Rohan Thakkar '08

Rohan Thakkar is the Chief Development & Strategy Officer at YOTEL, based at the company’s London headquarters. He leads YOTEL’s global growth strategy and oversees the full development lifecycle across all brand platforms, including business development, corporate strategy, and design & construction. In this capacity, Rohan is responsible for accelerating YOTEL’s expansion through management, franchise and strategic partnership frameworks, while building a scalable, brand-led growth platform for the future.

Rohan joined YOTEL in 2014 and has been instrumental in transforming the company from a niche emerging brand into a global portfolio with more than 35 hotels open and signed, representing over 7,000 keys worldwide. During this period, he has played a central role in driving the company’s international expansion and development pipeline.

He works closely with the CEO and executive leadership team to define long-term strategic direction, oversee enterprise-wide priorities, and establish the commercial, financial, and governance frameworks required to scale a global hospitality brand. His remit includes market prioritisation, capital planning, corporate strategy, and deal underwriting, while ensuring consistent execution and delivery standards across all projects globally.

Prior to YOTEL, he spent four years at Starwood Hotels & Resorts on the Real Estate Investments team, where he supported over USD $700M in asset sale transactions and contributed to Starwood’s shift to an asset-light strategy. He began his career with EY in the Transaction & Hospitality Advisory practice.

Rohan graduated from Cornell University’s Hotel School in 2008 and currently serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board.