Thomas F. Maechler joins SUJÁN as COO
The Swiss hotelier takes responsibility for operations as SUJÁN plans to double its portfolio within four years, following two camp acquisitions in Zambia.
Sasha Brown
5 min read
Thomas F. Maechler has joined SUJÁN as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, effective 1 October 2026. The Indian luxury hospitality group confirmed the appointment in a company announcement issued that day.
Thomas F. Maechler’s new role
Maechler will oversee operations and support SUJÁN’s international expansion. The company says it aims to double its portfolio within four years, following the acquisition of two camps in Zambia. It is also considering further opportunities in Africa and other regions.
In his own appointment announcement, Maechler identifies the Zambian camps as Chiawa and Old Mondoro. No opening dates for further additions were given, so the wider portfolio target remains a growth ambition.
A career in Swiss luxury hospitality
Maechler brings more than 25 years of international leadership experience. His background includes the Beau-Rivage Hotel in Neuchâtel and La Réserve Eden au Lac in Zurich, alongside responsibilities for hospitality and real estate portfolios.
An earlier Swiss Deluxe Hotels profile recorded his move to La Réserve after 16 years running the Beau-Rivage. It described a management approach centred on individual guests and close relationships with neighbouring businesses, including restaurants outside the hotel.
The same profile documented his appointment as Vice President of Swiss Deluxe Hotels after eight years on its board. SUJÁN’s announcement also identifies previous executive committee and board responsibilities with Relais & Châteaux.
About SUJÁN
SUJÁN remains an independent, family-owned business. Its published history traces the hospitality collection to the opening of Sher Bagh at Ranthambhore in 2000. The Serai followed in the Thar Desert near Jaisalmer in 2009, with Jawai opening in December 2013.
The company has operated internationally before. Its founders invested in Kenya’s Elephant Pepper Camp in 2011 through a partnership with the Cheli family, which ended in 2023. That history provides context for the renewed emphasis on African growth.
At SUJÁN Jawai, the guest programme includes guided wildlife drives, village visits, birdwatching and horse riding. Local knowledge is part of that offer: the camp describes walks led by members of the Rabari community and a field team drawn partly from nearby villages.
Growth with a conservation brief
SUJÁN’s conservation framework covers responsible tourism, biodiversity, cultural heritage and community development. Its stated priorities include protecting landscapes and supporting education, sanitation and health in the places where it operates.
For an operations leader, this makes the expansion brief broader than adding accommodation. Delivering the group’s existing proposition depends on guides, local relationships and destination knowledge as well as hotel service. The role connects the day-to-day running of the camps with the standards required across a wider portfolio. How those elements are carried into additional properties will be a practical test of the growth plan.
For related coverage, see WINC Wire’s reports on conservation at Four Seasons Caye Chapel and Samantha van Exter’s appointment at Six Senses Southern Dunes.
