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From left to right: Jonathon Zink, COO, The BHN Group by Northstar, Karan Mahesh, Senior Sales – South & Southeast Asia, STR, and Andrea Belfanti, CEO, ISHC – Image Credit ISHC
The International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC), in partnership with the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) awarded Karan Mahesh, Senior Sales – South & Southeast Asia, STR CoStar, with the Rising Star Award Asia Pacific during the HICAP event on 22 October 2025. The award recognizes an emerging leader in the hospitality industry who has demonstrated exceptional professional growth, leadership, and impact in the Asia Pacific region.
Born and raised in India, Karan began his career in sales and marketing with ITC Hotels in Bangalore, where his talent and drive quickly led to a series of promotions from property-level roles to the corporate office. In 2019, he joined STR (a CoStar company) as Account Manager for Central and South Asia, where he distinguished himself through his ability to build strong client relationships, expand data coverage, and grow revenue across diverse markets including India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.
Now based in Singapore, Karan leads STR’s business development efforts across South and Southeast Asia, representing CoStar at major industry conferences and investment forums. His collaborative approach and thought leadership have earned him recognition as a trusted advisor among clients and colleagues alike. Beyond his commercial achievements, Karan is deeply committed to mentorship, regularly guiding interns and junior colleagues in their professional growth.
In recognition of his consistent excellence, Karan was named to CoStar’s prestigious President’s Club in both 2023 and 2024—an honor reserved for top-performing sales professionals globally. His innovative mindset, adaptability, and dedication to advancing hospitality analytics have made him a standout example of the next generation of industry leadership.
“Karan’s curiosity, discipline, and generosity make him a role model for future leaders in hospitality,” said Jesper Palmqvist, Regional Vice President, Asia Pacific at STR CoStar, who nominated him for the award. “He embodies the balance of drive and humility that defines true leadership.”
“I’m incredibly honoured to receive the Rising Star Award. It’s been overwhelming and deeply humbling to be recognised by such respected organisations and leaders from an industry I’m so proud to be a part of,” said Karan Mahesh, the 2025 Rising Star Award recipient. “I’ve been fortunate to learn from amazing leaders, mentors, colleagues, and friends along the way — with my family as my constant anchor of love and support. This recognition is a powerful reminder to keep paying it forward and to continue contributing to the future of this incredible industry.”
Added Andrea Belfanti, CEO of ISHC, “We are delighted to recognize Karan as the recipient of the 2025 Rising Star Award Asia Pacific. This award celebrates emerging leaders who are shaping the future of hospitality through innovation, excellence, and passion. Karan’s achievements and commitment to advancing our industry embody the very spirit of this recognition. Congratulations, Karan!”
“It was a privilege awarding Karan with the Rising Star Award Asia Pacific at the 35th edition of HICAP. Karan’s exceptional dedication, analytical prowess, and unwavering commitment to the hotel industry distinguish him as a promising leader. Moreover, serving as a HICAP Regional Advisor for South Asia, Karan is actively shaping the landscape of the industry in Asia Pacific. We look forward to continued collaboration with him for many years to come,” shared by Jonathon S. Zink, COO of The BHN Group by Northstar.
ISHC launched the Rising Star Award Asia in 2014 in partnership with HICAP to recognize young, emerging leaders in the Asia hospitality community. Nomination criteria require an individual be 35 years or younger, currently working and living in Asia and working in the hospitality development and/or investment field. Past Rising Star Award Asia recipients include Stella Blythe (2024), Vicky Jian (2023), Calvin Li (2022), Siddhant Jhunjhunwala (2021), Corey Hamabata (2020), Daniel Yip (2019), Kieran Bestall (2018), Peter Harper (2017), Kiichi Mashita (2016), Nihat Ercan (2015) and Christopher Hur (2014).
