Brand Experience
IHG, Accor and Hyatt: at corporate, regional and property level.
HomeThe Founder
Founder & CEO - Fortitude Hospitality
Venkatesh Gomatam.
The rarest credential in this business: the entire hotel lifecycle, lived - boardroom, development, launch and operations, across thirty years and three of the world's great hotel companies.
The Senior Oversight
Judgment built from every chair in the business.
Owner, operator, financier, board member: Venki has sat in each. It is why a deliverable from Fortitude reads as senior counsel, not analyst output.
Boardroom & Governance
18 years as an executive board member across JVs, SPVs and subsidiary entities.
Development & Finance
A US$1.6Bn revenue portfolio and a ~US$250Mn investment portfolio; 40+ openings.
Launch & Operations
Pre-opening through performance management across 120+ hotels and 20+ countries.
Complex Situations
Rebrands, stalled assets and distressed turns: problems treated as opportunities.
The Career
Three decades. Three of the world's great hotel companies.
Thirty years with IHG, Accor and Hyatt across South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Nepal: in finance and operations leadership, on executive boards, and at the centre of more than forty hotel openings.
US$1.6Bn revenue portfolio
Oversight at IHG IMEA.
~US$250Mn investment portfolio
Stewardship at Accor.
40+ hotel openings
From development through to performance.
IIM Calcutta - CFO Programme
Finance leadership, formally credentialed.
The Record
Breadth that cannot be hired in.
Markets
South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Nepal.
Governance
Eighteen years on executive boards of JVs, SPVs and subsidiaries.
Disciplines
Hotel finance and operations, development and asset management.
Recognition
In print.
Forbes India
On leadership and the discipline of hospitality finance.
Outlook India
On the changing shape of the industry.
CXO Lanes
On building owner relationships that last.
Speaking
On asset management, operator relations and value creation.
In Their Words
The judgment, as others describe it.
Post-COVID, he guided us through renovation phases with speed and clarity; a gem at heart and a remarkable leader, I would gladly work with him again.
On the IHG rebranding in Dhaka
Firoze AsadSenior Group Advisor & Board Member - Doreen Group
His friendly nature fostered strong relationships with owners, while his exceptional problem-solving skills helped our company navigate difficult situations effectively.
On working together across India & South Asia
Jean-Michel CasseEx-COO, Accor Hotels India & South Asia
An excellent listener who genuinely seeks to understand. His analytical skills and deep understanding of hotel operations let him address issues swiftly and efficiently.
On operational & financial matters
Deepak TalwarCEO, Wave Hospitality
His innovative thinking, resilience and ability to view problems as opportunities stood out. He consistently found creative solutions without giving up.
On the stalled InterContinental Colombo project
Mohamed FarisChairman, Pearl Group of Hotels
The Practices
Two ways to put that judgment to work.
Capability Centre
Senior-grade execution carried behind your firm: at pace, at standard, without adding to your headcount.
Enter the Capability Centre →Owner Advisory
Full oversight on the owner's side of the table: represented and protected across the life of your asset.
Enter Owner Advisory →
The Invitation
Begin with a conversation.
Tell us where your firm or your asset needs senior support. The reply will come from Venki, personally.
venkatesh@fortitudehospitality.com - fortitudehospitality.com
On your side of the table.