Potter Star's Mexican Billionaire Boyfriend Leases at 9 West

By Lois Weiss

Saturday, April 4, 2026

AI and tech entrepreneur and investor, Gonzalo Hevia Baillères, who was outed as Emma Watson’s boyfriend by the Post's Page Six, has now been outed as the mystery company that could pay the highest average office rent in the city for a portion of the top floor of 9 W. 57th St.

Baillères’ multinational holding company, HBeyond, currently operates out of New York, Miami and Mexico City where his family owns other companies.  

Newmark confirmed their client has leased a raw, 5,063 square-foot flagship office on the northwest corner of the top, 50^th floor of the trophy skyscraper overlooking Central Park.

The space will be built out before Baillères's company moves in.

In a release on April 2, the owner of 9 West, the Soloviev Group, said the ten-year lease, that averages $327.5 a foot in rent “is believed to be” the highest recorded in the city. 

“The price speaks for itself,” said Stefan Soloviev, Chairman of Soloviev Group.

Prior to this transaction, the city’s most expensive lease was at One Vanderbilt for $320 per rentable square foot while Citadel's first lease at 425 Park Ave. also topped $300 a foot a decade ago.

CBRE team of Howard Fiddle, John P. Maher, Gregg Rothkin, Alex Leopold and Tara Rhodes represented the Soloviev Group ownership in the small but pricey new deal.  

9 West 57th Street's north facing side and Plaza Hotel seen from the Apple Cube at Fifth Avenue

Among other recent leases at 9 West have been the U.S. Soccer Federation, Hess Group, Beaconlight Capital, and Platinum Equity. Longtime large footprint occupiers include Apollo Global Management, CHANEL, Loews Corporation, Qatar Investment Authority, Coatue, Veritas and Standard Industries. Other recent additions include Mousse Partners, Davidson Kempner, Tikehau Capital, Jain Capital, PointState Capital, and Panco Operations.  

The 50-story skyscraper recently completed major upgrades to the lobby, elevator modernization and building system technology. A 27th floor 20,000 square-foot amenity floor, offers unparalleled Central Park views, modern conferencing, multi-functional meeting space, a grab and go coffee bar, executive dining, and a hospitality area. 

The lower level has a sky-lit fitness facility with plunge pools.  

The Newmark team representing Baillères' was not identified.

HBeyond operates across venture capital, public and private markets, as well as the creation of new businesses. Currently, it has a strong emphasis on US-based innovation in AI and technology.

Baillères' late grandfather, "Silver King" Alberto Baillères Gonzalez, was the chairman of Groupo BAL and ITAM. Forbes reported his net worth at $10.1 billion when he passed away in 2022. His uncle Alejandro Baillères is the current chairman.

Fun fact: when Watson looks into his eyes, each is a different color. 

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