Appointment | Vietnamese Hotel Appoints Sustainability Officer to Lessen Carbon Footprint

Vu Ngoc Linh has been named Alma Resort’s first sustainability officer

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Vietnamese Hotel Appoints Sustainability Officer to Lessen Carbon Footprint

CAM RANH, Vietnam ( 2022) – Vu Ngoc Linh, a hospitality professional with more than a decade’s experience in food and beverage departments, has stepped off the career ladder of the typical F&B professional to pursue an entirely new kind of fulfillment.

This month, the 580-room Alma Resort on Vietnam’s south central coast named Linh as its first sustainability officer. It’ll be Linh’s job to track the property’s energy use, resource conservation, recycling, pollution reduction, waste elimination, transportation, education efforts and building design.

The role also involves creating sustainability programs, budgets and schedules, evaluating the success of sustainability initiatives, and managing three staff committees focused on ‘green products’, ‘innovation and solutions’ and ‘people and partnerships’. 

The stakes are high. The thirty-hectare resort requires 46,720 kWH of power and 900 m3 of water per day.

“We’d like to think we can continue to make meaningful reductions in that consumption,” said Alma’s managing director Herbert Laubichler-Pichler. “Dedicating one person to this task is key to making that happen.”

One of Linh’s new projects, under the umbrella of the Innovation and Solutions Committee, is implementation of what Alma believes is Vietnam’s most ambitious hotel solar power project yet. Alma will this year install 5,634 solar panels totalling 12,500 square metres. With a capacity of 2,480 kilowatts peak, the solar power system will fuel between a quarter to almost half of Alma’s energy needs depending on occupancy. 

In addition to the resort’s 325sqm water treatment plant deploying a reverse osmosis system to provide 70,000L weekly of drinkable water and ice for all of the resort’s kitchens, Linh will also help determine other ways to offset the resort’s water usage.

Linh started his hospitality career in 2011 as a waiter at Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, before he became a restaurant supervisor at Dessole Beach Resort Nha Trang, a team leader at Vinpearl Land Amusement Park and an assistant outlet manager at Golden Peak Resort & Spa and Duyen Ha Resort. Linh then became a food and beverage manager at Xavia Hotel and Florida Nha Trang Hotel, and the assistant restaurant manager at Eastin Grand Hotel Nha Trang. 

Laubichler-Pichler said Linh’s background in F&B – a field notorious for waste generation – had motivated him to move into a sustainability role.

“Linh has a genuine drive to make a difference and he is well suited to a role at our resort dedicated purely to sustainability, encompassing the likes of garbage segregation, tree planting, paperless check-in, solar power, community initiatives to generate support for green projects, research and more,” said Laubichler-Pichler. 

To contact Alma or to make a booking, please visit alma-resort.com or email info@alma-resort.com

About Alma

Situated on Vietnam’s emerging Cam Ranh peninsula fronting Long Beach, Alma resort commands some 30 hectares of inspiring ground. Emblematic of Vietnam's maturation as a destination, the bold and spacious integrated resort offers 580 oversized suites and pavilions that all afford sweeping vistas of the ocean, including contemporary three bedroom oceanfront pavilions each totalling 224sqm with a living room, four bathrooms and a private pool. Alma features a broad spectrum of restaurants helmed by top chefs, a food court with an array of local and international cuisine, as well as a sports bar, pool bar and beach bar. Other highlights include 12 swimming pools cascading down to the beach, a waterpark, 13-treatment room spa, 70-seat cinema, convention centre, amphitheater, art gallery, science museum, gymnasium and yoga room, 18-hole mini golf course, a youth centre with virtual reality games, a kid’s club, water sports centre and even an 'Alma Mart' mini supermarket.

