Accor has appointed Amitabh Rai as Chief Operating Officer – Luxury for South Asia, effective 15 January 2026. In this strategic leadership role, he will oversee the operational and strategic direction of the hospitality group’s luxury and lifestyle portfolio across the region, with responsibility for the Raffles, Fairmont and Sofitel brands.
Rai brings nearly three decades of hospitality experience spanning India and Indonesia. His career began with Oberoi Hotels & Resorts following his graduation from The Oberoi School of Hotel Management. He rose rapidly through the ranks, becoming General Manager of The Oberoi Grand in Kolkata at age 29 – making him the youngest hotel General Manager in India at that time.
After two decades with The Oberoi Group, where he also led The Oberoi in Gurgaon, Rai joined Marriott International in 2018 as General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore. Under his leadership, the property consistently ranked among the top five Ritz-Carlton hotels globally for guest satisfaction and received the 2019 Marriott Bonvoy Hotel Excellence Award. His achievements earned him Marriott International’s APEC General Manager of the Year 2020 and the Hotelivate HOSI General Manager of the Year award in the luxury segment.
Rai subsequently expanded his responsibilities to oversee Marriott’s entire Hyderabad market as Cluster General Manager, managing six properties including The Westin Hyderabad Mindspace, Hyderabad Marriott Hotel & Convention Centre, Courtyard by Marriott, Le Meridien and Marriott Executive Apartments. During this period, he spearheaded the launch of The Westin Hitec City – South Asia’s first all-women-operated hotel.
Most recently, he served as Multi-Property General Manager for The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta, Mega Kuningan and JW Marriott Hotel Jakarta, strengthening his international luxury credentials. The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta holds particular significance as Indonesia’s first Ritz-Carlton property.
Commenting on the appointment, Ranju Alex, Chief Executive Officer, Accor South Asia, said Rai’s deep operational expertise and people-first leadership style made him exceptionally well-suited to lead the luxury and lifestyle portfolio. She highlighted his ability to balance brand integrity with commercial excellence as defining qualities for the role.
The appointment comes at a pivotal moment for Accor’s luxury expansion in South Asia. The group currently operates more than 70 hotels in India with over 30 properties in development. Its luxury portfolio includes Raffles Udaipur, Raffles Jaipur and Fairmont Mumbai, with ambitious pipeline projects including Raffles Ranthambore (mid-2027), Fairmont Udaipur (2025), Sofitel Legend Sukh Bagh Jaipur (2028) and dual Raffles and Fairmont properties in Goa (2030).
Accor’s recent partnership with InterGlobe Enterprises targets 300 hotels across India by 2030, creating the country’s fastest-growing hospitality platform. This expansion spans all market segments from economy to luxury, with Rai’s appointment signalling the group’s commitment to accelerating its premium and ultra-luxury presence in the region.
In his new role, Rai will be responsible for defining and executing Accor’s long-term strategic vision for luxury and lifestyle brands in South Asia, driving financial excellence, strengthening brand differentiation and fostering a culture of learning and innovation.
Expressing his enthusiasm for the role, Rai described joining Accor at such an exciting moment for luxury hospitality as a privilege. He noted that the company’s commitment to purposeful growth, distinctive brands and people-centric leadership resonated strongly with his own values.
A graduate of St Joseph’s College for Arts & Sciences, Bangalore University, Rai is also a Director on the Board of Shivia India (Nirdhan), a UK-based charity focused on empowering underprivileged communities.
