Director of Development - Luxury Hospitality, India and South Asia

Company Overview

Accor is a global leader in augmented hospitality, with more than 230,000 professionals dedicated to delivering exceptional experiences. Beyond operating hotels, Accor creates innovative lifestyle environments spanning 40+ brands including hotels, restaurants, nightclubs, spas, co-working spaces, and tech startups.

Our goal is to pioneer the hospitality industry of tomorrow by leveraging a strong ecosystem and a passion for excellence.

Role Summary

The Director of Development for Luxury, India and South Asia spearheads the strategic expansion of Accor's luxury and lifestyle portfolio across the region. This position involves identifying, evaluating, negotiating, and securing premium development projects for luxury brands such as Raffles, Fairmont, Sofitel, MGallery, and Orient Express.

The incumbent collaborates closely with developers, investors, family offices, institutional owners, and internal teams to grow Accor's footprint in target markets while ensuring all projects meet brand guidelines, financial goals, and long-term growth plans.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify and cultivate new luxury hotel, resort, mixed-use, and branded residence development prospects across South Asia.
• Maintain a robust pipeline of vetted development opportunities aligned with strategic targets.
• Formulate and implement market-specific strategies to meet annual development objectives.
• Monitor industry trends, competitor actions, and investment opportunities to inform decision-making.
• Build and nurture strong relationships with hotel owners, developers, institutional investors, and consultancy partners.
• Represent Accor's luxury brands effectively to potential partners and stakeholders.
• Lead discussions on brand positioning, financial structures, and project feasibility with owners and investors.
• Oversee preliminary assessments and coordinate in-depth feasibility studies.
• Collaborate with Finance, Brand, Technical Services, Operations, and Legal teams to ensure project compliance with Accor’s standards.
• Design commercially viable and sustainable management and franchise agreements.
• Lead negotiation and execution of key contracts including LOIs, MOUs, HMAs, and HCSAs from inception through to signing.
• Balance owner expectations with Accor’s operational and commercial objectives in contracts.
• Support owners and development teams post-contract to enable smooth project progress.
• Act as the primary liaison between ownership and internal stakeholders during development phases.
• Maintain detailed pipeline reports, forecasts, and portfolio documentation.

Candidate Profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Hospitality Management, Finance, Real Estate, Economics, or related fields; Master’s or advanced credentials preferred.
• At least 10 years of relevant experience in hotel development, luxury real estate, hospitality investment, or comparable areas.
• Proven expertise in sourcing, negotiation, and closure of hotel management, franchise, or development agreements.
• Deep understanding of luxury hospitality market dynamics in South Asia.
• Prior experience collaborating with developers, investors, asset managers, and ownership entities.
• Familiarity with upscale and luxury hotel brands strongly favored.

Additional Skills and Competencies

• Strong commercial and financial insight.
• Exceptional negotiation and influencing capabilities.
• Skilled in cultivating relationships with high-level stakeholders.
• Knowledge of hotel management agreements, franchising frameworks, and hospitality investment strategies.
• Proficient in analytical evaluations and feasibility analysis techniques.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and financial modeling.
• Adept at cross-functional teamwork across diverse geographical locations.