Appointment | PRIDE GROUP OF HOTELS PROMOTES ATUL UPADHYAY AS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

PRIDE GROUP OF HOTELS PROMOTES ATUL UPADHYAY AS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

After an illustrious journey of 13 years with the Pride Group of Hotels, Mr. Atul Upadhyay has been elevated to the post of Senior Vice President with the group. In his new role, Mr. Upadhyay will continue to oversee the entire operations of the group, spearhead strategic partnerships and drive the company’s expansion plans. Prior to this, he was the Vice President of the group.

“Over the last 13 years, Mr. Atul Upadhyay has pursued various growth opportunities across all areas of business and has achieved remarkable success. He has played a pivotal role in both pre-opening and established operations to give us a cutting edge in the competitive hospitality market. His exemplary track record, sincere dedication, and pursuit of excellence have enabled us to navigate the expansion of the company’s portfolio nationally. We are proud to promote him as Senior Vice President of the group. He will continue to be our guiding force as we continue to pursue our goals and fuel our growth”, said, Satyen Jain, CEO, Pride Group of Hotels.

Mr. Atul Upadhyay is a seasoned professional with over 28 years of pivotal experience in the realm of the hospitality industry. An Alumni of the prestigious Cornell University (US), he holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics Science from Jiwaji University, Diploma in Hotel Management from MSU, Vadodara and a Master’s in Business Administration from Symbiosis International University. He carries a rich blend of knowledge in Operations, operational policies, strategy development, Owners and Guest relationship management, training, human resources, and customer service.

Pride Hotels has a presence in around 44 great locations with 4,400 rooms, 89 restaurants, 116 banquets, and conference halls. Currently, Pride Hotels Ltd operates and manages a chain of hotels under the brand name “Pride Plaza Hotel” an Indian Luxury Collection, “Pride Hotel” which are conveniently centrally located business hotels, “Pride Resorts” at mesmerizing destinations, Mid-Market segment hotels for every business “Pride Biznotels” and a fresh concept of Premium luxury serviced apartment stays “Pride Suites”. Locations are prominently in New Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Pune, Nagpur, Bangalore, Chennai, Rajkot, Goa, Jaipur, Indore, Udaipur, Bharatpur, Mussoorie, Puri, Gangtok, Anand, Alkapuri, and Manjusar (Vadodara) Upcoming locations are Nainital, Jim Corbett, Jabalpur, Daman, Rishikesh, Aatapi, Surendranagar, Dwaraka, Bhavnagar, Bharuch, Agra, Somnath, Sasan Gir, Dehradun, Chandigarh, Neemrana, Rajkot, Bhopal, Haldwani & Gurugram.

Appointment | Pradeep Rawat Appointed as Executive Chef at Courtyard by Marriott Mahabaleshwar

Pradeep Rawat Appointed as Executive Chef at Courtyard by Marriott Mahabaleshwar

Mahabaleshwar (June, 2022): Chef Pradeep Rawat joins Courtyard by Marriott Mahabaleshwar with 16+ years of hospitality experience. In his role, he will be responsible for overlooking the culinary landscape of the property where he helps in flourishing all F&B outlets of the property like Berry Library, Quarter Deck and Cloud Cafe. Along with that he will be developing recipes based on the type of food to be prepared and applying personal knowledge and experience in food preparation. Chef’s work ethic helps him in growing and also enhances his culinary skills.

He started his culinary journey in 2006 and since then he has worked in 5 different properties where he sprinkles the magic from his hand made dishes. With extensive culinary creativity and has experience in creating recipes and handling preparation of elaborate meals. Chef is specialized in handling carte, buffets, and banquets & bar operations as well.

Commenting on the appointment, Siddharth Sathe, Hotel Manager- Courtyard by Marriott Mahabaleshwar, said – “We are extremely happy with the appointment of Chef Pradeep Rawat as the Executive Chef at Courtyard by Marriott Mahabaleshwar. Chef is experienced in organizing facility planning, staffing & setting up of standard operating procedures, food trials, developing of new concepts, training & implementation. His ability of delivering value-added customer service and achieving customer delight by providing customized products as per requirements.”

