A broader commercial remit
Accor has announced the appointment of Vipin Khattar as Chief Commercial Officer, South Asia. Based in Delhi, he has been leading the group’s commercial strategy in the region since September 2026. His remit covers sales, revenue management, marketing, digital distribution, loyalty, partnerships and transformation projects.
He joins the leadership team assembled around Ranju Alex, CEO of Accor South Asia. The group has set out strong growth ambitions for the subcontinent. Notably, it has entered into a strategic partnership with InterGlobe and continues to sign luxury properties, such as the Fairmont Rishikesh Himalayas.
From The Ritz-Carlton, Jeddah to Marriott’s Dubai properties
Before joining Accor, Vipin Khattar had been General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Jeddah, in Saudi Arabia, since December 2024. From April 2023 to December 2024, he served as Area General Manager in Dubai, simultaneously overseeing The St. Regis Downtown Dubai, Delta Hotels by Marriott Dubai Investment Park and Marriott Residences Al Barsha South.
Between May 2022 and April 2023, he was General Manager of JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity. He therefore already knows the Indian market from the inside, having worked there before returning to the Gulf.
More than twelve years with Hyatt
Much of his career was built at Hyatt, where he spent more than twelve years. He first held commercial roles: Director of Sales and Marketing at Hyatt Regency Dubai, in Deira, from 2010 to 2011, then at Grand Hyatt Dubai, where he was subsequently appointed Area Director of Sales and Marketing, from 2011 to 2013.
The group then entrusted him with the general management of Hyatt Regency Sharm El Sheikh, in Egypt, from December 2013 to May 2016. He went on to lead Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights and Residences for almost six years, until March 2022.
Earlier, he had been Director of Business Development at Atlantis Resorts in Dubai, from November 2007 to January 2010. The role grounded him in sales, business development and the MICE segment.
Vipin Khattar is a graduate of IHTTI School of Hotel Management, where he completed a postgraduate programme in hotel operations between 1999 and 2001. His career has been recognised on several occasions: Best Sales and Marketing Person of the Year in 2012, the GCC’s Best General Managers Award in 2018, and inclusion in the General Manager Power List in 2024 and 2025.
Our view | A prize catch for Accor
With this hire, Accor secures a general manager trained at Marriott and Hyatt whose career began in sales and business development. He therefore understands both how demand is built and how hotels perform operationally. That is an asset in a role that must balance distribution, loyalty and owners’ expectations.
The appointment also shows that the group can attract executives from its main American competitors, in a region where the major international operators are vying for management contracts and talent alike. It is consistent with the medium-term growth trajectory Accor confirmed when it published its 2025 results.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Accor appoints Vipin Khattar as Chief Commercial Officer, South Asia
Leads sales, revenue management, marketing, digital distribution, loyalty and partnerships across South Asia
Joins from The Ritz-Carlton, Jeddah, where he was General Manager since December 2024
Former Area GM for The St. Regis Downtown Dubai, Delta Hotels Dubai Investment Park and Marriott Residences Al Barsha South
Former GM of JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity
Over 12 years with Hyatt, including GM roles in Sharm El Sheikh and Dubai Creek Heights
