Mumbai/ New Delhi: American hospitality chain Hyatt Accommodations Corp. is reshuffling its management in Asia Pacific, elevating long-time India head Sunjae Sharma to a strategic regional position based mostly in Hong Kong.
Vikas Chawla will take over as president, India and Southwest Asia from 1 April.
Sharma, who presently serves as managing director for India and Southwest Asia, will transfer right into a management place for the Asia Pacific area on the firm’s Hong Kong hub, in line with an inside e mail accessed by Mint.
The e-mail despatched final week by David Udell, group president for Asia Pacific, stated Sharma would tackle broader regional duties because the lodge chain sharpens its concentrate on development throughout the area.
Within the communication, Udell stated India represents a major long-term development alternative for Hyatt.
Hyatt has been increasing aggressively in Asia Pacific, notably in markets corresponding to India, the place demand for premium journey and luxurious experiences has risen sharply lately. It presently has 85 inns within the nation below numerous manufacturers.
In 2025, Mint reported that Hyatt Accommodations deliberate to develop its footprint in India and Southwest Asia to faucet rising home demand for experience-led journey. The corporate goals to achieve 100 inns within the nation by 2030. On the time, Sharma had stated new lodge provide in India was being absorbed quicker than anticipated regardless of worldwide journey not having absolutely recovered, with home leisure and enterprise journey persevering with to drive demand.
Emails despatched to Hyatt Accommodations and Compass Group didn’t obtain responses until press time.
“Since becoming a member of Hyatt in 2002 at Grand Hyatt Delhi, Sunjae has been instrumental in increasing our footprint, strengthening operations, and growing a deep bench of hospitality expertise in India… These adjustments are an essential step in advancing our ‘Strategic India Plan’ and underscore our deep dedication and funding to India’s future,” Udell wrote.
In the meantime, Chawla, who might be based mostly in India and lead Hyatt’s subsequent section of enlargement throughout the home market, will report back to Udell and oversee Hyatt’s technique, efficiency and enlargement throughout the area.
He’ll concentrate on accelerating brand-led enlargement, strengthening proprietor partnerships and constructing market management.
Chawla has about three a long time of expertise throughout meals providers, drinks and consulting. Most lately, he served as managing director and chief government of Compass Group India, a part of the worldwide contract meals providers firm Compass Group Plc. Earlier than that, he based the beverage model Raskik and spent almost 20 years with The Coca-Cola Firm in senior roles throughout India and Southeast Europe.
Within the inside observe, Chawla stated his aim was to “make Hyatt the highest hospitality model amongst discerning travellers in India and speed up our development journey in order that India turns into a major pillar of development for Hyatt”.