Holiday Inn Express Appoints Jagannath Rout as Portfolio Manager, Engineering
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Holiday Inn Express has appointed Jagannath Rout as Portfolio Manager, Engineering. In the role, he will oversee the engineering division across SAMHI's 12 Holiday Inn Express hotels in India.
Rout brings more than 25 years of experience in hospitality engineering and facility management. His career includes engineering leadership roles at Courtyard by Marriott Shillong, The Westin Guwahati, DLF, The Leela Palace New Delhi, The Lodhi, Crowne Plaza and Radisson. Most recently, he was Corporate Manager – Administration & Facility at Bharti Enterprises, where he led engineering and facility operations across premium residential, farmhouse and commercial assets and managed a team of more than 80.
His expertise spans MEP, HVAC and BMS, fire and life safety, preventive maintenance, vendor management, budgeting, statutory compliance and pre-opening projects. In his new role, he will work closely with property teams to strengthen engineering operations, safety systems and asset reliability across the portfolio.
“Jagannath brings with him over two decades of rich experience in hospitality engineering and facility management. His strong expertise in engineering operations, safety, preventive maintenance and compliance will be instrumental in strengthening operational efficiency and ensuring our hotels remain safe, reliable and guest-ready,” said Priyanka Ahluwalia, Cluster General Manager, Holiday Inn Express SAMHI Portfolio.
“I am delighted to join the Holiday Inn Express – SAMHI Portfolio and contribute to a brand built around the promise of simple, smart travel. I look forward to working closely with the team to strengthen engineering practices, preventive maintenance and operational efficiency, ensuring our hotels remain safe, reliable and guest-ready every day,” said Rout.
The brand, IHG's largest and fastest-growing, says the appointment also reflects its “Room to Belong” philosophy, which focuses on fostering an inclusive environment where colleagues feel valued and empowered to contribute meaningfully.
Image: courtesy of Holiday Inn Express
