MIAMI, Florida—Driftwood Capital (Driftwood) announced the appointment of Carlos Rodriguez Jr. as chief executive officer (CEO). Rodriguez Jr. has served as president and chief operating officer since co-founding Driftwood Capital with Carlos Rodriguez Sr. in 2015. Over the past decade, Driftwood Capital has grown into a scaled owner, developer, and lender, with approximately $3.5 billion in hospitality assets under management, more than $1 billion in projects under construction/ development, participation in over $2 billion in loan originations, and more than 80 hotels under management through its subsidiary, Driftwood Hospitality Management (as of January 2026).
“Carlos has been at the center of Driftwood Capital’s evolution from the beginning,” said Carlos Rodriguez Sr., executive chairman of Driftwood Capital. “I’ve had a front-row seat to his growth as a leader, and he has helped shape our investment approach, our culture, and the way we work across the firm and its subsidiaries. This transition reflects the leadership role he has already been playing and positions the firm well for its next stage.”
“I’m proud of what we’ve built at Driftwood Capital alongside our investors, partners, and team,” said Rodriguez Jr. “That includes the foundation my father established, and the longstanding relationships built with the stakeholders over many years. We’ve grown by staying close to our investments and maintaining accountability across our vertically integrated model. As CEO, my focus is to strengthen coordination across our people, data, and systems so we can continue to execute consistently while scaling thoughtfully.”
As CEO, Rodriguez Jr. will lead Driftwood Capital’s investment strategy and firmwide execution. Rodriguez Sr., who has led Driftwood Capital since its founding, will continue as executive chairman. In this role, he will remain actively involved in setting the firm’s long-term strategy, advising senior leadership, and supporting key investor, lender, and partner relationships.
