Summary:
- RLJ Lodging Trust appointed Nikhil Bhalla chief financial officer.
- He joined the company in 2015.
- It owns 94 hotels in urban locations.
Nikhil Bhalla is chief financial officer of RLJ Lodging Trust, replacing Sean Mahoney, who retired in May. He previously served as senior vice president of finance and treasurer.
He joined the Bethesda, Maryland, real estate investment trust in 2015, RLJ said in a statement.
During his decade at RLJ, he also held positions as vice president and treasurer for corporate strategy and investor relations and vice president of finance and financial planning and analysis.
Before joining RLJ, Bhalla was vice president of equity research at FBR Capital Markets & Co. and held roles at Host Hotels & Resorts and CB Richard Ellis in the hospitality and real estate sectors.
"Nikhil has made many contributions to RLJ and been a key member of our leadership team for over a decade, consistently demonstrating strategic insight, financial acumen and operational excellence, making him the ideal choice for CFO," said Leslie Hale, RLJ’s president and CEO. "His deep industry knowledge, institutional experience and broad financial expertise make him well suited to build on our strong balance sheet, advance our financial strategy and support our growth initiatives. This promotion also reflects the strength of our internal talent pipeline and our ability to develop leaders from within our organization.”
RLJ owns 94 hotels in urban locations, serving business, leisure and other travelers, the statement said.
"I'm honored to assume this expanded role and excited about the opportunities ahead for RLJ," Bhalla said. "Having worked closely with our team, I look forward to building on our financial foundation while supporting strategic initiatives and delivering value for our shareholders."
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