About Courtyard by Marriott Mahabaleshwar

Situated atop the Lingmala Waterfalls, overlooking the Venna River Courtyard By Marriott Mahabaleshwar boasts of alluring dawns and dusks, a calm breeze at all times & vantage point oering stunning views. The hotel has 39 refreshingly streamlined Valley view rooms that comes with a patio that gives their guests a panoramic view of the valley and allows them to capture the natural vistas sitting inside. Connectivity is smooth and fuss free with enhanced roadways linked to metro cities like Mumbai and Pune, the property is a couple of hours drive from Mumbai & Pune Airport. The hotel holds a multitude of indoor and outdoor event venues, making it the apt for weddings, intimate parties and social gatherings. Experience the signature hospitality of Marriott Hotels in the cradle of nature at Courtyard Mahabaleshwar. For more information on Courtyard by Marriott, Mahabaleshwar, visit http://courtyard.marriott.com/.

About Courtyard by Marriott

Courtyard by Marriott offers a refreshing environment that helps guests stay connected, productive and balanced. Intuitive services and design accommodate guests’ needs for choice and control. With more than 1,100 locations in nearly 50 countries and territories, Courtyard is proud to participate in the industry’s award-winning loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards®. Members can now link accounts with Starwood Preferred Guest® at members.marriott.com for instant elite status matching and unlimited points transfer.  For more information or reservations, visit courtyard.marriott.com, become a fan on Facebook or follow @CourtyardHotels on Twitter and Instagram.

George Bennet Kuruvilla is now the General Manager at The Ritz-Carlton Bangalore

George is a seasoned hospitality leader with over 28 years of luxury and has managed various national and international assignments

George Bennet Kuruvilla is newly appointed as the General Manager for the iconic and first 277- key Ritz-Carlton in India, located in the epicenter of Bangalore. George hails from a prolific career with excellence in spearheading the opening and large operations of flagship hotels and resorts across the country and globally.

With a remarkable record of building productive teams, implementing best practices and operational efficacy, George has an intrinsic knowledge of the intricacies of crafting personalized experiences and indelible memories for guests. His dynamism, commitment complemented with a hand-on approach, and strategic acumen have resulted in exceptional guest appreciation metrics along with achieving financial results. George in his last assignment at Westin Pune Koregaon Park formed the entire edifice of the team and achieved significant outcomes.

George is a seasoned hospitality leader with over 28 years of luxury and has managed various national and international assignments with The Oberoi Hotels and Resorts, Taj Hotels, and Hyatt Hotels Corporation to name a few.  Under his able leadership, hotels have won multiple accolades in guest satisfaction and improved revenues through maximizing employee productivity. His impeccable style, humility, and ability to empower bring the best in every team he leads.

In his current role at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore, George is pitched to play a focal role in enhancing operational efficiency and delivering the legendary Ritz-Carlton Gold Standards of Service by enlivening the credo.

George graduated from IHM, Mumbai, and holds a post-graduation from the Oberoi Centre for Learning and Development, beginning his career in 1992 as a management trainee with The Oberoi Group. He has also completed the General Managers Program at Cornell University.

A passionate golfer, George has a flair for languages and is a food aficionado. His wife Ritu, son Neel and daughter Zara will be accompanying him to Bangalore. He believes, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”

Appointment | Syamjith Venugopal joins Holiday Inn Cochin as Food and Beverage Manager

His endeavor is to garner a motivated and engaged team that delivers on the brand promise.

Syamjith Venugopal joins Holiday Inn Cochin as Food and Beverage Manager. A passionate hotelier with an extensive experience of around 17 years in the hospitality industry. 

Syamjith’s last assignment was with Casino Hotel Kochi as Assistant General Manager and Corporate Food and Beverage Operations Manager where he was overlooking Hotel Operations of Casino Kochi and Food and Beverage Operations of Properties under CGH Earth. He has also worked with renowned hotel Brands like Zone by the Park Coimbatore, Le Meridien Kochi, Radisson Blu Kochi, and La Cigale Doha Qatar. 

