K.B. KACHRU APPOINTED CHAIRMAN EMERITUS AND PRINCIPAL ADVISOR,
CARLSON REZIDOR HOTEL GROUP, SOUTH ASIA
SINGAPORE (June 30, 2016) - Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, one of the world’s largest and most
dynamic hotel groups, announces that K.B. Kachru has been appointed Chairman Emeritus and
Principal Advisor, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, South Asia, effective July 1, 2016.
Kachru has been instrumental in building the business in India since 1998. Most recently, he was
chairman and a mentor to Raj Rana, chief executive officer, South Asia, of the Group, since 2013.
Prior to that, Kachru served as executive vice president, responsible for the overall strategy, hotel
development, management and functional support of key markets within South Asia, overseeing
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group’s joint venture companies in India.
In his new capacity, Kachru will continue to be on the board of the Group’s South Asia business
entities, serve as an outstanding ambassador and represent the company at industry forums and
governmental affairs, while enabling strategic growth opportunities.
“K.B. has made outstanding contributions in building and growing Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group’s
South Asia business from strength to strength in the past 20 years. India is our fortress market in Asia
Pacific and we remain not only committed, but accelerated and invested in this market. I wish him
great success in his new role as we continue to leverage his industry standing, strong owner
relationships and goodwill to reinforce our lead position in the country,” said Thorsten Kirschke,
president, Asia Pacific, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group.
An industry veteran, Kachru is an active member of various Tourism and Hospitality Advisory
Committees at the state and national level. He has been on the board of directors for the Tourism
Corporation of various state governments and on the board of governors of the Institute of Hotel
Management in New Delhi. Kachru has also served as an executive member of Pacific Asia Travel
Association (PATA) India Chapter, the American Society of Travel Agents of India, Hotel Association
of India (HAI), Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India (FHRAI) and India Convention
Promotion Bureau (ICPB).
Nominated co-chairman of the Travel and Civil Aviation Committee of the Indian Chamber of
Commerce and executive member of Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Kachru has been a
trailblazer for positive change in the hospitality industry. He spearheaded the formation of the Institute
for International Management and Technology in collaboration with Oxford Brookes University, UK,
and was also responsible for the introduction of arrival passenger duty free shopping at India’s
international airports.
During his tenure, Kachru received many accolades, including the company’s highest honor when he
garnered the “Carlson Fellowship Award” in 2005. Other notable awards include the “Hall of Fame”
award presented by the Pacific Area Travel Writers Association at ITB Berlin, one of the world’s
leading travel trade shows. From 2004 to 2006, he received the “Global Hotelier Award” at WTM
London and “Galileo - Express Travel & Tourism Award”. He was also recognized by South Asia
Travel & Tourism Expo (SATTE) as the leading hotelier of the country in 2010.
“It has been an honor and privilege to have paved the way and contributed to Carlson Rezidor Hotel
Group’s success story in South Asia. Fifteen years ago, we were one of the first international
hospitality groups to enter the Indian market. Today, we are proud to be the leading international
group in the sub-continent and within the Group, South Asia holds the second most important and
strongest representation. I am excited that with the strong and capable leadership of Raj Rana and
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his team, we continue to consolidate and strategically align our growth,” said K.B. Kachru, Chairman
Emeritus and Principal Advisor, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, South Asia.
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group has 117 operating and under development hotels in India, across 60
Indian cities, including 16 state capitals. The group’s brand portfolio in the country spans the midscale to luxury segments, and besides the Country Inns & Suites By CarlsonSM brand, also includes
Quorvus Collection, Radisson Blu®, Radisson®, Radisson RED, Park Plaza® and Park Inn® by
Radisson.
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About Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group is one of the world’s largest and most dynamic hotel groups and includes 1,400 hotels
in operation and under development with more than 220,000 rooms and a footprint spanning 115 countries and
territories. The Carlson Rezidor portfolio includes a powerful set of global brands: Quorvus Collection, Radisson Blu ®,
Radisson®, Radisson RED, Park Plaza®, Park Inn® by Radisson and Country Inns & Suites By Carlson SM. In most
hotels, guests can benefit from Club CarlsonSM, one of the 2015 – 2016 “Top Three Hotel Rewards Programs” as
ranked by U.S. News and World Report. Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group and its brands employ 90,000 people worldwide
and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Singapore, and Brussels. For more information, visit www.carlsonrezidor.com
and follow on Twitter @carlsonrezidor.
Contact details
Camilla Chiam, vice president, PR & Communications, Asia Pacific, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group I
+65 6511 9297 I [email protected]
Eunice Tan, manager, PR & Communications, Asia Pacific, Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group |
+65 6511 9284 | [email protected]
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