Kumar Muthalagappan
Kumar Muthalagappan OBE is the Managing Director of the Pearl Hotels and Restaurant Group – a medium sized hotel and restaurant chain run in partnership with his father Muthu and brother Selva.
The company opened its first restaurant Raffles in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, in 1994. Since then the business has grown and now owns Georgetown restaurants in Kenilworth, Stratford-upon Avon, Leeds, Nottingham and London, and Coconut Lagoon in Kenilworth, Stratford-upon-Avon and London.
The group also owns a number of hotels including Colwick Hall Hotel in Nottingham, and Peacock Hotel and Grand Hotel in Kenilworth.
Over the past 15 years Kumar has played a prominent role in Britain’s hospitality industry having served on the boards of Visit Heart of England, Visit Britain and has more recently been appointed to the Board of the Olympic Delivery Authority. It was for this work that he was awarded the OBE in the 2009 New Year’s Honours list.
Early life
Kumar first came to Britain from Malaysia at the end of the 1970s and studied accounting and financial analysis at the University of Warwick. A chartered accountant by profession Kumar worked at KPMG for 17 years. It was at this point his father raised the idea of starting family restaurant and hotel chain so Kumar left KPMG.
Hospitality career
Since the launch of Raffles, Kumar and his family have created a chain of 14 award-winning hotels and restaurants stretching from London to Leeds. The chain was originally founded by Kumar’s father Muthu who was bored with retirement and wanted to launch a family restaurant business. The announcement came as a surprise to Kumar and Selva as they had never seen their father cook ‘or even make a cup of tea!’ The restaurants have each proved to be an instant success, bringing a unique offering of South Indian and colonial Malaysian food. The family’s five Warwickshire restaurants have been given an aultimate Curry Award, having been collectively hailed the 'Best in the Midlands' by writer, broadcaster and chef Pat Chapman, author of The Good Curry Guide. Having firmly established themselves in the restaurant industry the family later moved into hotels, specialising in the renovation and restoration of historic buildings, turning them into luxurious places to stay.
Personal life
Away from his hotel and restaurant empire and board positions Kumar also actively supports the local community. He is Deputy Chairman of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and also sits on the Council of the University of Warwick. When taking time out from his work commitments and board appointments Kumar enjoys travelling and spending time with his family – wife Kannahi, daughter Seetha and sons Deva and Dharma.