Arar Han is the Co-founder and Co-CEO of Sabot Family Companies, a holding company founded in 2016 in Stanford, California. She is renowned for her strategic acumen and turnaround management expertise, guiding the firm’s long-term investments across real estate, technology, and consumer services to unlock deep value and foster cultures of continuous improvement and positive impact.
Arar Han is the Co-founder and Co-CEO of Sabot Family Companies, a long-term investment firm.
Established in 2016 with Shayne Fitz-Coy, Sabot Family Companies is headquartered in Stanford, California. The firm’s mandate is to acquire and operate enduring businesses, focusing on discovering and unlocking deep value in everyday companies that serve real people. Sabot operates in multiple industries, including business services, consumer services (healthcare and education), real estate, and software. The company is known for its strengths in managing Special Situations and prioritizing long-term ownership.
Her expertise in turnaround management and strategy was forged at top academic and corporate institutions.
Arar’s career foundation is rooted in research and high-level strategy. She began at Harvard Business School (HBS) as a casewriter, specializing in turnaround management and co-authoring the highly-regarded case “Nordstrom: The Turnaround.” Her work, including the award-winning “Levendary Cafe: The China Challenge,” is part of the Harvard Business Classics collection. Following HBS, she served as the Special Assistant to the CEO of Panera Bread Company, Ron Shaich, where she evaluated international expansion and was an observer on senior executive board meetings. She holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a B.A. in Philosophy and Applied Psychology (summa cum laude) from Boston College.
Arar plays a pivotal role in steering Sabot’s portfolio companies toward sustainable growth.
Arar Han’s leadership is characterized by an emphasis on collaboration, transparency, and continuous improvement. She is renowned for her strategic acumen and financial expertise, which are essential to the firm’s mission of building cultures where hardworking teams make meaningful contributions. She is an advocate for empowering teams and fostering a culture of inclusivity and creativity.
Sabot’s corporate philosophy is centered on people and creating a positive societal impact.
Sabot Family Companies believes that great people make great businesses, which is reflected in its focus on developing teams and providing a framework for continuous improvement through the Sabot business operating system. The firm’s mission areas include the reimagination of education, the promotion of independence for aging Americans, and the digitalization of retail. Han’s background, including her role as an American immigrant from South Korea and her co-editing of the book Asian American X, underscores a commitment to cultural perspective and positive impact.
She maintains an active role in community involvement and thought leadership.
Beyond her corporate responsibilities, Han is involved in philanthropy, supporting higher education, professional organizations like ASPIRE, local organizations like Project Safe, and various youth and church organizations. Her professional insights are shared as a contributor to executive boards like the Forbes Business Council and Fast Company Executive Board, where she writes on leadership, culture, and business strategy. Han is a member of the Board of Regents at Boston College.