A new SonRise at Royal Orchid: Arjun Baljee becomes President

Strengthening its leadership team, Royal Orchid Hotels Ltd (ROHL) has announced the appointment of Arjun Baljee as President of the company. Baljee is the co-promoter of Royal Orchid Hotels Ltd and was involved with the development of the first Royal Orchid Hotel in 2001. His role of project implementation with the group saw the company grow from two to ten hotels within a short span of six years. The expansion, under his able leadership, proved to be the catalyst for Royal Orchid’s successful IPO in 2006.

Baljee comes with over 20 years of experience across sectors like real estate, technology, start-ups and hospitality where he has worked with and advised multiple businesses from new-age companies to traditional conglomerates. He was a strategic advisor to the Tourism Development Fund of Saudi Arabia, a sovereign fund responsible for investments across the tourism infrastructure in the kingdom and has worked with several government bodies and charities across geographies.

Talking about the appointment, Chander K Baljee, Chairman and Managing Director, Royal Orchid Hotels Ltd, said, “Hospitality is one of the largest service industries in India, supported by tourism, thereby driving strong economic growth. Under Arjun’s expertise, we are confident Royal Orchid will scale to newer peaks and reach greater heights as he embarks on playing an active role in achieving our ambitious expansion plans across boundaries. He has proven his mettle when he first engaged with the company and helped scale business in a short span. I am confident his leadership skills will pave the way for the company to achieve its goals in the years to come thereby enhancing shareholder value.”

Fuelled by creativity and innovation, Baljee is an outright go-getter who delivers results. In his new role, he will be responsible for new projects, brand building and company’s growth with a vision to expand the group’s footprint into newer geographies. 

Arjun Baljee, President, Royal Orchid & Regenta Hotels, said, “I am honoured to continue the family legacy forward with my professional knowledge acquired across multiple engagements around the globe. This is a unique opportunity considering the surge in tourism in India across segments and Government of India's initiatives to boost the growth of the hospitality industry. The Amrit Kaal for India’s hospitality industry is here and I firmly believe we are well placed to take the big leaps for growth in the coming years.”

Arjun Baljee has studied Hospitality Management from the prestigious Hotel School at Cornell University and has an MBA.