Mumbai, September 4, 2026 — Knight Frank India today announced the appointment of Viral Desai as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective 1 April 2027. In his new role, Viral will have direct oversight of all service lines of the business, providing a unified leadership structure for the firm as it enters its next phase of growth.
Viral has been with Knight Frank since 2007 and currently serves as Senior Executive Director – Transactions, with responsibility for the firm’s Occupier Strategy & Solutions (OSS), Industrial & Logistics, Capital Markets and Retail Agency businesses. Over the course of his career at Knight Frank, Viral has played a significant role in the growth and development of the business.
Viral is also an International Partner of Knight Frank and a member of the Group Strategy Board, giving him a broad perspective on the firm’s international business, client priorities and strategic direction.
Commenting on the appointment, Shishir Baijal, International Partner, Chairman & Managing Director, Knight Frank India, said, “Viral has been a key part of Knight Frank India’s growth and has consistently demonstrated his ability to build businesses, develop strong teams and deliver for our clients. He has shown the ability to lead through different market cycles and challenges, while giving the businesses under his leadership a clear path for growth. What stands out is his strong sense of ownership—of the businesses he leads, the people who work with him and, importantly, our clients. His leadership qualities, market standing and strong client relationships give me great confidence in his ability to lead Knight Frank India and take the firm to even greater heights. I look forward to working closely with him over the coming months to ensure a smooth transition.”
Speaking on his appointment, Viral Desai, Chief Executive Officer-designate, Knight Frank India, said, “I am honoured to take on the responsibility of leading Knight Frank India. I have had the privilege of being part of the firm for nearly two decades, and I have seen first-hand the strength of our platform, the quality of our people and the trust we have built with our clients. There is a strong foundation to build on, and our opportunity now is to continue raising the bar across every part of the business. I look forward to working with our teams across the country to strengthen our market position, deepen our client relationships and build on the progress we have made across our businesses. I am grateful to Shishir for his leadership and for the confidence he has placed in me, and I look forward to working closely with him through the transition.”
Viral will formally assume the position of Chief Executive Officer on 1 April 2027, with the transition period allowing for close collaboration between Shishir and Viral ahead of the change in leadership.
Craig Shute, CEO, Asia Pacific said, “India is one of Knight Frank’s most significant and successful businesses globally, with an increasingly important role to play both within Asia-Pacific and across our international network. Viral brings a valuable combination of deep knowledge of the Indian market and a genuinely international perspective. As an International Partner and member of our Group Strategy Board, he is already contributing to Knight Frank’s wider strategic direction and understands how our markets, capabilities and client relationships connect across the world. As CEO, he will be well-positioned to build on the strength of our India business while creating even greater opportunities to connect our people, expertise and clients across Asia-Pacific and the wider Knight Frank network. We are delighted to have him leading Knight Frank India into its next chapter.”
About Knight Frank
Knight Frank LLP is a leading independent, global property consultancy. Headquartered in London, Knight Frank has 20,000+ people operating from over 600+ offices across more than 50 territories. The Group advises clients ranging from individual owners and buyers to major developers, investors, and corporate tenants. For further information about the Company, please visit www.knightfrank.com
Knight Frank India is headquartered in Mumbai and has more than 2000 experts across Bangalore, Delhi, Pune, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Indore and Kochi. Backed by strong research and analytics, our experts offer a comprehensive range of real estate services across advisory, valuation and consulting, transactions (residential, commercial, retail, hospitality, land, and capitals), facilities management and project management. For more information, visit www.knightfrank.co.in
