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 The board of IHCL had approved Bickson's re-appointment as a director for a period of five years at last year's annual general meeting.
"Indian Hotels Company has informed BSE that Raymond Bickson, MD and CEO of the Company has expressed a desire to resign from the services of the Company, " said IHCL in a statement. During a meeting of the Board of Directors of IHCL held today, the Board has accepted Bickson’s resignation.
Cyrus P. Mistry, Chairman, Indian Hotels Company Limited said, “We’re grateful to Bickson for his many years of leadership at the Taj Group. His three decades of hospitality expertise have helped to make the Taj Group and its brands some of the most respected names in the international hotel and resort industry.”
Under Bickson the Taj Group’s brand growth and expansion into major gateway cities worldwide have left the company well-positioned to take advantage of a steadily strengthening global economy and improving international travel trends. Since the Taj Group’s founding more than a century ago with the fabled Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai, the company has grown to encompass 127 hotels on five continents.
 Bickson said, “Our team has positioned Taj’s four brands – Taj Hotels, Resorts and Palaces, Vivanta by Taj, Gateway Hotels and Ginger Hotels – as distinctive growth-oriented brands that offer the best of Indian hospitality and modern luxury to sophisticated travellers worldwide.”
Raymond Bickson, an American national whose hospitality career spans more than 30 years and four continents, joined Taj Hotels in January 2003 to oversee all luxury property operations. In July 2003, he was named managing director and chief executive officer of The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), a division of India’s Tata Group, with responsibility for all Taj Hotels operations and management, hospitality & travel subsidiary companies. Taj group is the leader in the hotel industry in India.
Indian Hotels further informed that Rakesh K Sarna will take over and join as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer effective September 01, 2014. Sarna is a hospitality industry veteran, having spent over three decades with the Hyatt Hotels Corporation in the past. His appointment was also approved by the Board of Directors today.
Source: Media Reports
Tags: India Hotels Company, Taj, Raymond Bickson |