Raul Leal
Chief Executive Officer, Starwood Hotels
Coconut Grove, FL 33133
Phone (786) 753-6779
Property Types
Hospitality
Bio
A visionary leader with 40 years of experience, Leal has shaped iconic luxury and lifestyle brands, holding some of the industry’s most prestigious roles across multiple sectors as both a hotel owner and operator. He was President and Partner at Tecton Hospitality before launching Desires Hotels in 2002, foreseeing the boutique model’s rapid growth. In 2010, he was recruited to launch Virgin Hotels, where he spent over 10 years driving inclusion, pipeline development, and integrating sustainability into the company's operations.
Leal’s proven track record of identifying tactics that drive positive change informs every aspect of the Starwood Hotels organization. He is a mentor at all levels, committed to building from scratch and championing efforts to uplift communities with lasting impact. Since joining Starwood, Leal has overseen the successful openings of 1 Hotel San Francisco, 1 Hotel Nashville, 1 Hotel Hanalei Bay, 1 Hotel Mayfair — the brand’s first European hotel in the heart of London — and Treehouse Hotel Manchester, the brand’s second UK property.
Education
