MAM
OYO elevates Aditya Ghosh to the board; signals strong commitment to sustainable global growth
New Delhi: OYO Hotels & Homes, the leading global chain of hotels and vacation homes today announced the elevation and addition of Aditya Ghosh, presently CEO, India & South Asia for the hotels and homes business to the company’s board of directors. Aditya is joining Ritesh Agarwal, Founder & Group CEO, OYO Hotels & Homes, Betsy Atkins, Founder & CEO, Baja Corporation and other industry experts like Munish Varma, Managing Partner, SoftBank Vision Fund, Bejul Somaia, Partner, Lightspeed India Partners Advisors, Mohit Bhatnagar, Managing Director, Sequoia Capital India Advisor among others, making it a powerful, diverse, and truly global combination.
OYO has continuously been investing in further strengthening its corporate governance. The recent appointment of independent director, Betsy Atkins on the Board, who earlier invested in Yahoo and eBay and now Aditya, who hails with a depth of experience in running successful public companies, will both tremendously benefit the company. Aditya’s elevation and addition to a strong group of Board members comes after his successful completion of one year in the company. During this time, he took the hotels and homes business in India & South Asia to greater heights and implemented several programs to strengthen operating metrics and customer experience thereby more than doubling the asset owner community from 5500+ to 18000+ hotels in a short span of time. In his new role at the board, Aditya will provide strength of governance and leadership as OYO evolves into a truly global high performing company that scales sustainably on the path to profitability with higher expectations from consumers, asset owners, investors and employees. Aditya will focus on five key areas namely, Safety and security, Customer experience, Corporate Governance, Revenue Management and Stakeholder communications.
Reflecting on the development, Ritesh Agarwal, Founder & Group CEO, OYO Hotels & Homes said, “Aditya’s strong business acumen, problem solving capabilities, passion for building an organization with strong corporate governance and a high performing work culture that thrives on principles of diversity and inclusion, makes him the perfect choice for this larger and more strategic role, at a global level. I am certain that this decision will greatly help OYO achieve its goals, globally. Like always, we are blessed to have leaders like Aditya who continuously step-up to bigger roles to ensure the company derives benefits from their wealth of experience in such a critical juncture of not just growth, but principled growth for the company. His learnings will be invaluable for all of us.”
Aditya Ghosh, newly appointed board member, further stated, “I am thankful to the Board for inviting me into the august group to further build OYO as a global brand to reckon with, by not just growing fast, but growing right. You may have heard me repeat this past year, that one of the biggest characteristics about OYO is the opportunity that we have to create a truly global brand out of India – one that is recognised and respected the world over for positively impacting the lives of thousands of employees, creating millions of economic opportunities as well as delighting millions of guests with hospitality experiences across multiple price-points. The opportunity is all this and more, as we aim to set new standards of corporate governance and build a sustainable business at scale, with a clear path to profitability. I am, therefore, excited and keen to play a larger role and harness my experience in helping a public company operate well and ascribe to high standards of sustainable growth. I hope to actively impact the ability of this 20,000+ OYOpreneurs strong organisation, around the world, to achieve its mission and work with some of the sharpest minds across various industries who are part of OYO’s venerable board, to guide the company, as it delivers against its values and promises to all stakeholders.”
OYO has also announced the appointment of Rohit Kapoor, the current CEO, New Real Estate Businesses as the CEO for the entire India and South Asia business. Over the last year, Rohit has been overseeing the growth of OYO LIFE – the brand’s long-term rental housing portfolio as well as other new real estate businesses in India. Rohit’s remit will now also span the operations of over 18000+ hotels across 500+ cities in India SA.
Rohit Kapoor, newly appointed CEO of OYO Hotels & Homes, added, “This is a great opportunity as well as a humbling responsibility and I thank Ritesh and Aditya for the trust and confidence placed in me. Given the impressive performance of the hotels’ business in India and South Asia, I do have some big shoes to fill. I will do my best and Aditya has promised to be my guiding light in the process. In the last one year, the performance delivered, has been tremendous in not just scaling operations across 500 cities and 18000+ hotels but also delivering on sustainable growth with financial prudence. I look forward to working with Aditya & Ritesh during the transition period and also working with each one of the 10,000+ strong OYOpreneur community in India & South Asia as we lead by example and set new standards of excellence for OYO and the hospitality industry at large.”
