voco Amritsar by IHG has announced the appointment of Ahmed Faisal as the Associate Director of Food & Beverage, strengthening the leadership team ahead of the hotel’s upcoming opening.

Ahmed brings strong pre-opening experience and a solid foundation in IHG’s service culture, known for shaping distinctive food and beverage concepts that enhance guest satisfaction and operational standards.

He previously served at voco Jim Corbett by IHG as a core part of the pre-opening team. During his tenure, he played a key role in building the hotel’s F&B identity, from menu and concept development to service refinement and guest engagement.

Continuing his growth within the IHG family, Ahmed now moves to voco Amritsar where he will lead menu planning, restaurant operations, team development and overall F&B strategy for the city’s newest upscale hotel.

His experience, creativity and focus on guest-centric dining are expected to contribute meaningfully to the hotel’s culinary positioning as it prepares to welcome travellers and locals alike.

Espire Hospitality Limited has announced the appointment of Mr. Sandeep Kumar Rajput as its new Commercial Director. He will lead the commercial strategy for the company’s two key brands, ZANA Luxury Resorts and Country Inn Hotels & Resorts. The appointment comes as Espire continues to expand its presence and strengthen its revenue framework across India.

With more than 22 years of experience in Sales and Marketing, Sandeep has built a strong reputation for delivering growth across multiple hospitality brands. His career includes leadership roles at Royal Orchid & Regenta Hotels, Pride Group of Hotels, HHI Group, St Laurn Hotels, and Infinity Resort, where he contributed to building high-performing teams and driving market development.

In his previous role as Vice President – Sales at Royal Orchid & Regenta Hotels, he handled the P&L and commercial direction for over 55 hotels across North and East India and Nepal, while also supporting revenue for a larger portfolio of more than 110 hotels across the country. His strengths include corporate partnerships, key account management, and building scalable sales structures.

At Espire Hospitality Limited, Sandeep will focus on enhancing the commercial ecosystem, strengthening brand visibility, and supporting the group’s expansion plans. His role will also involve deepening stakeholder relationships and building a results-driven culture across teams.

Sharing his thoughts on the appointment, Mr. Akhil Arora, CEO & MD, Espire Hospitality Limited, said, “We are excited to have Sandeep join Espire Hospitality Limited during this defining chapter of our expansion. Sandeep brings with him a wealth of industry experience and has successfully led several high-impact strategic initiatives across the region. We are confident that his impressive track record, proven leadership and broad expertise will play a key role in our journey to scale new heights.”

Sandeep’s industry knowledge and leadership style are expected to contribute significantly to Espire Hospitality’s growth vision and new development pipeline.

Hyatt Regency Pune & Residences has announced the appointment of Mr. Mohammad Yusuf Yamin as the new Director of Human Resources. With more than 15 years of experience across leading hospitality brands in India and Nepal, he brings strong expertise in people management, team culture, colleague engagement and industrial relations.

Mr. Yamin joins the Pune hotel after serving as Director of Human Resources at Hyatt Regency Kathmandu for over two years. In Nepal, he played a key role in shaping HR strategy, strengthening colleague engagement and driving organisational development practices.

Before his Hyatt Kathmandu tenure, he spent close to a decade with IHCL, working across important locations such as Srinagar, Lucknow and Corbett National Park. His work there focused on improving HR systems, building team performance, creating a healthy workplace culture and handling complex people-related matters with a balanced and transparent approach.

Known for his hands-on style and calm leadership, Mr. Yamin brings a people-first outlook that aligns well with Hyatt’s service values.

In his new role at Hyatt Regency Pune & Residences, he will oversee talent acquisition, learning and development, employee relations, performance management and colleague well-being, strengthening the hotel’s commitment to creating a supportive and growth-focused environment for its teams.