His endeavor is to garner a motivated and engaged team that delivers on brand promise. He also wants to build future leaders and foster an environment that allows people to flourish and grow. With Food and Beverage his core strength he wants to create unique and new experiences. 

Outside the realm of work, he enjoys spending time with family, photography, and bike rides.

Appointment | Courtyard by Marriott Aravali Resort Appoints Shibendu Ray Chaudhury as Executive Chef

He comes with an impressive set of footprints and 14 years of rich experience earned over the course of his career.

Shibendu Ray Chaudhury, Executive Chef, Courtyard by Marriott Aravali Resort.

With over 14 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Shibendu Ray Chaudhury joins the soon-to-be-launched Courtyard by Marriott Aravali Resort as the Executive Chef. He will be spearheading the culinary team where he will direct and oversee Food and Beverage operations that would entail, menu innovations, simplifying and localizing cuisines, and helping curate personalized dining experiences that will contribute to an enhanced guest experience. 

He comes with an impressive set of footprints and rich experience earned over the course of his career. His fascination for creating delectable food and presenting it in all its simplicity and goodness, while not compromising on taste or style, gained him a lot of recognition and appreciation.

Before his stint with Courtyard by Marriott Aravali Resort, Shibendu worked with many renowned hotels such as Taj Bengal Kolkata as Chef de Partie, the Grand Hyatt Goa as Sous Chef, Fairmont Jaipur as Executive Sous Chef and Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre and Lakeside Chalet Marriott Executive Apartments as Multi-Property Executive Sous Chef. In his career, he has implemented and designed various new menu concepts, led and encouraged training programs, and fostered a healthy and competitive team spirit that has him working with a dedicated and high-performance team.  In recognition of his exemplary work and dedicated efforts Shibendu has been awarded the Times Food and Nightlife Award 2017-18 for Best All-Day Dining Restaurant in Goa and the Times Food and Nightlife Award 2019-20 for Best Buffet in Mumbai Suburbs awarded to Lake View Café

Chef holds a degree in B. Sc in Hotel Management from IHM Kolkata.  Shibendu is a very creative individual who loves retro music of different genres – English, Bengali, and Hindi. In his free time, he is often sketching and exploring niche markets around the city.

Appointment | Josu Sedano-Martin has recently been appointed Executive Chef at Mövenpick Hotel Sukhumvit 15 Bang

Josu Sedano-Martin has recently been appointed Executive Chef at Mövenpick Hotel Sukhumvit 15 Bang

Josu hails from Bilbao, Basque Country, Spain and he is a graduate of the Basque Culinary Academy with further studies in Hospitality Management with Cornell University. 

In a career which expands over 20 years, Josu has held positions as Executive Chef and F&B Director and worked for InterContinental, Hilton Hotels and LHW properties in Europe and in exclusive locations like Seychelles, Maldives and the Caribbean. 

In 2018 he joined Accor Hotels Asia for the opening of the exclusive Mövenpick Kuredhivaru in Maldives while his next move took him to Thailand to the equally unique Mövenpick Asara Resort in Hua Hin. 

Josu is a member of Slow Food International and is passionate about farm-to-table concepts. He loves to cook with the products from his herb and vegetable patch. He also enjoys playing golf, tennis, running and watching his hometown football team, Athletic Bilbao. 

