TTT NEWS NETWORK
MUMBAI | 14 JULY 2026
Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), India’s largest hospitality company, unveils an organisation redesign guided by its five-year strategic roadmap – Accelerate 2030. Under the plan, IHCL with an expanded brandscape will take its portfolio to 700 hotels, double its Consolidated revenue to INR 15,000 crores and deliver a ROCE of 20%, while maintaining its renowned service excellence.
Mr. Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, IHCL said, “Today IHCL has expanded its brandscape to 14 major brands across all segments addressing the heterogenous hospitality landscape with a portfolio of 645 hotels across 300 locations in 15 countries. To effectively manage scale, maintain brand salience and deliver value creation for all stakeholders, business delivery is now organised in two verticals – Traditional Businesses and Growth Businesses.”
He added, “Designed to support IHCL’s next phase of growth, the organisational optimisation recognises the differentiated capabilities required for established and emerging brands and businesses. This structure will sharpen execution, unlock enterprise synergies and enhance agility, reinforcing the company’s Accelerate 2030 vision to be the most valued, responsible and profitable hospitality ecosystem.”
Traditional Businesses will encompass the iconic brand Taj, Claridges Collection, Atmantan, Brij, SeleQtions, Clarks, Gateway and Vivanta while the Growth Businesses will incubate new and emerging brands and formats including the reimagined Ginger, Tree of Life, Qmin and ama Stays & Trails.
In line with the above, IHCL announces the following leadership appointments with immediate effect. Mr. Gaurav Pokhariyal is promoted to Chief Operating Officer, Traditional Businesses, IHCL and will oversee operations across all geographies. Mr. Prabhat Verma is promoted to Chief People Officer, IHCL and in his new capacity will drive human resources, sustainability and business excellence.
Gaurav brings with him over three decades of rich experience in hospitality operations and has held several strategic leadership roles, most recently as Executive Vice President – Human Resources, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the people agenda for IHCL’s 50,000+ associates. He is recognised for driving IHCL’s ESG+ framework of Paathya, and advancing the company’s environmental and social impact goals for 2030. Known for his decisive leadership, strategic thinking and deep commitment to excellence, Gaurav has consistently delivered impactful outcomes while fostering a culture of purpose and performance.
Prabhat brings with him over three decades of experience at IHCL, having led diverse brands and businesses across geographies. In his most recent role as Executive Vice President – Operations, he was responsible for driving business performance and stakeholder engagement across South India and international markets. Under his leadership, IHCL’s ancillary businesses, including The Chambers, J Wellness Circle and Khazana, achieved significant scale while setting new benchmarks in service excellence and customer centricity. Known for his strong people connect, deep domain expertise and collaborative leadership style, Prabhat has played a pivotal role in strengthening IHCL’s presence across key gateway cities worldwide.
In their new roles, Gaurav and Prabhat will contribute to IHCL’s strategy for long term growth in line with Accelerate 2030.
About The Indian Hotels Company Limited:
The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) and its subsidiaries bring together a group of brands and businesses that offer a fusion of warm Indian hospitality and world-class service. These include Taj – the iconic brand for the most discerning travellers and ranked as World’s Strongest Hotel Brand 2025 and India’s Strongest Brand 2026 as per Brand Finance; Claridges Collection, a curated set of boutique luxury hotels merging elegance with historical charm; Brij, an experiential leisure offering; Atmantan, one of India’s leading integrated wellness destinations; SeleQtions, a named collection of hotels; Gateway, full-service hotels designed to be your gateway to exceptional destinations; Vivanta, sophisticated upscale hotels; Tree of Life, private escapes in tranquil settings and Ginger, which is revolutionising the lean luxe segment.
Incorporated by the founder of the Tata Group, Jamsetji Tata, the Company opened its first hotel – The Taj Mahal Palace, in Bombay in 1903. IHCL has a portfolio of 645 hotels including 263 in the pipeline globally across 4 continents, 15 countries and over 300 locations. The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) is India’s largest hospitality company by market capitalization. It is listed on the BSE and NSE.
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