Accor Appoints Amitabh Rai as Chief Operating Officer

INDIA – Accor, a world-leading hospitality group, today announced the appointment of Amitabh Rai as Chief Operating Officer – Luxury, Accor South Asia, effective 15 January 2026. In this strategic leadership role, Amitabh will spearhead the operational and strategic direction of Accor’s luxury and lifestyle portfolio across South Asia, with a clear focus on delivering distinctive luxury experiences, thoughtful brand curation, and sustained performance excellence for Raffles, Fairmont and Sofitel brands.

A dynamic and award-winning hospitality leader, Amitabh brings nearly three decades of experience across India and Indonesia, spanning various leadership roles and a seven-year entrepreneurial venture. Renowned for building empowered teams and inspiring high-impact performance, he has consistently delivered exceptional results while navigating complex business environments.

 Amitabh began his hospitality journey with Oberoi Hotels & Resorts after graduating from The Oberoi School of Hotel Management, swiftly rising to become one of the youngest General Managers of his time. In 2018, he joined Marriott International as General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore, later assuming responsibility for overseeing Marriott’s entire Hyderabad market. Most recently, he served as Multi-Property General Manager for The Ritz-Carlton and JW Marriott, Jakarta, strengthening his global luxury hospitality credentials.

 “Amitabh’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for Accor’s luxury journey in South Asia. 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.”

Ranju Alex, Chief Executive Officer, Accor South Asia,

 In his new role, Amitabh will be responsible for defining and executing Accor’s long-term strategic vision for luxury and lifestyle brands in South Asia, while providing strong operational leadership and strategic support across the portfolio. His mandate will include driving financial excellence, strengthening brand differentiation, and fostering a culture of learning, trust and innovation.”

 “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.”

Amitabh Rai, Chief Operating Officer – Luxury, Accor South Asia,

 Known for leading with empathy, Amitabh places strong emphasis on team development, stakeholder collaboration and long-term value creation. An avid golfer with a deep passion for unique experiences, he brings a holistic understanding of luxury hospitality that blends operational rigour with experiential finesse.