Raymond Bickson, former general manager of The Mark Hotel in New York, has joined Indian Hotels Company (IHC) which owns and manages the Taj group of Hotels. Mr Bickson will be designated as an executive director as well as chief operating officer (COO) of the luxury hotels of the Taj group. Mr Bickson will report directly to the Taj group’s MD R K Krishna Kumar and will be headquartered in Mumbai. He will be a member of the board.