A Grand farewell to Cinnamon Grand General Manager Rohan Karr

The management and staff of Cinnamon Grand said farewell to the first and longstanding General Manager and the first CEO of Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, hotelier Rohan Karr, in an emotional ceremony attended by over 750 Associates. 

The ceremony paid tribute and appreciated the immense contribution he made in taking Cinnamon Grand Colombo, the flagship hotel of the chain, to world-class hospitality status. 

Karr was escorted with a traditional welcome to the Atrium, where milestones of the Grand journey formed a walk of fame, after which the ‘Cinnamon Fire’ song was performed by Associates. The song was conceptualised to inspire staff when the hotel was launched in 2005 under the leadership of Karr, who is also known as “Mr. Cinnamon”.

Members of the management spoke of Karr’s exemplary leadership, guidance and business acumen, which transformed Cinnamon Grand into a multi-million-dollar profit making business, and one of the most reputed hospitality brands in Sri Lanka. His knack for number crunching, heartfelt initiatives aimed to uplift the lives of Associates and the less privileged in the community, inspiring work ethic, can-do attitude and pioneering F&B outlets that put Cinnamon Grand on both the local and international culinary map, were among the accomplishments that were highlighted.

His caring nature and insightful demeanor were other attributes that were praised by the Head of HR Major Kapila De Silva, Sector Head – Finance Shanaka Silva and Director Rooms Division Asanka Fernando, as well as representatives from different departments of the hotel. The team also expressed their gratitude to his dynamic leadership during the Easter Sunday incident and the days that followed. 

The emotional tributes that were made by Associates brought the audience to tears, as they reminisced about the Grand journey since his appointment as General Manager of Colombo Plaza in November 2003. 

As a gesture of appreciation, an awards plaque with the numerous national and international awards that were won during Karr’s tenure were framed as a miniature version and handed over by the Heads of Department.

A Cinnamon Grand flag with over 750 hand-written messages from Associates was also ceremoniously presented to Karr as a token of their appreciation and gratitude. 

Karr thanked the Associates for the support given, and reiterated that without their love and commitment, Cinnamon Grand would not be able to enjoy its standing as a trendsetter in the hospitality sphere. He urged them to keep up the good work, despite the recent incidents and rise up to challenges in the true Grand spirit.

At the conclusion of the event, Karr was escorted to his car along the red carpet, as Associates lined up to wish him well while waving Cinnamon Grand flags. 

Karr counts over 35 years of experience in the hospitality industry. He was the Executive Vice President of the John Keells Group and Sector Head for Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts – City Hotels, managing Cinnamon Grand, Cinnamon Lakeside and Cinnamon Red.

During his tenure, over 15 national and international awards were won for the introduction of pioneering products and services. Karr was the inspiration behind Cinnamon Grand’s Lagoon, Noodles, Nuga Gama, Chutneys, Cheers Pub, Coffee Stop, Breeze Bar, and Tao restaurants, and was also the creative mind behind the stunning Christmas decorations that graced the property during the season. 

His led the team to win two Sri Lanka Travel and Tourism Awards and ultimately the coveted Hall of Fame award – an achievement that has not been matched by any other hotel in Sri Lanka. As Sector Head for the three Cinnamon city properties, too, he showed his capabilities to lead and inspire – given the success the three city properties enjoyed at the recently concluded Travel and Tourism Awards 2018, winning the top three awards – Best Five Star City Hotel, Best Three Star City Hotel and Best Theme Cuisine Restaurant. 

After 15 years of inspirational leadership, Karr moves on to take up a new role and journey. He is succeeded by friend, colleague and fellow international hotelier, Dermot Gale, who was also part of the Cinnamon Grand team 14 years ago, and served as the General Manager of Cinnamon Lakeside for nearly five years.