KONE appoints Arun Bhatia as MD for Southeast Asia 

The next phase of competition in the elevator and escalator industry will be shaped by more than the number of new buildings coming up. Digital service delivery, modernisation of ageing equipment, energy efficiency, and the ability to build lasting customer relationships are becoming increasingly important to how companies compete. For KONE, Arun Bhatia’s appointment as Managing Director for Southeast Asia signals a leadership focus on navigating these opportunities across a diverse and rapidly evolving region. 

Effective October 1, 2026, Bhatia succeeds Edward Loy, who is retiring after 11 years with the company. According to KONE’s announcement, Bhatia brings more than 35 years of experience in the building and climate solutions industry, with a strong emphasis on growth, business transformation, customer success, and people development. 

The appointment comes at a significant point in KONE’s strategic journey. Its 2025-2030 strategy, titled Rise, sets out an ambition to lead in customer and employee experience, innovation, sustainability, growth, and profitability. Four priorities underpin this plan: accelerating digitalisation, expanding modernisation opportunities, strengthening its position in residential markets, and reducing carbon emissions.  

From market presence to profitable growth 

For KONE, the opportunity in Southeast Asia lies in converting the region’s changing urban landscape into sustainable business growth. As cities expand and existing buildings undergo renewal, demand can emerge across the equipment lifecycle, from new installations to maintenance, upgrades, and modernisation. 

This creates a more complex commercial challenge. Companies must compete for new projects while also retaining customers over long service relationships, improving operational responsiveness, and demonstrating the long-term value of their solutions. Digital tools can strengthen this proposition by enabling more transparent service, better equipment monitoring, and faster responses to customer needs. 

Bhatia’s experience in business leadership and transformation is relevant to this broader agenda. His mandate will involve translating corporate priorities into market-level execution, building customer confidence, and aligning teams around commercial performance. While the appointment announcement does not specify new regional targets, his background suggests a leadership profile suited to an industry where customer experience and execution increasingly influence competitiveness. 

Sustainability and modernisation move up the agenda 

The built environment remains a major focus for decarbonisation efforts, with buildings accounting for a substantial share of global emissions. Elevators and escalators are part of this equation, particularly when improvements in equipment efficiency, building operations, and lifecycle management can reduce energy use and extend asset life. 

KONE’s strategy places sustainability alongside digitalisation and modernisation, reflecting the commercial opportunity in helping building owners improve performance while meeting evolving environmental expectations. Modernisation is particularly relevant where existing infrastructure must serve changing user needs without requiring complete replacement. 

For regional leadership, the challenge is to make these capabilities commercially meaningful across markets with different levels of urban development, customer expectations, and investment priorities. Consistent service quality, local market understanding, and strong execution will therefore be essential. 

Continuity with a new growth mandate 

The transition also marks the end of Edward Loy’s 11-year tenure as Managing Director for Southeast Asia. Bhatia’s arrival offers KONE an opportunity to build on the existing business while advancing the priorities of its current strategy. 

Ultimately, the appointment reflects a wider shift in industrial leadership. Growth increasingly depends on combining technical capability with customer relationships, digital services, sustainability, and disciplined execution. For KONE, Bhatia’s task will be to bring these elements together across Southeast Asia, strengthening the business as the region’s cities and built environment continue to evolve.