Accor has appointed Ranju Alex as its CEO for South Asia, covering India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Ranju has spent the last 14 years with Marriott International, most recently serving as its regional vice president for South Asia, overseeing 170 hotels across the region.
“I am delighted to join an organization with the most comprehensive and exciting portfolio of brands in the region. It will be an honor to lead the Group’s vision in this region, and I eagerly look forward to this exciting role,” said Alex.
Ranju began her career with The Oberoi Group in 1993. She was recently conferred the Bharat Gaurav award by India’s Bharat Gaurav Award Foundation for her several achievements in the hotel industry.
The move is part of Accor’s continued efforts to expand in the region, which include a joint venture with InterGlobe, the largest stakeholder in airline IndiGo. The partnership will consolidate the lodging company’s businesses into a single entity to manage its hotel development in India, aiming for 300 Accor-branded hotels by 2030.
“We are extremely pleased and excited to welcome Ranju to the Accor and InterGlobe Family. She brings a wealth of rich experience, skills and relationships into our business and we look forward to building the foremost hospitality platform in the region under her leadership,” said Gaurav Bhushan, chairman of the proposed Accor and InterGlobe joint venture.
Currently, Accor operates over 70 hotels in South Asia, with over 30 hotels in the pipeline.