IHCL Deepens Its Hospitality Portfolio With Oriental Hotels Merger
IHCL will merge Oriental Hotels in an all-stock deal, adding seven hotels and 825 rooms to its fold as part of its Accelerate 2030 strategy.
By SOH Edit Team
Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) will merge Oriental Hotels Limited (OHL) with itself through an all-stock transaction, subject to statutory approvals.
OHL is currently an associate company of IHCL and has a portfolio of seven hotels with 825 rooms across the Taj, Vivanta and Gateway brands.
The portfolio includes Taj Coromandel and Taj Fisherman’s Cove Resort & Spa in Chennai, Taj Malabar Resort & Spa in Cochin, Gateway Coonoor, Vivanta Coimbatore, Vivanta Mangalore and Gateway Madurai. OHL also holds investments in other IHCL group hotel companies in India and overseas.
Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director & CEO, IHCL.
Leadership on the Strategy
For IHCL, the merger is about more than consolidation. It is part of the company’s Accelerate 2030 strategy and is expected to support further investment in the hotels.
“The merger will drive long-term value creation by leveraging IHCL’s strong balance sheet to support strategic investments, including inventory expansion and product enhancements,” said Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director & CEO, IHCL.
He said the move will also help unlock the potential of key OHL assets while strengthening the premium positioning of the portfolio.
Pramod Ranjan, Managing Director & CEO, Oriental Hotels, said the merger will allow OHL shareholders to participate directly in IHCL’s growth journey.
The transaction will also simplify IHCL’s ownership structure, streamline governance and improve operational efficiency across the group.
OHL shareholders will receive 25 IHCL shares for every 117 OHL shares. The appointed date is April 1, 2027, and completion is targeted for the second half of FY2028, subject to necessary approvals.
Pramod Ranjan, Managing Director & CEO, Oriental Hotels.