ABOUT MOVENPICK

In Switzerland, in 1948, Ueli Prager created Mövenpick, a revolutionary dining concept where anyone could enjoy a taste of good wine, good times and the good life. Today, that same brand of welcoming hospitality lives on in every Mövenpick hotel, where everyone can appreciate life’s essential pleasures, through moments of true indulgence. With more than 100 hotels and resorts around the world and another 50 planned by 2025, Mövenpick remains true to its Swiss heritage and rich culinary legacy, honouring its founder’s promise to do things well by doing things right. In recognition of the brand’s holistic approach to sustainability, and its deep commitment to local environments and communities, Green Globe has named Mövenpick the world’s most sustainable hotel company every year since 2017. Mövenpick is part of Accor, a world leading hospitality group consisting of more than 5,200 properties and 10,000 food and beverage venues throughout 110 countries.

movenpick.com | all.accor.com | group.accor.com

Sheraton Grand Pune welcomes Erica Gomes at the Senior Sales Manager

She will be using her 12 years of abundant sales experience to identify and target groups that will generate business for the hotel

Sheraton Grand Pune announces the appointment of Erica Gomes as the Senior Sales Manager at the hotel. Erica has been a part of the hospitality industry for almost 12 years and has an extensive experience in sales and marketing.

Erica has a Masters in Hospitality and International Human Resource Management from the Indian School of Business Management, Mumbai. Post this she has been a part of various Indian and International hotel chains such as InterContinental Hotels Group, Four Seasons, Marriott International, and Accor Hotels. Erica has also worked extensively in the middle-east market.

Erica strives to be a result-oriented resource and is dedicated to meeting deadlines and exceeding sales revenue goals. At Sheraton Grand Pune, Erica will be using her 12 years of abundant sales experience to identify and target groups that will generate business for the hotel. She will also be in charge of using company-wide programs, sales developments, WSO customer events, and reporting for group business development.

When she is not busy achieving her targets, Erica loves to spend her time watching documentaries and reading good books. Some of her favorite books are Shantaram and Mrs. Escobar. She enjoys listening to trance music as well.

Appointment | Priyanka Majumder joins as Front Office Manager at Grand Mercure Bengaluru Gopalan Mall

She brings in over 10 years of extensive experience in front office management, revenue management, guest service, customer support

Priyanka Majumder joins Grand Mercure Bengaluru at Gopalan Mall as the Front Office Manager. She brings in over 10 years of extensive experience in front office management, revenue management, guest service, and customer support. In her last role, she was the Front Office Manager at the Pride Hotel Bengaluru heading the departmental operations and assisting in revenue management.

“Priyanka with her diverse experience and her pleasing and calm demeanor will be will be a great addition to our team where she can lead the guest experience and loyalty,” says Sachin Maheshwary, GM of Grand Mercure Bengaluru Gopalan Mall, welcoming Priyanka to the team.

After graduating from IHM Bhubaneshwar, Priyanka began her career with Hyatt Regency as the Guest Service Officer. Over the course of her career, she has worked with many renowned hotel brands including Hyatt, IHG and Lalit. She has previously worked with Accor as the assistant manager – Front Office at Novotel Kolkata Hotel and Residences.

Priyanka has a deep artistic inclination and spends leisure time enjoying recitations and practicing creative painting and singing.

Appointment | Ankush Ahuja joins Hilton Goa Resort as the F&B Manager

Goa, May 2022: Ankush Ahuja is a seasoned hotelier with a rich experience of over 13 years in the industry. In his new role at Hilton Goa Resort, Ankush would be spearheading the functioning on overseeing all aspects of food and beverage operations and repositioning of the food and beverage outlets. 

Over the years, he has worked with the finest hospitality leaders such as Marriott International, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Centara Hotels & Resorts, Taj Hotels &Resorts, Carlson Rezidor and YUM Restaurants International. On his last assignment with 'The B Premier Boutique Collection, Doha' as Assistant Food & Beverage Manager, he incorporated unique menus for the restaurants, maintaining brand standards and operational excellence. He is a leader with the right skills to undertake Guest Relationship Management, Revenue Management, Food Promotion, Staffing and more.

With his wide spectrum of knowledge in budget analysis, effective cost planning,managing key relations, implementing and optimizing procedures, team leadership and development, Ankush will be bringing forth his expertise to maximize revenue and rightfully connecting with the customers to ensure that their requirements are met while maintaining the highest standards along with compliance with the food and safety regulations.

