Key leadership transitions Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts

By Sanath Weerasuriya

Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts has announced a series of senior leadership appointments, marking a new chapter in its journey to redefine hospitality standards in Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Effective 1 September 2025, the group has appointed two prominent hoteliers to lead its Colombo city sector. Nazoomi Azhar takes over as the new General Manager of Cinnamon Grand Colombo, bringing with him extensive experience from his previous role as General Manager of Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo. Stepping into Azhar’s former position, Dushyantha Tittawella has been appointed as the General Manager of Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo, following a successful tenure as Hotel Manager of Cinnamon Grand Colombo.

Nazoomi Azhar

These leadership changes come alongside the recent appointment of Kamal Munasinghe as the group’s Chief Operating Officer (COO). Munasinghe, who has nearly three decades of hospitality experience across Asia and Europe, will oversee operations across Cinnamon’s 17 hotels and resorts in Sri Lanka and the Maldives. Having previously led Cinnamon Grand Colombo and the wider Colombo portfolio, he is known for combining operational efficiency with service excellence, while keeping guest experience at the core.

In his new role, Munasinghe envisions operational excellence as the ‘invisible engine’ that drives memorable stays. His strategy centres on streamlined processes, agile teams, and data-driven insights, alongside positioning Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts as a brand that offers experiences capturing the spirit of Sri Lanka and the Maldives, while catering to the expectations of discerning global travellers.

Dushyantha Tittawella

Together, these appointments signal Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts’ commitment to strengthening its leadership bench, enhancing guest journeys, and setting new benchmarks in regional hospitality.

As Hotel Manager of Cinnamon Grand Colombo, Dushyantha Tittawella has been a steadfast pillar of support to former General Manager Kamal Munasinghe, helping translate strategic vision into operational excellence. Leading multi-disciplinary teams across Rooms, Food & Beverage, Culinary, Front Office, and Events, he has instilled precision planning, exacting standards, and a guest-centric culture that underpinned the hotel’s recent accolades.

Under his stewardship, Cinnamon Grand Colombo was named Colombo’s Best 5-Star City Hotel, while its celebrated village-style dining venue, ‘Nuga Gama’, retained its title as the city’s Best Authentic Sri Lankan Cuisine Restaurant. The hotel also seamlessly hosted prestigious international events and high-profile celebrity partnerships, further strengthening Sri Lanka’s standing as a global tourism destination.

Tittawella’s meticulous preparation was equally evident at CAFE 2023 (Culinary Art & Food Expo), organised by the Chef’s Guild of Sri Lanka (CGL) together with WACS. Cinnamon Grand Colombo emerged as Most Outstanding Overall Champions, Most Outstanding Colombo City Hotel Culinary Team, and Most Outstanding Culinary Overall Hotel Champions. Through disciplined execution, people leadership, and unwavering focus on guest satisfaction, he played a decisive role in elevating the Cinnamon Grand brand.

Kamal Munasinghe

Meanwhile, during. Nazoomi Azhar’s tenure at Cinnamon Lakeside Colombo, the property flourished as Colombo’s leading ‘resort in the city’, balancing tranquil lakefront experiences with award-winning performance. The hotel captured the ‘Most Outstanding Overall Hotel Championship Trophy’ at CAFE 2025, triumphed in the BarChamps Competition 2025 for its beverage innovation, and was recognised within Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts for both Best Annual Plan Achievement (2024/2025) and Best Commercial Team (2024/2025).

The appointments of Azhar and Tittawella, alongside Munasinghe’s new role as COO, reflect Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts’ unwavering commitment to leadership excellence, innovation, and growth. Together, the three leaders are set to guide the brand into a new era of hospitality, reinforcing its mission to deliver world-class experiences across Sri Lanka and the Maldives.