Mr Kumar has over 23 years of strategic business leadership experience and joins Minor Hotels from his most recent management consulting role, where he developed tourism offerings in Saudi Arabia.
His track record in managing key responsibilities of development, asset management and commercial with hospitality companies, including Movenpick, Unison Hotels and The Oberoi Group, will allow him to further Minor Hotels’ future growth initiatives and expansion in the Middle East.
In his new role, Mr Kumar will oversee development strategies and management of assets across Minor Hotels’ portfolio of hotels, including the Anantara, Avani, NH Hotels, NH Collection, Oaks and Tivoli brands. His expertise in business process enhancement will also contribute to commercial effectiveness across all the brands’ projects.
Pushing forward the Middle Eastern presence
Mr Kumar said he was “privileged” to join Minor Hotels during an “exciting time for the company”.
“I’m eager to contribute to its continued success with new openings across the Middle East. The entrepreneurial approach of the company aligns with my professional goals and I look forward to working with the team to further accentuate growth,” he said.
Mr Kumar holds an MBA from the Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management in India after completing hotel school at the Institute of Hotel Management, Goa.
“We are delighted to welcome Lokesh to Minor Hotels,” remarked Amir Golbarg, Senior Vice President of Middle East, Africa and India for Minor Hotels.
“His sterling reputation in developing and managing strategic business operations across the GCC and India aligns seamlessly with Minor Hotels’ vision for our future. Lokesh’s astute thinking and expertise in the market will be invaluable as we move forward with our plans for the future.”
Minor Hotels is a hotel owner, operator and investor currently with a portfolio of 540 hotels and resorts in 56 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Indian Ocean.
The group currently operates 25 hotels and resorts across five brands in the Middle East and has a strong pipeline of properties in multiple countries.