Robert Van Laer, MAI currently serves as Senior Vice President of LW Hospitality Advisors®. Based in New York City, Mr. Van Laer has over 15 years of hotel operational, investment, valuation, and advisory experience; and specializes in appraisals, market/feasibility studies, impact studies, expert witness testimony, litigation support, public policy, debt valuation, asset management, acquisitions & development, and portfolio management of lodging and hospitality properties across North America, Central America, and Europe. He has completed 1,200+ valuation and advisory assignments in 45+ U.S. states, totaling in excess of $10 billion in valuations. He is currently licensed as a State Certified General Appraiser in several states.

Mr. Van Laer previously held corporate and acquisition & development positions at Natixis and Empresas Bern S.A. He holds a Bachelor of Science in International Hospitality Management from Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne with a specialization in Finance. Mr. Van Laer completed his Master of Business Administration (MBA) at New York University Leonard N. Stern School of Business with specializations in Finance and Financial Instruments & Markets. He serves on the New York chapter of AEHL and volunteers at several organizations such as the National MS Society, Alzheimer’s Association, and Shatterproof. He has written several industry articles and publications: “Citywide Hotels Text Amendment – Draft Environmental Impact State (“DEIS”) Comments”, “M1 Zoning Hotel Market Analysis”, “Boom to Bust; Eagle Ford Shale Lodging Markets Update”, and “Hotel Rush! Texas Energy Lodging Markets”