In the last six+ plus years, OYO has consistently built a culture of innovation and meritocracy supported by the organisational tenet of distributed leadership that empowers and expedites independent decision-making. OYO has not lost a single leader while continuing to attract top talent from the world over. Aditya and Rohit will be working closely through the coming month to enable a smooth and seamless transition. As part of his new role, Aditya will continue to remain accessible whenever needed.
Ritesh, further added,“I congratulate Aditya for being a great thought partner and look forward to his continued support and guidance to OYO and its leadership team. I am also excited to announce the appointment of Rohit Kapoor as the CEO of the entire India & SA business. Rohit has been with OYO now for over a year now, and in the last 12+ months, he has worked closely with me on various strategic initiatives across businesses. I am certain that OYO India & South Asia will continue to grow from strength to strength under his able leadership.”
MAM
India’s experience economy grows as live events market hits Rs 17,000 crore
EY-Parthenon and BookMyShow report finds 78 per cent Indians prefer experiences over products
MUMBAI: India’s live entertainment scene is no longer just about music, comedy or festivals. It is increasingly becoming a powerful stage for brands seeking deeper connections with consumers.
A new report titled Beyond Attention, Into Immersion by EY-Parthenon and BookMyShow suggests that India’s experience economy is entering a strong growth phase, driven by consumers who are choosing memorable moments over material purchases.
According to the study, the country’s live events ecosystem, which includes concerts, comedy tours, festivals and immersive exhibitions, is estimated to reach around Rs 17,000 crore in 2025. The growth reflects a broader cultural shift in how Indians spend their time and money.
The report finds that 78 per cent of Indian consumers now prefer spending on experiences rather than physical products. From attending concerts and festivals to participating in interactive brand installations, audiences are increasingly seeking engagement, community and shareable moments.
This change in consumer behaviour is particularly evident among younger audiences who want to participate rather than simply watch. Instead of passively consuming entertainment, many now look for experiences that allow them to interact, express themselves and connect with like minded communities.
For marketers, this shift has turned experiential marketing into a strategic priority rather than a promotional add on. Brands are moving away from interruption driven advertising and towards immersive formats that allow consumers to discover, test and emotionally connect with products.
The report suggests that experiential marketing now plays a role across the entire consumer journey. It can spark brand discovery, strengthen storytelling, encourage product trials and ultimately influence purchase decisions and loyalty.
The impact is already visible. Post event surveys conducted among 7,450 attendees at major events including Lollapalooza India and concerts by Ed Sheeran and Guns N’ Roses highlight the effectiveness of these experiences.
Around 59 per cent of attendees recalled brands they interacted with during the events, while 55 per cent said those interactions increased their likelihood of purchasing from the brand. A further 63 per cent reported that brand activations actually enhanced their event experience rather than distracting from it. Nearly 29 per cent also said the interaction improved their perception of the brand.
Brands are also changing the way they approach events. Instead of simply putting logos on stages or banners, companies are building experiences into the fabric of the event itself.
Financial services brands, for example, are offering early ticket access, exclusive lounges and curated event experiences for cardholders. Fashion and beauty companies are using festivals to showcase products through pop ups, interactive installations and social media friendly spaces that encourage visitors to share their experiences online.
The scope of experiential marketing now stretches far beyond live entertainment. Retailers are designing experiential stores where customers can explore products in lifelike environments. Entertainment platforms are extending popular intellectual properties into immersive exhibitions and fan events. Technology is also playing a growing role through augmented reality and virtual try on tools that blend digital discovery with physical interaction.
Cultural festivals remain one of the most powerful platforms for such engagement in India. Celebrations such as Navratri and Holi bring together large communities, emotional participation and heightened consumer spending. For brands, these moments offer an opportunity to become part of the celebration rather than simply advertise around it.
Despite the momentum, the report notes that some companies still hesitate to adopt experiential marketing at scale. Budget constraints, limited expertise and uncertainty around measuring return on investment remain common concerns.
However, the growing body of data around consumer engagement and brand impact is gradually addressing these challenges. More marketers are expected to allocate a larger share of their budgets to experiential formats over the coming years.
Taken together, the findings point to a clear trend. As consumers seek meaning, memories and moments worth sharing, live experiences are emerging as one of the most powerful ways for brands to stay relevant in a crowded media landscape.
