Projjwal Ghosh will lead sales and marketing at the resort and oversee commercial strategy across five IHG Hotels & Resorts properties.

InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort has announced the appointment of Projjwal Ghosh as Area Champion – Sales & Marketing, Southwest Asia, IHG Hotels & Resorts and Director of Sales & Marketing, InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort.

With over 16 years of experience spanning sales, marketing, revenue and events across luxury, upscale and mainstream hospitality brands, Projjwal brings extensive expertise in pre-opening, opening and revamp commercial strategies, operations, market development and revenue growth to his leadership role.

Leadership responsibilities at IHG Hotels & Resorts

At InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort, Projjwal will lead the resort’s sales and marketing agenda, drive its repositioning and brand communications while strengthen its renewed identity as a distinctive luxury destination. In his area leadership role, he will also oversee the commercial strategy and performance of five IHG Hotels & Resorts properties – InterContinental Jaipur Tonk Road, Crowne Plaza Ahmedabad City Centre, Holiday Inn Chennai OMR IT Expressway, Holiday Inn Bengaluru Racecourse and the upcoming Holiday Inn Resort Kufri.

In this role, Projjwal will drive revenue growth, commercial strategy, market positioning and performance across the portfolio, while identifying new business opportunities, strengthening key accounts and driving MICE, social and cross-property synergies. He will also provide strategic directions to the respective Directors of Sales & Marketing, while partnering with General Managers to maximize commercial performance and revenue opportunities across the hotels.

Anand Nair on the appointment

Commenting on the appointment, Anand Nair, General Manager, InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort, said, “Projjwal has an extensive experience in sales and marketing, along with his strong understanding of the hospitality industry. He is a valuable asset to the resort, we look forward to working with him as he continues to strengthen our commercial efforts and build meaningful relationships with our partners and stakeholders.”

Career across hospitality brands

Projjwal began his hospitality career with Starwood Hotels, before taking on key sales and marketing roles with Hilton Hotels & Resorts across several major Indian cities, where he spent seven years. He also worked at Accor as Pre-Opening & Opening Director of Sales & Marketing (Complex) for Jaipur Exhibition Convention Centre – Managed by Accor and Novotel Jaipur Convention Centre.

During his tenure with Accor, he strengthened his expertise across MICE and weddings, commercial strategy, marketing and communications. He joined IHG Hotels & Resorts in 2018, further developing his expertise in commercial strategy and sales leadership.

Experience across MICE, corporate and leisure

A specialist in pre-opening, opening and revamp commercial strategist, he brings extensive knowledge of key Indian markets and experience across MICE, corporate, weddings and leisure segments. His international exposure includes representing leading hospitality brands at prominent global forums and trade shows such as the International Congress and Convention Association, ITB Asia, EMF Abu Dhabi, IBTM Barcelona, IMEX Frankfurt and UFI Germany. This experience has further strengthened his understanding of emerging business opportunities and the positioning of Indian hospitality destinations within the global MICE ecosystem.

Recognition and professional achievements

Projjwal’s contribution to the hospitality industry has been recognized through several accolades, including the Director of Sales & Marketing of the Year 2025 at the Accor South Asia Hotel Awards and the Sales Special Achievement Award – APAC 2015 during his tenure with Hilton. His career reflects a consistent focus on developing strategic commercial initiatives, building strong market relationships and delivering measurable business outcomes.

Education and professional qualifications

A graduate in Hospitality Management, Projjwal holds an Executive MBA in Marketing & E-Commerce, along with an Executive Programme in Strategic Management from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kashipur. He also holds a Certificate in Digital Marketing from the National Institute of Digital Marketing (NIDM), Bangalore. His academic background complements his extensive professional experience across revenue generation, market share growth, sales strategy and commercial leadership.