APPOINTMENT

Ascentis Launches Hospitality Advisory Vertical, Appoints Ritu Chawla as Executive Director- Hospitality Advisory & Development

Ascentis has launched its Hospitality Advisory & Consulting vertical and appointed Ritu Chawla as Executive Director – Hospitality Advisory & Development, expanding its role in hotel development support.

The new vertical is designed to assist hotel owners and investors at the early stages of project planning, focusing on feasibility analysis, brand strategy, investment advisory and development planning. The scope also includes operator selection, contract negotiations, valuation advisory and concept development. In addition, the vertical will offer asset management services, with an emphasis on aligning operational performance with owner objectives.

The consulting approach extends beyond planning into execution, enabling continuity across the project lifecycle. As part of this, Ascentis has introduced “Innsight,” a structured advisory framework aimed at supporting data-led decision-making during early project stages.

Ritu Chawla brings nearly three decades of experience across hotel operations, asset management, financial advisory and strategic consulting. She has worked with global hospitality brands and advised owners on market feasibility, asset positioning, brand integration and pre-opening strategy, with experience spanning revenue performance and service design.

Commenting on the launch, Cyril Jacob, Managing Director, Ascentis said: “Many hotel projects face challenges because critical decisions are made too late or based on incomplete information. With this vertical, we are stepping in earlier to help owners define the right product, align with the right brand, and plan capital more realistically from day one.”

Ritu Chawla added: “Hotels are long-term capital-intensive investments. Getting the fundamentals right at the beginning, market positioning, brand fit, and capital planning; has a direct impact on performance. Having worked across hotel operations, pre-oepning, advisory, and development, I’ve seen how early-stage decisions directly shape long-term performance.

Our focus is to help owners not just make these decisions with clarity and confidence, but carrying that thinking through to execution with accountabilityThat continuity is still rare in the industry, and is what we are building at Ascentis.”