RLJ Lodging Trust - Company Profile
Powered by 
All the sales intelligence you need on RLJ Lodging Trust in one solution.
- Save hours of research time with a comprehensive
Sales Intelligence Solution.
- Understand how RLJ Lodging Trust fits into your total
addressable market and Ideal Customer Profile.
- Gain competitive edge with triggers that tell you
when and how to engage with RLJ Lodging Trust.
Get in touch about GlobalData Company reports
Contact the team or request a demo to find out how our data can drive your business forward
The following section provides information on RLJ Lodging Trust’s senior management, executives, CEO and key decision makers and their roles in the organization. For more insight into RLJ Lodging Trust's management and employees, unlock the full data with our company analytics monitoring tool.
Executives
Robert L. Johnson
Chairman Executive BoardMr. Robert L. Johnson has been the Chairman of the company since 2011. Prior to this, he was the Founder and Chairman of Black Entertainment Television (BET). Mr. Johnson serves various boards including Elevate Credit, Inc.; RLJ Lodging Trust; G-III Apparel Group, Ltd.; The Business Council; and Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Leslie D. Hale
Chief Executive Officer; Director; Trustee; President Executive BoardMs. Leslie Hale has been the President, Chief Executive Officer, Trustee and a Director of the company since 2018. Prior to this, she served as the Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Executive Officer of the company. Ms. Hale serves as a Director of Macy’s, Inc., and Delta Air Lines, Inc. Earlier, she held various senior roles at GE. She also served as an Investment Banker at Goldman Sachs.
Nikhil Bhalla
Chief Financial Officer Senior ManagementMr. Nikhil Bhalla has been the Chief Financial Officer of the company since September 2025. Prior to this, he served as the Senior Vice President of Finance and Treasurer of the company. Previously, he served as the Vice President of Equity Research at FBR Capital Markets & Co.
Thomas Bardenett
Chief Operating Officer; Executive Vice President Senior ManagementMr. Thomas Bardenett has been the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the company since 2022. Prior to this, he served as the Chief Operating Officer at Extended Stay America from 2015 to 2017. Mr. Bardenett held various roles at Crossroads Hospitality including Executive Vice President of operations, President, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Regional Director of Sales, and Regional Director of Operations. He currently serves as the Chairman of American Hotel Lodging Association Foundation.
Christopher A. Gormsen
Chief Accounting Officer; Senior Vice President Senior ManagementMr. Christopher A. Gormsen has been the Chief Accounting Officer and Senior Vice President of the company since 2013. Previously, he served as an Audit Senior Manager of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
Have you found what you were looking for? From start-ups to market leaders, uncover what they do and how they do it.
Access more premium companies when you subscribe to Explorer