-KH News Desk (editorial1@imaws.org)
The Board of Directors of Royal Orchid Hotels has officially appointed Keshav Baljee as Executive Director. This strategic elevation marks a significant step in the company’s pursuit of structured growth and brand expansion across the Indian hospitality market.
Keshav has been a member of the Board since 2019, where he has been instrumental in refining the company’s brand architecture and strengthening its asset-light model. An entrepreneur with a proven track record, Keshav previously founded and led Spree Hotels, which he successfully scaled before selling the venture to the listed travel conglomerate EaseMyTrip. He is also the founder of Kensington Villas, a luxury villa development firm.
This is Keshav’s second significant leadership tenure at Royal Orchid Hotels. Between 2007 and 2011, he served as President, during which time the portfolio grew from four to 24 hotels. He was a pioneer of the company’s management contract division—a segment that now boasts over 100 operational third-party contracts.
An alumnus of the Indian School of Business (ISB) and the University of Pennsylvania, Keshav began his career in investment banking with Lehman Brothers and UBS, specializing in M&A. In his new role as Executive Director, he will be responsible for spearheading the overall growth strategy and institutionalizing corporate processes during this high-growth phase.
