Puneet Dhawan Bids Adieu to Accor Hotels

Accor Hotels Group stalwart Puneet Dhawan has resigned from the hotel major. Puneet Dhawan was the head of the India business as senior vice president of operations for Accor India and South Asia.  

The Announcement

The departure of Puneet Dhawan from Accor was announced by Garth Simmons, Chief Operating Officer of Accor Hotels in Asia. The announcement came via an internal memo sent to all employees in the group. "It is with a sense of deep regret that I inform you of the departure of Puneet Dhawan, Senior Vice President of Operations for Accor India and South Asia. After a commendable tenure spanning over two and a half decades with the Accor Group, Puneet has decided to pursue new challenges outside the company," Simmons said in the memo.

Puneet joined the Group in 1998 as the Director of Food and Beverage at what is now known as Novotel Century Hong Kong. Over the years, he took on key roles in various countries including Australia, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, the UAE, and the Philippines.

India Perfomance

In 2020, Puneet was appointed Senior Vice President of Operations for Accor India and South Asia. Under his guidance, the hotel group navigated the challenges posed by the pandemic under Puneet. under his leadership, Accor Group announced the addition of 30 new hotel signings with over 4,400 keys and the opening of 11 new hotels contributing more than 1,750 keys.

Under Punnet Dhawan's leadership, the India operations of Accor reported a topline increase of 61.53% and a RevPAR growth of 49.7%.

"Puneet’s leadership has been nothing short of transformative, and his unwavering dedication has significantly bolstered our position in the hospitality industry. On behalf of the entire Accor Group, I extend our heartfelt gratitude to Puneet for his invaluable contributions and wish him every success in his future endeavors, Simmon added.