These four experienced professionals will take forward the brand's commitment to exceptional guest experiences across the country

New Delhi, March 2023: Fortune Hotels, a member of ITC’s hotel group is pleased to announce a future-forward, strategic decision of appointing four highly experienced professionals as growth leaders. These able leaders while owning specific areas of operation are expected to make a significant contribution to the brand's strategic goals. Fortune Hotels has created these positions to drive efficiencies within the chain and to further strengthen the brand’s commitment to providing exceptional guest experiences across the country.

Commenting on the appointments, Samir MC, Managing Director of Fortune Hotels, said, “With our growth in sight, these four leaders have been chosen to consolidate our proven service offerings and value add to our legacy by preparing for the future. Each of our General Managers in their new roles including Ajay, Kunal, Saravanan, and Ricardo has had a solid performance track record. In the competitive business of hospitality, we look forward to their collective expertise propelling the Fortune Hotels brand positioning.”

The General Managers in their new roles are tasked with driving brand operations, improving the guest experience, and managing stakeholders to deliver consistent growth for regional hotels while focusing on the bottom-line results. Their previous experience of working with successful hospitality brands, multi-property management, and brand strategy, make them important growth drivers. 

Fortune Hotels has been on an aggressive path to expand its reach in tier-2 and tier-3 cities with its upscale to mid-market service offering for business as well as leisure travellers. The hotel chain has closely studied the growth and development of non-metros and spotted opportunities for the future. 

A brief introduction to the General Managers: 

Ajay J Sharma, Area Manager for North region: An experienced hospitality professional with over 30 years of experience who will be leading the North cluster of hotels. Ajay has previously held leadership roles in renowned hospitality brands like Oberoi Hotel, IHG, and Starwood, and is known for his dedication to exceptional service and guest satisfaction.

Kunal Banerjee, Cluster General Manager for East region: A seasoned hospitality professional with over 20 years of experience in successfully launching several hotels across India. After joining Fortune Park Hotels Limited in 2013 as General Manager, he will now lead the East cluster. Kunal has previously worked with luxury and upscale brands like K Raheja Hospitality Mumbai, Holiday Inn Singapore, ITC Sonar Kolkata, Hotel HHI, and Kolkata Fern Hotels.

Saravanan Dhanabalu, Area Manager for South region: With 28 years in hospitality, Saravanan is a highly skilled and experienced hotelier, with a global education and leadership roles in prominent hospitality brands. He has a keen eye for identifying growth opportunities. In his new role, he will be responsible for brand operations and administration of units in the south region.

Ricardo D’Lima, Cluster General Manager for Goa & West Coast region: A talented hospitality management professional with over 22 years dedicated to pre-openings, F&B operations, revenue management, guest relations and overall quality assurance. He has been with Fortune Park Hotels for eight years, and he was recently promoted to Cluster General Manager for Goa and West Coast.