Arpita Roy joins Holiday Inn Express SAMHI India as New HR Director

Holiday Inn Express India has appointed Arpita Roy as Portfolio Director Human Resources, where she will oversee HR operations across 12 hotels in India owned by SAMHI. The appointment marks a strategic move to strengthen people practices and organisational capability across the growing portfolio.

Arpita Roy to Lead HR Across SAMHI-Owned Portfolio

In her new role, Arpita Roy will be responsible for managing human resources functions across all Holiday Inn Express properties under SAMHI in India. Her mandate includes overseeing workforce planning, employee engagement, organisational development, and implementation of HR strategies aligned with business objectives.

Arpita Roy will also focus on building consistent HR frameworks across the portfolio, ensuring alignment in policies, systems, and employee experience initiatives. The role is designed to support operational efficiency while maintaining a structured and people-centric work environment across multiple locations.

Focus on Employee Engagement and Culture

A key priority for Roy will be strengthening workplace culture and enhancing employee experience. Her responsibilities include driving engagement initiatives, improving internal communication, and fostering a high-performance environment across all properties.

The role also involves developing HR systems and practices that support talent retention and long-term organisational growth. By focusing on structured HR processes, the portfolio aims to ensure consistency in service delivery through a motivated and aligned workforce.

Extensive Experience in Hospitality and Entertainment

Arpita Roy brings more than 18 years of experience spanning hospitality and entertainment sectors. Her expertise covers employee engagement, HR strategy, organisational development, and people practices across multi-location operations.

Prior to joining Holiday Inn Express, she served as Human Resources Manager – PAN India at Encalm Hospitality. In this capacity, she was responsible for implementing HR policies, managing employee engagement programs, and strengthening HR processes across multiple sites.

Arpita Roy's earlier career includes roles with leading organisations such as Hyatt, Carlson Rezidor, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, and Merlin Entertainments. These roles provided her with exposure to diverse operational environments and large-scale HR management.

Leadership Perspective on Appointment

Commenting on this hr leadership appointment, Priyanka Ahluwalia, Cluster General Manager, stated "that Roy’s experience and people-focused approach will play a key role in strengthening HR frameworks across the portfolio, particularly as the brand continues to expand and prioritise an inclusive and high-performance culture."

Arpita Roy said she looks forward to working closely with teams across the portfolio to enhance collaboration, improve employee engagement, and implement effective HR strategies that contribute to organisational growth.

Supports Growth and Operational Consistency

The appointment comes as Holiday Inn Express continues to expand its presence in India under the SAMHI portfolio. Managing human resources across multiple properties requires a structured approach to ensure consistency in operations and service standards.

Strengthening HR leadership is increasingly seen as critical in hospitality, where employee experience directly influences guest satisfaction. By appointing a dedicated portfolio-level HR leader, the company aims to align workforce strategies with its broader growth objectives while maintaining operational discipline.

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