Cross Hotels & Resorts announces new CEO

• Harry Thaliwal has been elevated to the lead role of Chief Executive Officer of Cross Hotels & Resorts
• Taking over the reins of the company during most challenging time in global travel and hospitality sector is hardly for the faint-hearted
• During the past 12 months, Cross Hotels & Resorts has been a hive of activity as the foundations are put in place for future growth

Cross Hotels & Resorts hospitality management company is pleased to announce that Harry Thaliwal has been elevated to the lead role of Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect. An internal promotion for a highly-regarded industry maestro, Harry is renowned for his disruptive thinking that has continually generated creativity and innovation across business lines. A career built upon visionary concepts, he is best encapsulated by his tenacity to change corporations through purpose and employee empowerment.

Taking over the reins at a fast-growing company during the most challenging time in the global travel and hospitality sector is hardly for the faint-hearted, but Harry has already rallied his enthusiastic executive team and is leading the charge from the front. During the past 12 months, Hotels & Ebe Ahịa has been a hive of activity as the foundations are put in place for future growth once international border controls return to normal. Typified by its different and dynamic approach to socially integrate into the markets where it operates, the customer-focused company has several major announcements in the pipeline.

“In essence, my key focus is on growing the business. I believe we have the right people and strategy to take the business to the next level. We are looking at pushing the boundaries from our traditional base in Southeast Asia and going further abroad. If this crisis has taught us anything it is agility. From that perspective, we are now able to quickly tailor a whole suite of new options and fresh solutions that cater to the specific individual needs of potential owners,” said Harry.

“It is inevitable that international travel will return but it’s a guessing game to pinpoint an exact timeframe. Part of our business is to write new chapters for the hospitality segment and that’s exactly what we’ve done. When international travel reboots, we will be ready. While Cross Hotels & Resorts and our partners enjoy the fruits of success, we never rest on our laurels and we are constantly pushing the envelope on what’s achievable. Working closely with my team, we have fine-tuned our business fundamentals, which I am confident will set us apart from the competition. Quick, calculated decision-making will be vital in the ‘new normal’ business environment and I plan to roll out a raft of strategies that will not only add value for our stakeholders, but will also validate their relationship with Cross Hotels & Resorts.”

With regards to COVID-19 passports and other coronavirus documents that are being touted as the quickest method to breathe life into the moribund global hospitality sector, Harry states that Cross Hotels & Resorts will follow guidelines laid down by the governments of countries in which the company has a presence. A caveat to building traveler confidence is that across company brands Cross, Cross Vibe and Away, hotel managers and their dedicated teams continue to administer stringent health and safety regulations and extensive cleaning protocols to ensure the continued safety of guests.

“Our partners understand the viability and the possibilities available to them with our dynamic approach and recognise we’re not selling them another hotel management agreement or white label franchise. They are really excited about the wealth of options, benefits and value proposition we bring to the table and recognize our speed and agility to address their multi-faceted business requirements. We are constantly adding value for our partners and to the industry, while on the flipside we are not diluting our potential. Speed to market will be a crucial component once airline arrivals start to pick up.”

“Future growth is at the forefront and is my immediate priority but it is also equally important to inform our partners there is still a balanced approach to our business model. Everyone has experienced hardships over the past 12 months and we’ve had to make sacrifices. We continue to work with our partners and support our people with learning and development for staff to take them to the next stage of their careers as well as creating a more sustainable corporate social responsibility (CSR) program. Our aim is to be guardians of the environment and communities where our hotels and resorts are located. By building a network of sustainable eco-systems within our properties we can lessen our social impact while reaping the benefits of an enhanced bond with nature and people,” he said.