NEWTON, Mass.—Bill Sheehan, chairman, president, and chief executive officer of the Sonesta International Hotels Corporation, today announced the appointment of Carlos Flores as the company’s president and CEO, effective Jan. 20, 2015. In his new role, Flores will oversee the day-to-day operation of Sonesta, direct the senior leadership team, and liaise with property owners.
Flores joined the company as executive vice president in February 2012 and has since led the company’s effort to convert new hotels to Sonesta, increasing the Sonesta U.S. hotel presence in 2012 from three hotels to 25 hotels. A top priority for Flores will be continuing to refine Sonesta’s expression of genuine hospitality as the brand pursues sustained growth and a larger global footprint.
“Carlos has been instrumental in building Sonesta after its January 2012 acquisition,” said Sheehan, who will remain in his position as chairman until his retirement from Sonesta at the end of February 2015. “Drawing on his organizational skills and his background in high growth businesses, he skillfully led the development of the Sonesta management organization and critical supporting functions as the company expanded capabilities across sales, marketing, and revenue management.”
As president and CEO, Flores will also enhance the development of training, service, amenities, and commitment to the communities that Sonesta hotels operate in. Sonesta has been thoughtfully adding new properties and destinations to its portfolio in the past three years and investing in reimagining and renovating full service and extended stay hotels both domestically and internationally. Flores has helped to ensure effective integration of these new destination offerings and to ensure emphasis on core Sonesta features like its Food as Art and Liquid Art programs, as well as incorporating local culture and inspiration into each property while maintaining a high standard of guest experience.
Flores brings more than 20 years of experience in senior management to lead Sonesta, where he has overseen sales, marketing, communications, and revenue management for the last three years. Prior to joining Sonesta, Flores was vice president and chief information officer for Reit Management & Research LLC. Previously he held senior management positions in the hospitality, technology, media, and retail industries.
“A commitment to providing passionate and authentic hospitality is at the heart of everything we aim to do at Sonesta—from corporate leadership to individual hotel staff,” Flores said. “I look forward to continuing to help our company grow while keeping these core principles in place.”
The Sonesta Collection has 55 properties in eight countries.
