APPOINTMENT

RIU Hotels & Resorts Appoints Janitha Madawala as Assistant General Manager – East Africa

RIU Hotels & Resorts has announced the appointment of Janitha Madawala as Assistant General Manager – East Africa, strengthening its regional leadership team as the company continues to expand its presence across the market.

Madawala brings more than two decades of international hospitality experience, with expertise in hotel operations, strategic leadership, pre-opening projects, commercial performance, and guest experience management across multiple global markets.

Over the course of his career, he has held senior leadership roles with several international hospitality brands, including RIU Hotels & Resorts, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Carnival Cruise Line, Emirates Leisure Retail | Premier Inn, Southern Sun Hotels & Resorts, Emaar Hospitality Group, Sunrise Resorts & Cruises, and Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts.

His experience spans a wide range of hospitality segments, including luxury resorts, city hotels, cruise operations, integrated entertainment destinations, convention facilities, and large-scale developments across Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Europe, North America, and the South Pacific.

Madawala is recognised for leading complex hospitality operations, driving operational transformation, managing pre-opening projects, and supporting business growth initiatives. His career includes overseeing hotel openings, renovations, brand repositioning, operational turnaround strategies, and multi-property portfolios. His expertise also extends to commercial strategy, guest experience enhancement, team development, and financial performance.

In his new role, he will support operations across East Africa, with a focus on operational excellence, guest satisfaction, strategic project execution, commercial optimisation, and talent development. He will also contribute to upgrade programmes, pre-opening activities, and new developments aligned with the company’s regional growth strategy.

Commenting on his appointment, Madawala said he looks forward to contributing to the brand’s continued growth in East Africa and working with teams to enhance guest experiences and operational performance.

The appointment reflects RIU Hotels & Resorts’ continued investment in experienced leadership as it strengthens its operations and development pipeline across Africa.