López-Vilas to Support Portfolio Franchises Across Venue Optimization, Mixed-Use Development and Global Expansion

Arctos, a private investment firm that provides bespoke growth and liquidity solutions to sports franchises (Arctos Sports) and alternative asset managers (Arctos Keystone), today announced the appointment of Santiago López-Vilas as an Operating Partner.

Arctos’ Operating Partners serve as strategic advisors across the Sports strategy, offering deep domain expertise and seasoned counsel to both the firm and its portfolio franchises. In this role, López-Vilas will leverage his extensive experience across finance, real estate development and the structuring of large, multi-purpose assets, with a particular focus on the intersection of sports, entertainment and real estate. He will support Arctos’ franchise partners on the development and optimization of sports venues, the creation of mixed-use and entertainment districts surrounding major assets and international expansion.

Most recently, López-Vilas served as CEO of Real Madrid Estadio, where he led the transformation of the Santiago Bernabéu from a traditional stadium into a state-of-the-art global entertainment venue, and Deputy General Manager of Real Madrid CF, one of the most storied teams in La Liga. The redevelopment positioned the Bernabéu as an international reference for modern venue renovation, hosting major global events including the first NFL regular-season game in Spain and concerts by global artists, while materially enhancing the asset’s financial performance and commercial reach.

“Santi is one of the most accomplished executives operating at the convergence of sports, entertainment and real estate,” said Doc O’Connor, Managing Partner at Arctos. “His leadership in transforming the Bernabéu into a world-class, multi-purpose venue exemplifies the type of operational and strategic expertise we seek to bring to our global partners and portfolio.”

Prior to Real Madrid, López-Vilas held senior roles across hospitality real estate investment, large-scale development and corporate finance. His experience includes leadership positions at Millenium Hotels Real Estate, where he helped build one of Spain’s leading hospitality REITs; OHL Developments, overseeing global hospitality and mixed-use projects; and Mediobanca, advising on corporate financing and M&A transactions for major European companies.

“Arctos has built a differentiated approach to partnering with sports organizations by combining long-term capital with deep operational engagement,” said Santiago López-Vilas. “I am excited to join Arctos’ talented team and contribute my experience across venue transformation, complex real estate development and global event programming, while also working alongside management teams as they reimagine how sports assets create value for fans, partners and communities.”

About Arctos

Arctos is a private investment firm designed to catalyze growth and unlock value in complex, illiquid, and underserved markets. Founded in 2019, the firm’s investment businesses span premier sports franchises (Arctos Sports) and private equity and real assets (Arctos Keystone), delivering bespoke capital solutions, differentiated insights, and purpose-built operating capabilities to industry leaders in both markets. The firm’s innovative approach is anchored by its unique quantitative research and data science platform, Arctos Insights. Arctos has a team of more than 75 investment and operational professionals with expertise across industries, geographies, and economic cycles. The firm is headquartered in Dallas, with office locations in New York, Boston, and London. For more information, visit www.arctospartners.com or Arctos’ company page on LinkedIn.

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