(FORTUNE Magazine) – Frederic Malek, 52, the former Marriott Hotels president, has set up shop as a merchant banker -- and how. In April he brought together a disparate group of investors, which includes Sumitomo Bank, Bankers Trust, and Westinghouse Credit, to buy Coldwell Banker's commercial real estate operations from Sears for $300 million. In June he teamed with Alfred Checchi, a former Marriott compatriot, to make a successful $3.65 billion offer for Northwest Airlines. And in July, Marriott agreed to sell its $800 million airline catering division to Malek and the division's management. Malek admits to having little dealmaking prowess, but he has good connections. He's an adviser to Carlyle Group, a Washington, D.C., merchant banking firm that includes former Defense Secretary Frank Carlucci. He is also a member of the Bush Administration's kitchen cabinet, a group of informal advisers to the President. A former Green Beret who was an aide in the Nixon White House, Malek says he wants to play an advisory role in each of his three ventures: ''I want to help create value after the acquisition is done.'' And deal No. 4? Right now he's not pressing his luck.