A promotion announced by the development leadership
Hilton is continuing to build out its teams in South Asia. Jacob Purackal has been appointed Vice President, Development, South Asia, having served since March 2022 as Senior Director, Development for India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan.
The appointment was made public by Clarence Tan, Senior Vice President, Development at Hilton. He noted that Jacob’s journey at Hilton had gone hand in hand with the extraordinary growth of the group’s business in the country.
From four hotels to more than 100
When Jacob Purackal joined Hilton in May 2012 as Director, Development, the group had just four trading hotels in India. Today the portfolio exceeds 100 properties open or in the pipeline, a trajectory to which, according to Clarence Tan, he contributed directly.
Based at the regional office in Gurugram, in the Delhi metropolitan area, he was responsible for growing the group’s brands through management and franchise agreements, with responsibility spanning the entire cycle: identifying owners, managing relationships, and negotiating and structuring deals through to signing.
This growth is in line with the group’s stated ambition to increase its hotel footprint in India tenfold within ten years.
Landmark signings for the Indian portfolio
Jacob Purackal led several key milestones in Hilton’s development in India. These include the signing of the Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru Embassy Manyata Business Park, the country’s first Waldorf Astoria, and the first Curio Collection by Hilton and LXR Hotels & Resorts properties.
Clarence Tan also points to several of the largest and most strategic transactions in the group’s history in the country, without giving details. These deals established the group’s luxury and lifestyle brands in India, alongside a strengthened presence in major cities, as illustrated by the opening of the Hilton Hyderabad Genome Valley Resort & Spa.
Spark and Hampton, drivers of the next phase
More recently, Jacob Purackal played a decisive role in concluding the strategic licensing agreements that introduced Spark by Hilton to India, as well as Hampton by Hilton, whose first openings are expected shortly. For Clarence Tan, these agreements open up significant opportunities for the next phase of the group’s development in the country.
The group’s premium economy brand had already made its entry into the country through a project with Olive by Embassy, the group’s Indian partner.
Beyond the transactions, Clarence Tan highlights the building of a high-performing development team and the relationships of trust forged with owners and partners. He concluded that he looked forward to seeing him continue to grow, both personally and professionally, as Hilton accelerates its growth ambitions in the market.
A career rooted in hotel real estate
Before Hilton, Jacob Purackal was Regional Vice President, Business Development & Investments, South Asia at SilverNeedle Hospitality, a hotel company backed by the Nadathur Group, in Mumbai from 2011 to 2012.
He previously spent more than four years as Vice President at Molinaro Koger, handling strategic acquisition and disposition advisory, debt syndication, investment advisory, management contract negotiation, valuations and feasibility studies. His clients included ITC Hotels, Orchid Hotels, leading developers and financial institutions.
He began his career at Cushman & Wakefield in India as Senior Account Manager, following an initial marketing role at Geometric Software. An architect by training and a graduate of Savitribai Phule Pune University, he holds an MBA in Marketing and Finance from Iowa State University and completed Cornell University’s Hotel Real Estate Investments and Asset Management programme.
Our analysis | This profile, combining an architecture background with transaction advisory and investment experience, fits a phase in which Hilton’s growth in India increasingly relies on licensing and franchise agreements with local partners, alongside management contracts.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Hilton promotes Jacob Purackal to Vice President, Development, South Asia
With Hilton since 2012, previously Senior Director Development for India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan
Hilton’s India portfolio grew from 4 trading hotels to 100+ trading and pipeline hotels during his tenure
Led signings of India’s first Waldorf Astoria, Curio Collection and LXR properties
Key role in licensing agreements bringing Spark by Hilton and Hampton by Hilton to India
Background in hotel real estate advisory (Molinaro Koger) and investment (SilverNeedle Hospitality)
