Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts

Who owns Four Seasons?
Four Seasons is majority-owned by Cascade Investment, the family office of Bill Gates, which holds approximately 71% of the company. Kingdom Holding Company, the Saudi Arabian investment firm controlled by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, holds approximately 24%. Founder Isadore Sharp retains approximately 5% and serves as chairman.

Is Four Seasons publicly traded?
No. Four Seasons is a private company and is not listed on any stock exchange. The company was taken private in 2007 by Kingdom Holding Company and Cascade Investment in a $3.4 billion transaction.

When was Four Seasons founded?
Four Seasons was founded in 1960 by Isadore Sharp. The first property was the Four Seasons Motor Hotel, a 125-room motel in downtown Toronto, Canada.

How many Four Seasons hotels are there?
Four Seasons operates over 130 hotels and resorts across approximately 50 countries on six continents. The company has over 50 additional properties in its development pipeline.

Who is the CEO of Four Seasons?
Alejandro Incarnato serves as CEO of Four Seasons, appointed in 2024. Isadore Sharp, the founder, remains as chairman.

Does Four Seasons own its hotels?
No. Four Seasons typically operates under an asset-light management model, managing hotels on behalf of real estate owners and developers under long-term management agreements. This allows the company to expand without requiring the capital to own each property.

What is Four Seasons' revenue?
Four Seasons does not publicly disclose its annual revenue as a private company. Revenue is estimated to exceed $4 billion, generated through hotel management fees, residential sales, private jet operations, and other hospitality services.

Four Seasons was founded in 1960 by Isadore Sharp, a Canadian architect and developer. The first property was the Four Seasons Motor Hotel, a modest 125-room motel in downtown Toronto. Sharp's vision was to create a hotel that offered consistent, high-quality service, a concept that was revolutionary at the time.

The company expanded throughout the 1960s and 1970s, opening properties across Canada. In 1970, Four Seasons opened its first international property, the Inn on the Park in London, establishing the brand in Europe. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Four Seasons expanded into the United States, Asia, and Europe, building a reputation for exceptional service quality and operational excellence.

Four Seasons pioneered the concept of the luxury hotel management agreement, in which the company manages properties owned by real estate investors rather than owning the real estate itself. This asset-light model allowed Four Seasons to expand rapidly without requiring the capital to own each property.

In 2007, Four Seasons was taken private by Kingdom Holding Company and Cascade Investment in a $3.4 billion transaction. The company continued to expand under private ownership, opening properties in new markets and developing brand extensions.

In 2021, Cascade Investment increased its stake to approximately 71%, consolidating control. The company has continued its global expansion, opening new properties and expanding into residential real estate and private aviation.

Four Seasons has implemented sustainability initiatives across its global portfolio. The company's sustainability program focuses on environmental responsibility, social impact, and ethical governance.

Environmental initiatives include energy efficiency improvements, water conservation programs, waste reduction, and sustainable sourcing of food and materials. The company has committed to reducing its environmental footprint across its properties.

Four Seasons maintains ethical standards for labor practices, supply chain responsibility, and community engagement. The company's employee culture is a key differentiator, with investment in training, development, and fair compensation practices.

The company supports local communities through the Four Seasons for Good program, which focuses on community engagement, environmental stewardship, and ethical sourcing.