United Hospitality Management Appoints Ricardo Leal as Vice President Operations, India & Southeast Asia
United Hospitality Management India has announced the appointment of Ricardo Leal as Vice President Operations, India & Southeast Asia, strengthening its regional leadership team as the company accelerates growth across high-potential hospitality markets.
In his new role, Ricardo will oversee operational performance across UHM-managed properties in India and Southeast Asia. His mandate will include driving operational excellence, improving property performance, enhancing guest experiences, and supporting the company’s long-term growth strategy across the region.
The appointment comes at an important stage for UHM India as the company expands its presence and builds a stronger regional leadership platform. With India emerging as one of the world’s most dynamic hospitality markets, UHM continues to focus on scale, performance, owner value and consistent service delivery.
Ricardo brings more than two decades of international leadership experience in luxury and ultra-luxury hospitality operations across global markets. His expertise spans the full hospitality asset lifecycle, including feasibility, design planning, pre-opening strategy, repositioning and full-scale operational management.
At UHM, he will play a key role in aligning operational execution with the company’s broader growth ambitions in India and Southeast Asia. He will report to Deepika Arora, Managing Director, UHM- India, and for Southeast Asia operations, to Klaus Assmann, Chief Executive Officer, UHM Middle East, India & Southeast Asia.
Welcoming Ricardo to the leadership team, Deepika Arora, Managing Director, UHM-India, said, “Ricardo’s appointment is a strategic milestone for us as we enter our next phase of growth in India and Southeast Asia. As we expand our portfolio, Ricardo brings a strong balance of global perspective and on-ground leadership that will strengthen our performance culture, deepen owner confidence, and ensure we scale with discipline and quality. India remains a core growth engine for UHM, and building a future-ready operational framework is central to our long-term vision.”
Commenting on his appointment, Ricardo Leal said, “I am delighted to join UHM at such an exciting moment in its regional growth journey. India and Southeast Asia present tremendous opportunities, and I look forward to working closely with our teams to drive operational consistency, strengthen guest satisfaction, and support sustainable expansion across the portfolio.”
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