Sonesta Appoints Keith Pierce and Jeff Leer as Co-Chief Executive Officers Effective April 1, 2026
Sonesta International Hotels Corporation ("Sonesta") today announced that Keith Pierce, Executive Vice President and President of Franchise and Development at Sonesta, and Jeff Leer, Executive Vice President at The RMR Group (NASDAQ:RMR), have been appointed as Co-Chief Executive Officers of Sonesta, effective April 1, 2026.
Mr. Pierce has been a member of Sonesta's executive leadership team since 2021, where he has been instrumental in leading the significant expansion of Sonesta's global franchising business. Prior to joining Sonesta, he held senior executive positions at The Passionality Group, Wyndham Hotel Group and Cendant Corporation.
Mr. Leer, a member of RMR's management committee, has held senior finance and accounting leadership roles within the organization since 2013, including most recently serving as the President and Chief Executive Officer of AlerisLife Inc. since 2022. In this position, Mr. Leer guided AlerisLife through its post-pandemic recovery, achieving a 440% increase in senior living net operating income during his tenure.
Mr. Pierce and Mr. Leer are succeeding John Murray, who is retiring from his position with Sonesta and his position as Executive Vice President of The RMR Group, effective March 31, 2026.
Mr. Pierce and Mr. Leer made the following statement regarding today's announcement:
"We are honored to lead Sonesta into its next phase of growth. Over the past several years, Sonesta has transformed its management business, franchise business, technology, and commercial infrastructure under John's leadership, creating a strong foundation for the future. Building on this progress, we are committed to advancing Sonesta's ‘asset-right,' franchise-focused growth strategy, leveraging innovative technology, and driving operational excellence to expand market share and deliver an exceptional guest experience across all segments. We look forward to working closely with our talented leadership team and roughly 7,000 employees to achieve these goals."
Sonesta owns, manages and franchises more than 1,000 properties, which includes its management of 69 hotels on behalf of Service Properties Trust (NASDAQ:SVC).
About Sonesta
Sonesta is the 8th largest hotel company in the U.S. according to Smith Travel Research (STR) with more than 1,000 properties totaling approximately 100,000 guest rooms across 13 brands in 10 countries. Sonesta owns, manages and/or franchises under The Royal Sonesta; The James, Classico Collection by Sonesta, Sonesta Hotels & Resorts; MOD Collection by Sonesta, Sonesta Select Hotels; Sonesta Essential Hotels, Sonesta ES Suites, Sonesta Simply Suites, Red Lion Hotels, Inns & Suites by Sonesta; Signature Inn by Sonesta; Americas Best Value Inn by Sonesta and Canadas Best Value Inn by Sonesta. Redefining hospitality through its award-winning Sonesta Travel Pass loyalty program, Sonesta offers guests the opportunity to earn and redeem points for unparalleled value and personalized experiences. Sonesta Travel Pass members receive the best rates, earn immediate points towards free nights, and accelerated status progression based on stays. Join now at https://www.sonesta.com/join-travel-pass. For more information about Sonesta visit Sonesta.com.
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Sonesta International Hotels
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