RLJ Lodging Trust has announced the appointment of Nikhil Bhalla as the new Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Bhalla has been with the company since 2015 and has held various leadership positions, most recently serving as the Senior Vice President of Finance and Treasurer.
During his tenure at RLJ, Bhalla has demonstrated exceptional leadership across multiple critical areas, including corporate strategy, treasury, investor relations, as well as financial planning and analysis functions. Leslie D. Hale, President, and CEO of the company, expressed confidence in Bhalla's capabilities, citing his strategic insight, financial acumen, and operational excellence as factors that make him the ideal choice for CFO.
Bhalla expressed his excitement about assuming the expanded role, stating his commitment to continuing to build on the company's strong financial foundation while supporting strategic initiatives and delivering value for shareholders.
Before joining RLJ, Bhalla served as Vice President of Equity Research at FBR Capital Markets & Co. He also gained extensive experience in the hospitality and real estate sectors through positions at Host Hotels & Resorts and CB Richard Ellis. Bhalla holds a master's degree in management from Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration.
RLJ Lodging Trust is a self-advised, publicly traded real estate investment trust that owns 94 premium-branded, rooms-oriented, high-margin, urban-centric hotels located within the heart of demand locations. The company's hotels are geographically diverse and concentrated in major urban markets that provide multiple demand generators from business, leisure, and other travelers.
No specific financial metrics or comparisons were provided in the press release. Today the company's shares have moved 2.37% to a price of $7.79. Check out the company's full 8-K submission here.
