A new era unfolds – Cogir Senior Living welcomes visionary COO to propel growth

Cogir Senior Living announces a pivotal addition to its leadership team with the appointment of Gottfried Ernst as new Chief Operating Officer. In a strategic move to support the company’s operating expertise and trajectory of growth, Ernst is set to lead the charge into a new era of innovation.
A seasoned professional in the senior living industry, Ernst brings a wealth of experience and a passion for elevating standards and enriching the life of senior living residents. With Ernst leading operations, Cogir is well-positioned for expansion and success, underpinned by strong programming, financial discipline and an analytical approach.

Cogir USA CEO David Eskenazy states, “Cogir Senior Living stands to benefit from Ernst’s reputation as an innovator and expert. His breadth of operational experience and disciplined approach are critical to both our growth ability to bring quality service to our residents, and strong performance for our owners and investors. We are excited that Cogir Senior Living will reap the benefits of his skills, insight, and expert knowledge gained over years of dedicated service along the way.”

COO Ernst joins the Cogir Senior Living team from Discovery Senior Living Management LLC. He brings more than 20 years of experience within the hospitality and senior living industries and held prior executive leadership roles at Brookdale Senior Living, Harbor Retirement Associates, and Green Courte Partners LLC prior to his tenure at Discovery. He was inducted into Brookdale’s President Circle in 2005 and was vital in developing and implementing several Argentum award-winning programs.

“I am honored to join this esteemed company. My immediate focus is building a successful team, making sure that we are set up with operational platforms for growth,” Ernst said.

The U.S. operations achieved a significant milestone with the acquisition of Cadence Living in late 2022. The integration of the two entities was fully completed during 2023 as planned. The combined company now has over 8,300 senior living units under management and/or development in the United States.

Cogir is actively engaged in six new development projects, showcasing its commitment to ongoing development and cutting-edge community design. Additional growth in the US is ongoing through management agreements (both from additional collaboration with current ownership partners and new relationships) and from opportunistic acquisitions. With the addition of Ernst, Cogir is well-positioned heading into 2024 to continue to achieve its goals in the dynamic senior living industry.