On Ankush’s appointment, Amandeep Singh Grover, General Manager, Hilton Goa Resort expresses, “We are delighted to appoint Ankush as the F&B Manager as his expertise in the food and beverage industry will facilitate the hotel in promoting our outlets and will ensure a smooth functioning of the teams working under him.”

Appointment | Crowne Plaza New Delhi Mayur Vihar Noida has appointed Bhupender Singh as the new Human Resource Manager.

Crowne Plaza New Delhi Mayur Vihar Noida has appointed Bhupender Singh as the new Human Resource Manager. 

Bhupender is a very familiar and known face for us in IHG SWA and was working as ' Deputy Human Resource Manager with Holiday Inn New Delhi International Airport. He brings 11 years of rich experience to the Hospitality and Human Resource department. Bhupender started his career as Human Resource Assistant in June 2011 with Select Hotels and Resorts, Manesar. 

Bhupender brings his strong principles of trust, honesty, respect, integrity, and commitment to consistently nurture and maximize talent at the company. 

In his leisure time, he loves to explore and travel to offbeat destinations.

Appointment | Pankaj Rawat is Appointed as Chef de Cuisine at Hyatt Regency Dehradun

Pankaj Rawat, Chef De Cuisine, Hyatt Regency Dehradun 

Pankaj joins us with over 11 years of elevating culinary experience across Marriott & Hilton hotels in India. From being Commie 3 at the MoMo Café in Courtyard by Marriott Gurgaon in 2010 (Pre-opening) to Commie2 at DoubleTree By Hilton in Asia alive Café (Pre-opening) in 2011 to Sous chef at Marriott Jaipur Okra Kitchen in 2018 to become Chef De Cuisine at the Le Meridian Gurgaon, Pankaj’s career has been nothing but exciting and motivating.

A passionate chef, Pankaj in his current role as the Chef De Cuisine will be responsible for the menu planning & design for the F&B outlets & In-Room Dining, staff training, operations supervision and guest feedback.

Pankaj, in his free time, loves to  play football and workout

A quote he lives by – Recipe has no sole you as the cook must bring soul to the recipe. 

Appointment | Hyatt Regency Dehradun appointed Sahil Arora as an Executive Chef

Sahil Arora, Executive Chef, Hyatt Regency Dehradun
Chef Sahil joins us with 22 years of elevating experience across brands such as Marriott, Hyatt, and Shangri-La hotels in India. Starting his career as a Prep Chef at the Hyatt Regency New Delhi in 1999, he moved to The Shangri-La Connaught Place, New Delhi as a Senior Sous Chef, then to The Imperial New Delhi as an Executive Sous Chef, followed by the Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre & Lakeside Chalet- Marriott Executive Apartments as the Executive Chef and then Shangri-La Eros, New Delhi as the Executive Chef.  

A master chef, with a wide range of experience in cooking and curating the perfect dining experience for the guests, Chef Sahil will be responsible for ensuring the smooth and safe running of all the kitchen operations, developing and tailoring menus to suit the guests and the hotel’s needs while ensuring all health & safety and service standards are being enforced.

A family man hailing from Dehradun, Chef Sahil enjoys spending quality time with his family. He is usually watching movies or participating in fun-filled activities with is daughter, Naisha. He is also an avid traveler, and photographer and prefers to visit scenic and peaceful destinations.

Appointment | Hyatt Regency Dehradun appointed Abhinav Singh As Pastry Chef

Abhinav Singh, Pastry Chef, Hyatt Regency Dehradun

Chef Singh personifies great attention to detail and creativity. With an in-depth knowledge of sanitation principles, food preparation, baking techniques, and nutrition, the chef will bring the most mesmerizing bread, pastries, and cakes to the hotel. His ethos as a proud baker is that the different varieties of flour used in baking make all the difference. He follows basic food chronology, focusing on contemporary style baking techniques in the kitchen.

