Hilton Hyderabad Genome Valley Resort & Spa has appointed Abhishek Bahadur as its commercial director, strengthening its leadership team as the resort continues to build its presence as a leading destination in South India.

With over 17 years of experience across some of India’s well-known hospitality brands, Bahadur brings strong expertise in commercial strategy, market expansion, and stakeholder relationships. In his new role, he will oversee sales, marketing, and revenue management, with a focus on driving growth across key segments such as leisure, weddings, and MICE.

Bahadur joins from Marriott International, where he served as director of sales & marketing and led several multi-channel initiatives that strengthened brand positioning across both retail and MICE segments. His career also includes roles with leading brands like JW Marriott, The Leela Palaces  Hotels & Resorts, The Oberoi, Trident Gurgaon, The Claridges New Delhi, and ITC Hotels.

He has been closely associated with the resort since its pre-opening phase, where he played a key role in shaping its commercial direction. From building the go-to-market strategy to setting up pricing frameworks and strengthening distribution channels, his early contributions have helped lay a strong foundation for the resort’s growth.

His efforts have also supported the development of key business segments, particularly weddings and MICE, while building a strong digital presence and market visibility for the property. Going forward, he will continue to focus on expanding partnerships and aligning commercial strategies with the resort’s long-term vision.

“I’m delighted to be part of Hilton Hyderabad Genome Valley Resort & Spa at such an exciting stage of its journey. Over the past year, the opportunity to shape a distinctive destination and build a strong commercial ecosystem from the ground up has been truly rewarding. I look forward to continuing to work closely with the team to drive meaningful growth and further position the resort as a preferred choice for guests, celebrations and corporate engagements,” said Bahadur.

With this appointment, the resort aims to further strengthen its positioning as a preferred destination for experiential stays, large celebrations, and corporate events.

Brigade Hotel Ventures (BHVL), the hospitality division of the Brigade Group, is planning to expand its presence beyond South India, with a focus on spiritual and leisure destinations in the north and west.

The company is currently exploring new locations including Goa and Mumbai in the west, along with Varanasi, Rishikesh, and Ayodhya in the north. These destinations are being considered as part of the company’s strategy to tap into growing demand for spiritual tourism and leisure travel.

"We are looking at Goa and Mumbai in the western region. In north India, we are looking at Varanasi and Rishikesh. Of course, Ayodhya as well in the long term," said Vineet Verma. He added that the upcoming properties will vary between four-star and five-star formats, depending on the location.

Along with new developments, BHVL is also considering acquisitions to speed up its growth. The company is open to taking over operational hotels and upgrading them, allowing for quicker entry into new markets compared to building properties from scratch.

At present, BHVL operates nine hotels across key cities such as Bengaluru, Chennai, Kochi, Mysuru, and GIFT City, with a total inventory of over 1,600 keys.

The company also has a strong pipeline in the south, with nine new properties planned across locations including ECR and OMR in Chennai, Hyderabad, and Thiruvananthapuram. These developments are expected to add around 1,700 keys over the next few years.

BHVL is investing over Rs 3,000 crore into its expansion plans and aims to significantly scale up its portfolio. Having built over 1,600 keys over the past several years, the company now plans to double that number within a shorter timeframe as it accelerates growth across new and existing markets.

Shares of IndiGo saw a strong uptick, rising up to 4% to Rs 4,097 on the BSE, after the airline announced the appointment of Aloke Singh as its chief strategy officer.

In his new role, Singh will lead the airline’s long-term planning, including key initiatives such as the induction of Airbus A350 aircraft and the development of hub airports. The planned addition of these aircraft is expected to open doors for long-haul international operations, marking an important step in IndiGo’s expansion journey.

Singh will report to Rahul Bhatia, who is currently overseeing operations as interim CEO following the resignation of Pieter Elbers.

The leadership change comes after a challenging phase for the airline, including operational disruptions that saw a large number of flight cancellations due to pilot shortages and revised duty time norms.

Speaking on the appointment, Bhatia said, “Aloke brings an exceptional blend of strategic vision and operational depth. His comprehensive understanding of the aviation ecosystem will be invaluable as we build a more agile, resilient and future-ready organisation, and accelerate our next phase of growth.”

With over three decades of experience in the aviation sector, Singh has held leadership roles across strategy, operations, and commercial functions. During his tenure at Air India Express, he played a key role in its transition under the Tata Group, including its merger with AirAsia India, fleet expansion, and brand transformation.

Meanwhile, global brokerage Goldman Sachs has maintained a positive outlook on IndiGo, retaining its ‘Buy’ rating while revising its target price to Rs 5,200 per share. The revision reflects near-term pressures such as rising fuel costs and softer demand in certain international markets, though the airline continues to show strong growth potential.

Analysts also highlighted IndiGo’s financial position and market opportunities, noting that industry consolidation could work in its favour as supply constraints continue. The airline’s strong balance sheet remains a key advantage in navigating the current environment.

Recently, IndiGo also introduced a fuel surcharge across domestic and international routes, citing increased jet fuel prices linked to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

Overall, the leadership appointment and ongoing strategic initiatives signal IndiGo’s focus on strengthening its position and preparing for its next phase of growth.