Gaurav Bhushan to Chair Accor–InterGlobe India Venture
Gaurav Bhushan is the new chairman of the proposed joint venture between Accor and InterGlobe Enterprises. He is currently co-CEO of Ennismore, CEO of lifestyle and leisure brands and a member of Accor’s executive committee.
An Accor veteran, Bhushan previously served as global chief development officer, overseeing the group’s expansion from 12 to more than 45 brands and leading more than 500 hotel signings annually, the company said in a statement.
In April, InterGlobe Enterprises and Accor launched an independent platform to open 300 Accor hotels in India by 2030. The new entity serves as the exclusive growth platform for the brand’s portfolio in India, focusing on expansion and delivering hospitality experiences tailored to Indian travelers, the statement said.
“India’s hospitality sector is entering a transformative phase and this new platform is well positioned to capture its full potential,” Bhushan said. “It will be an honour to chair this venture and work with the teams at Accor and InterGlobe to drive growth and innovation for the Indian traveler.”
Meanwhile, the unified venture will adopt a new name and corporate structure and plans to introduce more Accor brands in India, according to media reports. With the consolidation, Accor plans to expand its footprint in India by volume and brand mix.
“Over the last 20 years, Accor and InterGlobe have had a strong partnership, with multiple entities owning and operating hotels,” Bhushan told The Economic Times. “Now we are consolidating all of them into a single entity, which I’m honored to chair. We intend to bring more of Accor’s brands into India, from midscale to premium, lifestyle and luxury. The entity will be asset-light but powered by the combined strengths of Accor and InterGlobe.”
Bhushan said the strategy is to tap into three key growth segments: the midscale segment, driven by brands like Ibis and Mercure in tier 2 and 3 cities; upscale growth led by Novotel and the expansion of luxury and lifestyle brands in metro and leisure markets through existing brands such as Fairmont, Sofitel and Raffles.
Bhushan also sees potential to introduce Ennismore brands like Hoxton, Mama Shelter and SLS in India, according to The Times.
“Accor’s soft and collection brands like M Gallery, Handwritten and Emblems could fill the current gap,” he said.
In April, The Ascott Ltd also announced plans to double its India inventory to 12,000 keys by 2028, up from around 5,500 units at the end of 2024, to target growth in domestic tourism.
