Diafa, a hospitality group with offices in Abu Dhabi and London, now operates 133 venues across 32 brands and five operating groups in 25 countries — and it is building toward a stated goal of becoming the world's largest luxury restaurant operator.

The group's expansion runs on sovereign wealth. Diafa is an affiliate of IHC Group, chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, deputy ruler of Abu Dhabi and the UAE's national security advisor. The Wall Street Journal has reported his involvement in negotiations around the war with Iran and his role as a backer in the Trump family's cryptocurrency venture. In a statement, Diafa said it provides "tailored access to patient capital, operating expertise, technology, talent, real estate, hotel and developer relationships and shared intelligence."

The deal log explains the scale. In 2024, Diafa acquired Los Angeles-based H.wood Group, parent of Delilah, The Nice Guy and Harriet's, in a deal that gave H.wood a nine-figure valuation at the time. In October 2025, Diafa bought 49% of Azumi Ltd., co-owned with London-based Dogus Hospitality; Sven Koch remains CEO. Azumi started with Zuma in London in 2002 and now runs more than 30 locations from Phuket to Istanbul, plus brands including Roka, Etaru and Oblix. Six Zuma locations operate in the U.S.

Earlier this year, Diafa acquired a controlling stake in Richard Caring's U.K. restaurant empire for a reported $1.8 billion. That portfolio includes The Ivy Collection, Scott's, Sexy Fish, Caprice Restaurants and private member clubs such as Annabel's. Diafa is already moving those assets stateside. In July, Caprice Holdings bought the Herring Building at 675 Hudson St. in New York's Meatpacking District for a reported $100 million. Pending approval by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, the property will become a U.S. outpost of Annabel's. The company said it is also exploring bringing The Ivy to the U.S.

Azumi has its own pipeline: Zuma Beachhouse Dubai, a daytime beach and pool concept, is scheduled to open in 2027.

Founders stay in place

Diafa's acquisition model keeps operators running their businesses. H.wood Group, founded in 2008 by Brian Toll and John Terzian, still operates under their leadership. The company began as a nightlife operator — its 1960s-style burlesque club Bootsy Bellows, co-founded with actor David Arquette, closed earlier this year, though an outlet remains in SoFi Stadium — and has since shifted toward restaurant concepts built on glamour and live music.

H.wood's growth pipeline is concrete. Delilah operates in Dallas, Las Vegas and Miami, with a Lady Delilah slated for New York City. The private club The Bird Streets operates in Los Angeles. A Japanese concept, Little Luck, is scheduled to open in West Hollywood, and a speakeasy-style restaurant and lounge called Montana's is coming to Brentwood.

"Our ambition is to give exceptional regional businesses a global framework without losing what made them special in the first place," Diafa Group CEO Ravi Thakran said in a statement. "Growth will be curated and measured — creating global brands with a local soul, while accreting their value and protecting their legacy and DNA."

The demand side

The expansion targets the top half of a K-shaped economy. Revenue Management Solutions reported this week that 48% of consumers earning more than $100,000 say they are spending a bigger share of their income on both dining out and takeout — a 15% increase over last year. That spending supports menus like Delilah's Dallas outpost, where $200 seafood towers, $300 A5 snow beef from Hokkaido and $135 Osetra caviar service anchor the check average.

The risks are equally concrete. The ultra-luxury segment has become increasingly competitive, and scaling brands that depend on exclusivity carries structural tension: each new outlet dilutes the scarcity that drives the pricing power. Diafa has barely touched Asia and Latin America, and it aspires to expand beyond food and beverage into hotels and wellness — wide runway, but wide exposure.

With sovereign capital, retained founders and $1.8 billion committed to a single U.K. portfolio, Diafa has positioned itself as the leading contender in the race to become the world's largest luxury restaurant company, with Annabel's Meatpacking District debut as its next visible U.S. test.