Muhammad Manan has joined Eco Hotels as group chief executive.
Manan was formerly property director at Olayan Group, responsible for a portfolio of more than 11,500 properties worldwide.
The start-up hotel chain, backed by Red Ribbon Asset Management, will roll out carbon-neutral hotels across the UK and India under its two brands, Eco Premium and EcoLodge. It plans to have at least 5,000 bedrooms in the UK and a further 5,000 in India within the next five years. The hotels will be predominantly new builds, using modular methods.
With more than 21 years in real estate, Manan has also held roles at EasyHotel, Travelodge, Comet Group and IHG.
Manan said: “To build on the existing Eco Hotels UK brand is a really exciting opportunity. We believe that there is a balance to be struck between delivering excellent service to hotel guests and ensuring zero harm to the planet. Green hospitality is the future, and the two separate sub-brands (Eco Premium and Ecolodge) will redefine how other operators run their businesses.”
He added that further expansion was likely. “We will be expanding the brand into the BRIC countries after achieving critical inventory in the UK and India.”
Suchit Punnose, Red Ribbon’s group chief executive, said: “Our vision for Eco Hotels is to create a premium hotel brand with a £1bn-plus valuation that fully supports sustainable hospitality and living without compromising standards.”
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