icon Parking to Macquarie.  

"Ben Hakim brings direct and unique insights into parking industry mergers and acquisitions, as well as the capital market trends shaping real estate and the future growth of the parking industry," noted NPA President Christine Banning, CAE.  She added, "Ben's breadth and depth of experience in the financial and commercial real estate markets provide NPA members with valuable knowledge and market forecast insights into the forces shaping the future of the parking industry and its competitiveness in the marketplace."

Since joining Blackstone in 1999, Hakim has advised companies in all sectors with a primary focus on real estate, leisure, media transactions and business services, including AIG, Blackstone Real Estate Partners, Carrefour, Centerplate, Citibank, Clear Channel, DreamWorks, Hilton, Intrawest, JCDecaux, Macquarie, Microsoft, Morgans Hotel, Pershing Square Capital, Sony, Xanterra Parks & Resorts and YankeeNets.

Hakim earned a bachelor's in economics with concentrations in finance and accounting from Cornell University, where he graduated with highest honors.

About NPA: The National Parking Association is the nation's leading parking trade group advancing the interests of the private and public sector in parking technology, sustainable mobility, certification, advocacy, research and education. Founded in 1951, NPA has more than 2,300 members and represents all facets of the parking industry. www.NPApark.org

Contact: Heather Sieber
202.470.6303
[email protected]

SOURCE National Parking Association