Taj Hotels parent IHCL splits business into two for 700-hotel expansion
Tata-owned IHCL splits operations into 2 business verticals as it targets Dh6.4b revenue
Dubai: The parent company of Taj Hotels has overhauled its organisational structure as it prepares for its next phase of growth, with plans to expand its global portfolio to 700 hotels by 2030.
The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), India's largest hospitality company, said it is reorganising its business into two separate verticals as part of its five-year "Accelerate 2030" strategy.
The company also announced two senior leadership appointments to support the new structure.
The move comes as IHCL continues to grow rapidly. The company now has a portfolio of 645 hotels across 15 countries and more than 300 destinations, including 382 operating properties and 263 hotels in the pipeline.
Under its 2030 roadmap, IHCL aims to grow to 700 hotels, double its consolidated revenue to Dh6.4 billion (₹15,000 crore) and achieve a return on capital employed (ROCE) of 20 per cent.
"Today IHCL has expanded its brandscape to 14 major brands across all segments," said Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of IHCL. "To effectively manage scale... business delivery is now organised in two verticals – Traditional Businesses and Growth Businesses,” he said.
Taj to anchor traditional business
Under the new structure, the company's established brands will be grouped under its Traditional Businesses division. This includes Taj, Claridges Collection, Atmantan, Brij, SeleQtions, Clarks, Gateway and Vivanta.
The Growth Businesses division will focus on expanding newer brands such as Ginger, Tree of Life, Qmin and ama Stays & Trails.
Chhatwal said the restructuring is intended to support IHCL's next stage of expansion by giving established and emerging brands dedicated management.
Senior leadership changes
As part of the reorganisation, IHCL said it has promoted Gaurav Pokhariyal to Chief Operating Officer, Traditional Businesses. He will oversee hotel operations across all geographies.
Prabhat Verma has been promoted to Chief People Officer and will lead the company's human resources, sustainability and business excellence functions.
Both appointments take effect immediately.
Expansion continues
The restructuring follows another strong quarter of expansion for the Tata Group-owned hospitality entity.
During the first quarter of FY2027, IHCL signed 20 new hotels and opened 11 properties, taking its total portfolio to 645 hotels.
Seventeen of the 20 new signings were for its growth brands, including Gateway, Ginger and Tree of Life, with projects announced in destinations such as Bharatpur, Trichy, Sindhudurg, Jawai and Wayanad, alongside established markets including Mumbai, Goa, Agra and Kolkata.
The company also reached a milestone of 150 Taj-branded hotels after signing three new luxury properties in Dharamshala, Meghalaya and Maharashtra.
Internationally, IHCL expanded with the opening of Taj Hessischer Hof in Frankfurt and Taj Bush Lodge in Greater Kruger, South Africa.
With 263 hotels under development, the company said it remains on track to achieve its target of operating a 700-hotel portfolio under its Accelerate 2030 strategy.
