Accor Appoints Strategic Leadership for Luxury Division, South Asia
Accor announced the appointment of Amitabh Rai as Chief Operating Officer–Luxury, Accor South Asia.
By SOH Edit Team
Accor has announced the appointment of Amitabh Rai as Chief Operating Officer – Luxury, Accor South Asia. In this role, Rai will lead the operational and strategic direction of Accor’s luxury and lifestyle portfolio across the region, with responsibility for driving brand excellence, curated guest experiences and sustained performance across Raffles, Fairmont and Sofitel.
With nearly three decades of experience, Rai brings deep operational expertise across India and Indonesia. His career spans senior leadership roles within global hotel companies, along with a seven-year entrepreneurial stint. Widely recognised for building high-performing teams, he is known for delivering strong results in complex and competitive markets.
Amitabh Rai, Chief Operating Officer – Luxury, Accor South Asia.
Career Highlights
A graduate of The Oberoi School of Hotel Management, Rai began his career with Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, rising rapidly to become one of the youngest General Managers of his time. He later joined Marriott International in 2018 as General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore, before overseeing the Hyderabad market. Most recently, he served as Multi-Property General Manager for The Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott, Jakarta, further strengthening his global luxury hospitality credentials.
Commenting on the appointment, Ranju Alex, Chief Executive Officer, Accor South Asia, said, “Amitabh’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for Accor’s luxury journey in South Asia. His deep operational expertise, people-first leadership style and strategic clarity position him strongly to lead our luxury and lifestyle portfolio. We are confident he will play a key role in shaping the next phase of growth for our luxury brands in the region.”
Mandate and Responsibilities
In his new role, Rai will define and execute Accor’s long-term strategy for luxury and lifestyle brands in South Asia. His mandate includes strengthening brand differentiation, driving financial performance, and fostering a culture of learning, innovation and trust across the portfolio.
Speaking on his appointment, Rai said, “It is a privilege to join Accor at an exciting time for luxury hospitality in South Asia. Accor’s focus on purposeful growth, distinctive brands and people-centric leadership aligns strongly with my own values. I look forward to working with our teams to create meaningful guest experiences, develop talent and build future-ready luxury destinations.”
Known for leading with empathy, Rai places strong emphasis on talent development, stakeholder collaboration and long-term value creation. An avid golfer with a passion for experiential luxury, he brings a balanced approach that combines operational rigour with refined guest-centricity.
