Yavuz Pehlivanlar
Profile Verified by The Marque
Last Updated: 22 Sep 2026
Chief Executive Officer & Board Member
London, GB
Profile Verified by The Marque
Last Updated: 22 Sep 2026
THE MARQUE
In Their Own Right
Biography
Yavuz Pehlivanlar is Chief Executive Officer of Hakkasan Group, the global restaurant company behind the brands Hakkasan, Yauatcha, Ling Ling, and Sake no Hana.
Appointed in 2025 as Hakkasan Group entered a new phase under the ownership of Mohari Hospitality, Yavuz oversees operations and strategic growth across the group's international venues. Under his leadership, Hakkasan Group continues to develop its modern Asian dining brands while strengthening its presence in major cities worldwide.
Yavuz has more than three decades of experience in luxury dining, restaurant management and global operations. Prior to joining Hakkasan Group, he served as Chief Operating Officer of Caprice Holdings. In this role, he oversaw operational performance, brand standards and business development across the company’s venues.
Earlier in his career, Yavuz held senior leadership roles with several premier restaurant groups, including 50 Eggs Hospitality Group, d.ream (Doğuş Restaurant Entertainment and Management), COYA Group, The Mina Group and Trader Vic’s. In these positions, he developed expertise in restaurant operations, brand development, guest experience and the expansion of premium dining concepts across international markets.
Yavuz’s leadership experience includes luxury restaurants and nightlife venues, with a career centred on the growth and operation of internationally recognised dining brands. In 2025, he was named in the Observer Nightlife & Dining Power Index, recognising influential leaders shaping the future of the industry.
Yavuz earned a Bachelor of Arts in hotel and restaurant management from Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences.
The Record
Background
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2025 — Present
Chief Executive Officer & Board Member
Hakkasan Group
Hakkasan Group is a global hospitality business built around iconic restaurant brands offering innovative, modern Cantonese cuisine and premium dining experiences. In 2025 Mohari Hospitality acquired the Hakkasan, Yauatcha, Ling Ling, and Sake no Hana brands to create Hakkasan Group.
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2024 — 2025
Chief Operating Officer
Caprice Holdings Limited
Caprice Holdings Ltd is a London-based restaurant group that owns and operates a collection of high-end dining venues, including Scott’s, Sexy Fish, J Sheekey, and Bacchanalia, as well as private dining and events operations.
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2018 — 2024
Chief Operating Officer
50 Eggs Hospitality Group
50 Eggs Hospitality Group is a restaurant company founded by restaurateur John Kunkel. Launched in 2001 in Miami Beach as a humble sandwich shop, it now develops and operates several restaurant brands, with locations in cities including Miami, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Singapore.
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2015 — 2017
Chief Executive Officer, Americas
COYA Group
COYA Group is a restaurant and hospitality business centred on Peruvian food and pisco bars. COYA opened in London in 2012 and now has venues in Europe and the Middle East, including London, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Riyadh and Barcelona. It also previously operated COYA Miami, the brand’s first U.S. outpost.
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2002 — 2012
Various roles and locations culminating in Senior Vice President, San Francisco
Trader Vic's
Trader Vic’s is a Polynesian-themed restaurant and tiki bar brand founded by Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron in California in 1934. Yavuz spent nearly 10 years at the company, progressing from General Manager in Abu Dhabi (2002–2004) to senior operational leadership roles in the San Francisco Bay Area. He served as VP, US Operations (2005–2007), VP for the US & Caribbean (2007–2009), and Senior Vice President (2010–2012).
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1999 — 2005
General Manager
Trader Vic's at the London Hilton
Trader Vic’s at the London Hilton on Park Lane was a landmark, basement-level tiki bar and restaurant that opened in 1963. Known for its Polynesian décor, tropical cocktails (including the Mai Tai), and lively atmosphere, it became one of London’s most iconic themed venues. It closed permanently on 31 December 2022 ahead of the hotel’s renovation.
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1993 — 1999
Assistant Front Office Manager
Hotel Breidenbacher Hof
Breidenbacher Hof is a five-star luxury hotel in central Düsseldorf, known for its historic “grand hotel” feel and highly personalised service. It offers elegant rooms and suites, a spa with pool and saunas, and on-site dining and bar venues. It is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World.
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2016 — 2018
Executive Vice President
d.ream (Doğuş Restaurant Entertainment and Management)
d.ream (Doğuş Restaurant Entertainment and Management) is a Doğuş Group-backed food and beverage operator founded in 2012. It develops and runs restaurant and entertainment venues in Turkey and internationally.
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2012 — 2015
Vice President, Operations
The Mina Group
The MINA Group is a hospitality company founded by chef Michael Mina, known for dining brands such as Bourbon Steak, STRIPSTEAK, Orla, Michael Mina, and Pabu Izakaya. Its portfolio spans steakhouses, seafood restaurants, and other restaurant concepts, with an emphasis on exceptional cuisine, immersive atmospheres, and impeccable service.
In Frame
Gallery
Formative Years
Education
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Düsseldorf University of Applied Sciences
Arts, hotel & restaurant management, BA
1990 — 1993