OYO Hotels & Homes has appointed Raj Kamal as COO of OYO’s Vacation Homes business in the UK and Europe.
Kamal joins the group from PayU, the payments & fintech arm of Nasper, having also worked at McKinsey & Company. The appointment came as OYO was rumoured to be preparing for an IPO.
OYO Vacation Homes comprises multiple brands, including OYO Homes, Belvilla, Dancenter, Danland, and the Germany-based Traum-Ferienwohnungen. The group has access to over 125,000 homes around the world and manages over 35,000 homes and services 90,000 homes through its digital services business.
Maninder Gulati, chief strategy officer, OYO Hotels & Homes, said: “In 2019, OYO Vacation Homes opened its doors in Europe with the promise of delivering great choice and the quintessential OYO experience to guests from across the world travelling to Europe.
“In the last three months, we have onboarded 400 exceptional professionals to our team and widened our customer reach by working closely with 50 of the top distribution partners, including all major global OTAs. We have also added over 1,500 new homes across popular holiday destinations such as Italy, Spain, Croatia, France, and Denmark.”
Tobias Wann, CEO, OYO Vacation Homes, said: “I am excited about working alongside someone with the pedigree and gravitas of Raj. His deep industry knowledge, financial expertise, and business acumen will help us build a mission-driven organisation with razor sharp-focus on quality, service excellence and delivering a value-driven experience for our homeowners. Raj’s appointment marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in OYO’s journey.
Kamal added: “I look forward to the opportunity that lies ahead for the OYO Vacation Homes business in the UK and Europe, which are critical growth markets for the company. I am deeply energised by the dedication of thousands of OYOpreneurs who are driving guest and homeowner delight every day, and I hope to make a meaningful contribution to the business’ growth.”