Articles tagged “ritesh agarwal”

Oyo and its founder have long been accused of being heavy on spin even though all acknowledge that the hotel chain has been a category creator. This interview is excellent because Agarwal faced tough questioning. We know a politician who would have walked out.

Acknowledging a company's shortcomings is a first step toward fixing them. But Oyo will really have to transform its practices if it has any hope of mending relations with hotel owners, some of whom feel burned.

A deeper engagement with owners is definitely one of the key things Oyo needs to achieve to address some of its problems. CEO Ritesh Agarwal, who recently took a larger stake in the company, seems to be on the case.

Oyo has more rooms in China than in India, but India is still its biggest revenue generator. A deal with Ctrip may help correct that imbalance.

The business of budget hotels is obviously hard when you consider Oyo’s latest financial report. But the startup, now five years in operation and bankrolled by SoftBank, appears to have the stamina to reach the breakeven point in the next few years.