RI Sugu joins OSK Group as CEO of Hospitality

RI Sugu has joined OSK Group as CEO of Hospitality, with the role listed at Swiss-Garden International Hotels, Resorts & Inns. He announced the move after bringing an 18-year chapter with Hilton to a close.

The appointment takes him from hotel-level leadership within an international operator to a hospitality leadership position at the Malaysian group. His LinkedIn profile places the new role in Greater Kuala Lumpur. A precise effective date was not given in his announcement.

RI Sugu takes on the hospitality brief

Sugu’s announcement identifies his new title and organisation but does not set out a detailed remit, reporting line or immediate priorities. OSK describes its hospitality business as encompassing hotels and resorts alongside a timeshare programme, with Swiss-Garden International as its home-grown hospitality brand.

The group’s stated approach centres on enhancing its offering, exploring new markets and improving product quality across city and resort destinations. Those priorities provide the business context for the appointment, rather than a separately announced programme from its new hospitality chief.

A career spanning Malaysia and Thailand

RI Sugu’s career profile describes 28 years of hospitality leadership experience across Southeast Asia, including hotel openings, asset repositioning and transformation. His recent roles include General Manager at DoubleTree by Hilton Shah Alam i-City and, before that, General Manager at DoubleTree by Hilton Damai Laut Resort.

The Damai Laut post is listed from August 2022 to February 2025. Earlier experience includes Director of Operations with Hilton in Hua Hin, Thailand, a task-force assignment as Acting General Manager in Phuket, and a pre-opening Hotel Manager role with Hilton Garden Inn in Kuala Lumpur.

In his announcement, Sugu thanked the colleagues, leaders and friends who had supported his development during his Hilton career. He also expressed enthusiasm for the challenges and connections ahead. His profile still lists his Shah Alam role as current, so no exact departure date has been assumed.

About Swiss-Garden International

Swiss-Garden International was established in 1991 to manage hotels for OSK Group and provide hotel management services to third-party owners. Its services span human resources, procurement, finance, sales and marketing, marketing communications, information technology and operations oversight.

The company’s Malaysian portfolio includes city hotels and resort destinations, while its wider offering also encompasses Damai Laut Golf and Country Club. This mix gives the business a combination of accommodation, meetings, leisure and owner-facing management services.

An operational link with the OSK portfolio

The move also brings an existing connection into focus. OSK’s published reporting identifies DoubleTree by Hilton Damai Laut Resort as a group-owned hotel managed by an international operator. RI Sugu’s experience leading that resort therefore gives him first-hand familiarity with an asset in the group’s hospitality portfolio.

For now, the confirmed development is the leadership transition itself. Further detail on his remit and plans has not been set out in the announcement.

Related reading

Read more on IOI Properties and Marriott’s four-hotel agreement in Malaysia and Nils-Arne Schroeder’s appointment as Langham Hospitality Group COO.

Sources

RI Sugu’s announcement; career profile; OSK Group hospitality; Swiss-Garden International; OSK Sustainability Report 2024.