Sarovar Hotels Strengthens Leadership with Strategic Senior Appointments

Leadership Expansion at Sarovar Hotels

Sarovar Hotels has announced a set of senior leadership appointments as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen operational depth and development capabilities across its growing portfolio in India, Nepal, and Africa. The appointments reinforce the company’s focus on institutional hospitality, hotel pre-openings, and design-led development as it enters a new phase of expansion.

Key Appointments Across Core Functions

Career Background

As part of this leadership enhancement, Pavan Kumar has been appointed Director – Institutional Hospitality, Sonuraj K. R. joins as General Manager – Pre Openings, and Anuj Sharma has taken charge as Director – Design Services within the Corporate Development team. Each appointment brings specialised expertise aligned with Sarovar’s long-term growth strategy.

CEO’s Perspective on Leadership Growth

Commenting on the appointments, Jatin Khanna, CEO, Sarovar Hotels, said that strong leadership remains central to the company’s growth ambitions. He emphasised that the newly appointed leaders bring diverse experience, operational insight, and strategic thinking that will support Sarovar’s expansion across development, operations, design, and guest experience.

Pavan Kumar to Lead Institutional Hospitality

Key Achievements

In his role as Director – Institutional Hospitality, Pavan Kumar will oversee Sarovar’s institutional and bulk hospitality operations. He brings extensive experience from leadership roles at ISS and Sodexo Facility Management, along with operational exposure at leading hotel brands including Radisson, The Lalit, ITC Hotels, Taj Hotels, and The Oberoi.

Sonuraj K. R. to Drive Hotel Pre-Openings

Appointed as General Manager – Pre Openings, Sonuraj K. R. will be responsible for ensuring timely launches and operational readiness of upcoming Sarovar properties. His background includes roles across Cloud9 Sarovar Premiere Palolem, Sobit Sarovar Portico, DLF Mall Chennai, Hyatt, Hilton, and The Park Chennai, bringing valuable experience in hotel openings and project execution.

Anuj Sharma Joins as Director – Design Services

Current Role & Responsibilities

Anuj Sharma, with over 17 years of experience in hospitality design and project delivery, joins the Corporate Development team as Director – Design Services. His expertise spans concept planning, design coordination, and end-to-end execution, strengthening Sarovar’s design and infrastructure capabilities across new and existing hotels.

Supporting Sarovar’s Expansion Strategy

These appointments come as Sarovar Hotels continues to expand its footprint, managing over 150 operational hotels across 87 destinations under brands including Sarovar Premiere, Sarovar Portico, Hometel, and Golden Tulip. The strengthened leadership team is expected to play a key role in supporting sustainable growth and operational excellence across markets.