The leadership of hotel management, investment and development company Highgate has appointed Pete Sams as president, effective today. In this newly created role, Sams will focus on optimizing business performance to “achieve outstanding financial results for owners, deliver memorable guest experiences, and expand opportunities for associates,” according to a statement from the company.
As president, Sams will oversee enterprisewide performance across Highgate's portfolio of 500 properties. Working with Highgate's principals—including Principal and CEO Arash Azarbarzin as well as discipline leaders—Sams expects to leverage the company’s capabilities across systems, talent, procurement and market intelligence.
"Pete brings an extraordinary track record of unlocking performance, energizing teams, and delivering sustained results across complex portfolios,” Mahmood Khimji, co-chairman and managing principal at Highgate, said in a statement. "His dynamic leadership and deep operational expertise will be a catalyst to sharpen our strategic focus, accelerate growth, and elevate the value we deliver to our owners and partners around the world."
"I am honored to step into the role of president of the premier operator in our space," Sams said. "Highgate's mission to build a future-ready organization anchored in operational excellence, guided by strategic foresight, and driven by a relentless focus on value creation is deeply inspiring. I am grateful for the opportunity to bring my experience to this dynamic team. Together with our stakeholders, we will enhance Highgate's role as an industry leader in innovation and trusted partnership.”
Pete Sams
Most recently, Sams was the chief operating officer at Peregrine Hospitality, formerly KSL Resorts, where he led performance management, operational optimization and strategic direction of a rapidly expanding portfolio of luxury, lifestyle, resort and select-service properties.
Before Peregrine, Sams was chief operating officer of Davidson Hospitality Group, where he oversaw a portfolio of more than 85 properties and guided the organization through significant growth.
Earlier in his career, Sams was executive vice president, full-service operations at Interstate Hotels & Resorts, regional vice president at White Lodging Services and spent nearly two decades with Omni Hotels, where he began his hospitality career and ultimately held numerous key leadership positions including general manager and area director of finance.
Sams is a veteran of the United States Army and is a graduate of Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, where he earned a Bachelor of Science with honors in Finance. He sits on brand advisory boards and as a two-term representative on the AH&LA Board of Directors.