JLL India Appoints Gaurav Sharma to Lead Hotels & Hospitality Business
JLL, India’s leading real estate professional services firm, announces the appointment of Gaurav Sharma as Head of Hotels & Hospitality Group for India and Senior Director Hotel Capital Markets, Asia. With two decades of experience, Sharma is poised to drive growth in India’s dynamic hospitality sector.
Real EstateHospitalityJll IndiaGaurav SharmaHotel InvestmentReal Estate MaharashtraNov 04, 2025
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India – Business Wire India
JLL, India’s leading real estate professional services firm, today announced the appointment of Gaurav Sharma as Head of Hotels & Hospitality Group for India and Senior Director Hotel Capital Markets, Asia. In this strategic role, Gaurav will lead the company’s hospitality practice across the Indian market, leveraging his extensive experience to capitalize on emerging opportunities in India’s rapidly evolving hotel and hospitality sector.
Gaurav will be based out of Delhi and will report to Nihat Ercan, CEO, JLL’s Hotel & Hospitality Group, Asia Pacific. Gaurav’s appointment marks his return to JLL India, where he previously led capital markets for North India from 2006 to 2012, and comes at a pivotal time as India’s hospitality sector demonstrates exceptional growth momentum. In his wider Hotel Capital Markets role, Gaurav will lean into strategic transactions in Asia, leveraging his considerable M&A and platform experience.
According to JLL analysis, the hotel sector in India has delivered outstanding performance with Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR) surging 10.5% year-over-year as of YTD September 2025, building on 2024’s record-breaking achievements that included over 42,071 new keys and approximately 25 significant investment transactions. This robust trajectory is evidenced by unprecedented development activity, with 182 hotel signings totaling 22,469 keys in the first half of 2025, a jump of 16% from the same time last year, reinforcing the sector's strategic expansion beyond traditional urban centers as more than 70% of new signings concentrate in Tier 2 and 3 cities.
The diverse investor ecosystem that emerged in 2024—led by high-net-worth individuals, family offices, and private hotel owners contributing 51% of transaction volume, followed by listed hotel companies at 34%—continues to drive sustained confidence across the market. Given the positive momentum in investment activity, total transaction volume in 2025 is forecast at USD 450 million, and JLL is projecting hotel transactions activity to reach USD 1 billion by 2028.
“Gaurav’s appointment reinforces JLL’s commitment to strengthening our hospitality expertise in India, and it’s particularly meaningful to have him return to the JLL family,” said Ercan. “His deep understanding of both domestic and international hospitality markets, coupled with his exceptional transaction experience, positions him perfectly to guide our clients through India’s hospitality sector. His return also signifies JLL’s continued investment in India’s booming hotel industry, as we build on our presence with dedicated hospitality expertise across our three key offices in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore.”
Gaurav brings with him nearly 20 years of distinguished experience in real estate and hospitality investment, having spearheaded high-value transactions, asset acquisitions, and portfolio turnarounds that consistently drive sustainable growth. His proven track record spans fundraising, asset management, project execution, and organizational leadership, combining financial precision with visionary strategic execution.
Most recently, he served as Vice President - Real Estate, Head Asset Management and M&A at The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), where he led strategic initiatives across the company's real estate portfolio. Prior to this, he spent over a decade as Vice President - Head of Investments at SAMHI Hotels Ltd, where he was instrumental in building SAMHI’s hotel portfolio from 2012-2022.
“I am excited to return to JLL and contribute to the continued expansion of our hospitality practice in India,” said Sharma. “The Indian hospitality sector presents tremendous opportunities for growth, and I look forward to working with our clients to unlock value and navigate the evolving market dynamics with strategic precision.”
For more details, visit the link: https://www.jll.com/en-in/property-types/hotels-hospitality/
About JLL
For over 200 years, JLL (NYSE: JLL), a leading global commercial real estate and investment management company, has helped clients buy, build, occupy, manage and invest in a variety of commercial, industrial, hotel, residential and retail properties. A Fortune 500® company with annual revenue of $23.4 billion and operations in over 80 countries around the world, our more than 112,000 employees bring the power of a global platform combined with local expertise. Driven by our purpose to shape the future of real estate for a better world, we help our clients, people, and communities SEE A BRIGHTER WAYSM. JLL is the brand name, and a registered trademark, of Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated. For further information, visit jll.com.
About JLL India
JLL is India’s premier and largest professional services firm specializing in real estate. The Firm has grown from strength to strength in India for the past two decades. JLL India has an extensive presence across ten major cities (Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Pune, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Kochi, and Coimbatore) and over 130 tier-II and III markets with a cumulative strength of over 16,900 employees. The Firm provides investors, developers, local corporates, and multinational companies with a comprehensive range of services. These include leasing, capital markets, project development, facility management, property management, transaction management, and research advisory. These services cover various asset classes such as commercial, industrial, warehouse and logistics, data centers, residential, retail, hospitality, healthcare, senior living, and education. For further information, please visit https://www.jll.com/en-in/
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Gaurav Sharma's new role at JLL India?
Gaurav Sharma has been appointed as Head of Hotels & Hospitality Group for India and Senior Director Hotel Capital Markets, Asia. He will lead the company’s hospitality practice across the Indian market.
What is the current performance of the Indian hotel sector?
The Indian hotel sector has seen outstanding performance with Revenue per Available Room (RevPAR) surging 10.5% year-over-year as of YTD September 2025. Development activity has also increased, with 182 hotel signings totaling 22,469 keys in the first half of 2025.
Who will Gaurav Sharma report to in his new role?
Gaurav Sharma will report to Nihat Ercan, CEO, JLL’s Hotel & Hospitality Group, Asia Pacific.
What are the key markets for JLL India's hospitality practice?
JLL India has a strong presence in major cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore, and is expanding its hospitality practice in Tier 2 and 3 cities.
What is JLL's forecast for hotel transactions in India by 2028?
JLL is projecting hotel transactions activity to reach USD 1 billion by 2028.
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