MUMBAI, India, July 12, 2010 � One of India�s most renowned luxury hotel brands, The Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts has appointed Charles L. Morris as General Manager of the group�s newest property.  The Leela Palace Kempinski New Delhi is set to open at the end of September in time for the Commonwealth Games.
       
A seasoned hotelier with more than three decades of international experience, he has been with the world�s leading luxury hospitality brands including Peninsula, Raffles, Six Senses, One & Only and The Ritz London.  Morris joins The Leela hotel group from The Peninsula Bangkok where he served as General Manager since March 2007 and was responsible for operations and standards, business forecasts, marketing, guest relations, community outreach, staffing and human resources.  Prior to that, he was Resident Manager at the Peninsula Manila, General Manager of the St. Geran Hotel, Mauritius; Area Director of Six Senses Maldives and General Manager for Soneva Fushi Resort & Spa and Soneva Gili Resort & Spa; and Vice President of Raffles International Ltd.
       
Welcoming Morris�s appointment, Rajiv Kaul, President of The Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts, said: ��We are delighted to welcome Charles to The Leela and have someone of his caliber and pedigree as our pre-opening General Manager to lead the team of The Leela Palace New Delhi. Charles brings with him an impeccable reputation for excellence and a remarkable track record in the luxury hotel sector, which I am sure he will put to excellent use in his new role.�
       
Morris will be responsible for overseeing the opening of the new hotel and implementing high operational standards.  Situated in the heart of the city�s diplomatic enclave, The Leela Palace is has 260 rooms and suites, 5 restaurants and a bar, a large ballroom and multiple meeting facilities, a Spa by ESPA, a fitness centre and a roof-top infinity pool.  With the largest rooms in the city measuring 550 square feet, The Leela Palace Kempinski New Delhi is sure to be an exciting new addition to the city.
       
�I am thrilled to be joining The Leela at such an exciting time and look forward to leading the team at The Leela Palace Kempinski New Delhi as we strive for excellence in all areas of hospitality,� said the new general manager.
       
Morris received a degree from École Hôtelière in Lausanne and studied at the Hotel School at Cornell University. 
 
About Hotel Leelaventure Limited:
Hotel Leelaventure Ltd. operates The Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts in Mumbai, Bangalore, Goa, Kovalam (Kerala), Gurgaon and Udaipur. Located in key business and leisure destinations, and planning a pan-India presence, The Leela Palaces, Hotels & Resorts are a blend of aesthetic sensibility, modern amenities and truly reflect the essence of India. New hotels will soon open in New Delhi (2010) and Chennai (2011); with plans to develop hotels in Agra, Hyderabad, Pune and Lake Ashtamudi in Kerala. The group has marketing alliances with Germany-based Kempinski (Hoteliers since 1897); US-based Preferred Hotel Group and are members of Global Hotel Alliance based in Geneva, Switzerland.
 
For further information, please visit For high-resolution images, please visit: www.leonardo.com/theleela.  Login: Leela; password: corpcom.