Interview: Commune and Destination Hotels CEOs Explain Their Merger

Following the announcement of their merger late last month, Commune Hotels and Destination Hotels are working with a third party to examine the possibility of creating a new brand name for the newly combined hospitality group. Creating a new name is only one potential scenario, however, according to Niki Leondakis, CEO of Commune Hotels. She told us that very little should be assumed about the company following the merger, including the final brand name or who will be CEO, because they and the ownership groups are still hammering out some of the details. Jamie Sabatier, CEO of Destination Hotels, said the priority right now is gauging everyone's strengths and building a strategy around that. "I think once we conclude the parent name exercise, we'll then finalize the specific titles," he told Skift. "But make no mistake that we're laser focused on understanding what our respective responsibilities are, and we are laser focused on the brands that we have in place." Th