Accor has announced the appointment of Amitabh Rai as Chief Operating Officer – Luxury, Accor South Asia, effective 15 January 2026. The move marks a significant leadership strengthening for the group’s luxury and lifestyle portfolio in the region, as it sharpens its focus on brand distinction, operational excellence and sustained growth.
In his new role, Rai will oversee the operational and strategic direction of Accor’s luxury division across South Asia, guiding the performance and positioning of marquee brands including Raffles, Fairmont and Sofitel. His mandate spans delivering elevated guest experiences, curating brand identity across diverse markets and driving long-term commercial success in a competitive luxury hospitality landscape.
A Seasoned Luxury Hospitality Leader
With nearly three decades of experience across India and Indonesia, Rai brings a career defined by operational depth, cross-cultural leadership and entrepreneurial insight. His professional journey reflects a blend of corporate stewardship and independent enterprise, including a seven-year entrepreneurial venture that broadened his strategic and business acumen.
A graduate of The Oberoi School of Hotel Management, Rai began his hospitality career with Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, where he steadily rose through the ranks to become one of the youngest General Managers of his generation. His early leadership trajectory established a reputation for team-focused management and operational precision.
In 2018, he joined Marriott International as General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore, where he further refined his expertise in luxury hotel operations. He subsequently assumed oversight of Marriott’s Hyderabad market, strengthening multi-property management capabilities in a dynamic urban environment.
Most recently, Rai served as Multi-Property General Manager for The Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott in Jakarta. The dual-property leadership role expanded his international exposure and reinforced his experience in steering complex luxury operations across diverse cultural and commercial settings.
A Strategic Phase for Accor’s Luxury Growth
Ranju Alex, Chief Executive Officer of Accor South Asia, described the appointment as timely for the group’s ambitions in the region.
“Amitabh’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for Accor’s luxury journey in South Asia,” Alex said. “His deep operational expertise, people-first leadership style and sharp strategic lens make him exceptionally well-suited to lead our luxury and lifestyle portfolio. Amitabh has a rare ability to balance brand integrity with commercial excellence, and we are confident he will play a defining role in shaping the next phase of growth for our luxury brands in the region.”
South Asia remains a priority growth market for Accor, particularly within the premium and luxury segments where experiential travel, destination-led hospitality and differentiated brand narratives are increasingly shaping guest expectations.
Vision for the Future
As COO – Luxury, Rai will be responsible for articulating and executing Accor’s long-term strategic roadmap for its high-end portfolio in South Asia. His responsibilities include enhancing financial performance, strengthening brand differentiation and cultivating a culture anchored in learning, trust and innovation.
Commenting on his appointment, Rai said: “It is a privilege to join Accor at such an exciting moment for luxury hospitality and Accor’s expansion plans in the region. Accor’s commitment to purposeful growth, distinctive brands and people-centric leadership strongly resonates with my own values. I look forward to working closely with our teams to craft memorable guest experiences, nurture talent and build future-ready luxury destinations that are both meaningful and sustainable.”
Known for his emphasis on empathy-driven leadership, Rai champions talent development, stakeholder collaboration and long-term value creation. His approach to luxury hospitality integrates operational discipline with immersive, experience-led guest engagement — a balance increasingly vital in a market where travellers seek both refinement and authenticity.
With Rai at the helm of its luxury operations in South Asia, Accor signals a renewed focus on elevating brand narratives and strengthening its foothold in one of the world’s fastest-evolving hospitality landscapes.
