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(22/07/24)
IHG has expanded Rajit Sukumaran’s
responsibilities, appointing him as Senior Vice President &
Managing Director – East Asia & Pacific (EAPAC).
In this new role, Rajit will oversee IHG’s growth,
performance and reputation in more than 20 countries.
With over 20 years of experience working in the
hospitality industry, Rajit brings a wealth of experience to his
newly-created position having led IHG’s South East Asia & Korea
(SEAK) business unit over the past four years, during which he
developed a deep knowledge of the Asia Pacific region and managed
teams across multiple markets.
Previously, Rajit oversaw the regional strategy
for IHG’s brands growth as Chief Development Officer, Europe,
Middle East, Asia and Africa (EMEAA).
“With so many opportunities to turbocharge our
growth across East Asia & Pacific, I’m honoured and excited to be
taking on this expanded role to lead IHG’s business in the
region,” Rajit said. “We have a strong team of local market
experts who are energised by our culture of firsts and have built
a reputation for delivering for owners and guests in the world’s
favourite destinations.”
With Rajit taking on an expanded role, Vivek
Bhalla has been promoted to IHG’s Managing Director – SEAK, with
responsibility for the growth, performance and operations of its
estate of more than 120 hotels across 10 brands, and a pipeline of
over 90 properties.
Vivek has been with the company since 2016, most
recently spending four years as Vice President, Operations – SEAK,
before which he had two years in India as Regional Vice President
/ Head of South West Asia.
A hospitality industry veteran, Vivek has also
held commercial and operations roles for a range of hospitality
companies across Asia Pacific.
“The South East Asia & Korea division is growing
fast, across this diverse and vibrant part of the world, in
partnership with our hotel owners,” Vivek said. “I’m proud to be
leading the division and working alongside our talented teams to
elevate our performance, expand our estate and provide
opportunities for career growth in this dynamic industry.”
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