Kamal Munasinghe’s Operational Mastery at work for Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts’ Next Era of Growth

When Kamal Munasinghe stepped into the role of Chief Operating Officer at Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts, the move reflected a clear shift in the brand’s growth narrative. With 17 properties across Sri Lanka and the Maldives, the brand has entered a new chapter, one driven by operational mastery, data-led agility, and experiences that connect deeply with guests.

Munasinghe’s track record speaks for itself. Recently named General Manager of the Year at the South Asian Travel Awards 2025, the former Area Vice President for Cinnamon’s Colombo hotels and General Manager of Cinnamon Grand Colombo has navigated some of the region’s most competitive hospitality landscapes. Now, his role extends across the full portfolio, with a mandate to integrate global best practices while amplifying Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts’ distinctly Sri Lankan DNA. At the heart of Munasinghe’s leadership philosophy is a balance between structure and soul. Operational excellence, in his view, is about orchestrating teams, data, and design thinking to create seamless guest journeys.

Each of Cinnamon’s 17 properties from the surf breaks of Hikka Tranz to the coral reefs of Ellaidhoo Maldives is being guided to align with a central brand vision: bringing the best of Sri Lanka to the world with style and elegance. That clarity now informs how the group refines service standards, curates experiences, and measures success.

Munasinghe’s approach also emphasises the brand’s purpose to create emotional experiences that inspire stories which connect. The result is a shift from operations that simply function efficiently, to those that consistently deliver experiences with emotional resonance and cultural depth.

One of Munasinghe’s early priorities has been to strengthen segmentation across the Cinnamon portfolio. Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts Colombo portfolio continue to anchor the brand’s urban presence, each catering to distinct traveller profiles, from corporate and diplomatic segments to the modern, tech-forward explorer. The resort and Maldives portfolio, meanwhile, focuses on nature led, wellness inspired, and culturally rooted experiences, ensuring that each property offers its own story within a unified brand framework. This approach allows Cinnamon to scale without dilution, maintaining a consistent operational rhythm while giving each property space to express its individuality.

Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts vision aligns with Sri Lanka’s resurgence onto the global travel stage. With renewed confidence in the country’s tourism potential, Munasinghe’s leadership is positioning the brand as a benchmark for operational and experiential excellence in South Asia.

For Munasinghe, the mission is clear, create a hospitality ecosystem that runs with the precision of a global brand while retaining the warmth and authenticity of Sri Lankan hospitality.

“Operational mastery is about clarity. When teams understand purpose, excellence becomes second nature”, said Kamal Munasinghe, COO – Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts.