Veteran Hotelier Karr Joins Billionaire Dhammika Perera’s Leisure Business

Leisure Industry Veteran and successful hotelier Rohan Karr has assumed duties as the Executive Director/Managing Director of the Hayleys Leisure sector effective from 1 June 2019.

In a disclosure statement issued to the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE), the company confirmed Karr’s appointment.

Accordingly, Karr will be managing the Hayleys hotels as the Managing Director of the Hayleys Leisure arm, which includes the Kingsbury Hotel Colombo, Amaya Resorts and Hayleys Tours.

Karr joined Sri Lanka’s John Keells group 15 years ago and was the first General Manager of the first Cinnamon Grand property and was the first CEO of the Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts chain.

Later, he resigned from his post as the Executive Director from both companies as of 24 May 2019 in order to join business mogul and billionaire Dhammika Perera to lead the leisure sector, several media reports outlined.

Karr holds a Masters in Hospitality and Business Studies from the UK. Prior to his return to Sri Lanka, he served as the Regional Director of Revenue Management of Marriott Hotels for Whitbread Hotel Company in England and as the General Manager of Bristol Marriott Hotel, England and Marriott Marble Arch.

Meanwhile the previous Executive Director/ Managing Director from The Kingsbury and Managing Director of Amaya Leisure, Lalin T Samarawickrama, currently serve as a Non-executive Director for Amaya Leisure PLC.