Hakkasan Group has named Yavuz Pehlivanlar as its new chief executive as it eyes further growth worldwide. Pehlivanlar was previously chief operating officer at Caprice Holdings, parent company of Sexy Fish and Scott’s Mayfair, and has worked in luxury hospitality for over 20 years.
He joins the group, which oversees Hakkasan Mayfair and two Yauatcha restaurants in London, as it moves to a new business structure amid a push to grow its brands. Hakkasan was founded by Alan Yau in 2001, and the wider group now includes 22 restaurants and bars across locations include Dubai, Mexico City and Miami.
It was bought by global nightlife giant Tao Group Hospitality in 2021. The wider Tao business was later sold to Mohari Hospitality Group, an investment group owned by online poker billionaire Mark Scheinberg, for £441m in 2023. Last month the Hakkasan Group resumed operations as an independent corporate entity backed by investment from Mohari.
Scheinberg said he wanted to grow the Hakkasan Group brands, which includes Japanese restaurant Sake No Hana and Asian fusion group Ling Ling, worldwide. “We see tremendous potential for innovation and growth across these iconic brands, and by appointing a world-class CEO to lead this portfolio, we are reaffirming our commitment to providing the strategic leadership and investment needed to unlock their full potential,” Scheinberg added.
The changes come after the original Hakkasan restaurant on London’s Hanway Place closed in February after 24 years. The 200-seat restaurant was one of the first Chinese restaurants in London to win a Michelin star in 2003 but lost the award in 2024. Both Hakkasan and Yauatcha in London have cut their prices by an average of 10% this year, which Tao Group Hospitality vice president Jared Boles said had resulted in a 5% uplift in covers.
Yavuz Pehlivanlar CEO Hakkasan
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