Kuoni India Chief Made Asian Head

Yet another Indian chief executive officer (CEO) is making it big in the international circuit. Ranjit Malkani, chairman and CEO of Kuoni India, has been appointed as the new CEO of Kuoni Asia and as also a member of the management board of the Zurich-based Kuoni Group.

He becomes the first Indian as well as the first non-European member of the group management board.

Malkani's appointment will be effective from January 1, 2001. He will continue to manage the Rs 475 crore Kuoni India in his earlier position, and will also be responsible for the management of P&O Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok.

"This nomination is an endorsement of the Kuoni Group's recognition of the immense potential that the Indian travel and tourism industry possesses. I hope to be able to lead Kuoni in developing Sino-Indian tourism ties and trade within the tourism policies of both countries," said Malkani on his appointment.

"We see a lot of potential here in bringing Chinese tourists to India and vice-versa. Kuoni India hopes to play a bigger role in the future of the Kuoni group and is already a significant contributor to the Group's turnover and profit," Malkani added.

Malkani assumed charge of Kuoni India as its chairman and CEO in 1997 when the Kuoni group acquired SOTC. He was responsible for the successful take over of Sita World Travel in 2000 which made Kuoni India's largest travel company within a short span of 4 years.

The company has embarked on plans to tap fresh opportunities in the travel and tourism industry across Asia with a focus on China, Malaysia and Indonesia.

The 4.1 billion Swiss Franc Kuoni Travel Holding headquartered in Zurich is almost a century old group having been established in 1906. The group has a presence in 22 countries through subsidiaries and joint ventures.

Kuoni Travel (India) is a 100 per cent subsidiary of Kuoni Travel Holding and is the number one in India in outbound leisure travel, inbound travel and incentive travel.