In 2012, Chef Singh set foot in the culinary world at Hyatt Bangalore as a Commis Chef in the bakery and pastry department. He then joined Taj Lake Palace Udaipur, Crowne Plaza Jaipur, Novotel Pune and DoubleTree Ahmedabad, and Conrad Bengaluru before joining Hyatt regency Dehradun.

During his free time, the chef loves to drive around and explore undiscovered routes, listening to music. As a pet lover, he enjoys spending time with his pet.

Appointment | Nelson Gomes Appointed as Marketing and Experience Manager at InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort

Nelson has an experience of more than ten years in the hospitality, luxury, lifestyle, and media fields

In his new role, Nelson will be responsible for strengthening the brand communication strategy, including ideation and implementation of digital marketing strategies to enhance engagement at InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort, a unique urban luxury that has introduced a new standard of excellence, located on the pristine shores of The Bay of Bengal.

Nelson has an experience of more than ten years in the hospitality, luxury, lifestyle, and media fields with a focus on driving brand awareness, and managing and implementing key marketing initiatives aligned with regional and global activities.

Known to be a person who is constantly striving towards delivering excellent quality and enriching experiences with his positive energy and agile mindset, would take charge of the luxury resort’s goals, developing strategies and aiming for top-tier placements in traditional, digital, and broadcast media.

Nelson has already been honored with the highly commended “Young Hotelier” in the 14th Hotelier Middle East Awards 2018 for his contribution to the industry and being among the top 10 in the 16th Hotelier Middle East Awards 2020.

Speaking on his appointment Nelson said, “I am delighted to have joined back the IHG family and look forward to work with the outstanding team to add to the bespoke luxury experience.”

Appointment | Piyali Saha promoted as Director of Sales at Novotel Guwahati GS Road

She holds a qualitative experience of 14 years in the hospitality industry

Piyali Saha, a seasoned hospitality professional with a qualitative experience of 14 years in the industry joined Novotel Guwahati G.S Road in June 2021, as the Associate Director of Sales. She recently has been promoted as the Director of Sales for the property.

Originally, based from Kolkata, Piyali started her career in Mumbai, Maharashtra in 2008. Prior to the current role, she has worked with Oberoi’s, followed by Marriott and multiple brands of Accor.

She has been working at Novotel Guwahati for over 1 year and been instrumental in driving business growth in the North East India. Piyali currently leads the sales and marketing team for Novotel Guwahati, GS Road and says that she has had an amazing career path with Accor until now.

Appointment | George Bennet Kuruvilla is now the General Manager at The Ritz-Carlton Bangalore

George is a seasoned hospitality leader with over 28 years of luxury and has managed various national and international assignments

George Bennet Kuruvilla is newly appointed as the General Manager for the iconic and first 277- key Ritz-Carlton in India, located in the epicenter of Bangalore. George hails from a prolific career with excellence in spearheading the opening and large operations of flagship hotels and resorts across the country and globally.

With a remarkable record of building productive teams, implementing best practices and operational efficacy, George has an intrinsic knowledge of the intricacies of crafting personalized experiences and indelible memories for guests. His dynamism, commitment complemented with a hand-on approach, and strategic acumen has resulted in exceptional guest appreciation metrics along with achieving financial results. George in his last assignment at Westin Pune Koregaon Park formed the entire edifice of the team and achieved significant outcomes.

George is a seasoned hospitality leader with over 28 years of luxury and has managed various national and international assignments with The Oberoi Hotels and Resorts, Taj Hotels and Hyatt Hotels Corporation to name a few.  Under his able leadership, hotels have won multiple accolades in guest satisfaction, and improved revenues through maximizing employee productivity. His impeccable style, humility and ability to empower brings the best in every team he leads.

In his current role at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangalore, George is pitched to play a focal role in enhancing operational efficiency and delivering the legendary Ritz-Carlton Gold Standards of Service by enlivening the credo.

George graduated from IHM, Mumbai, and holds a post-graduation from the Oberoi Centre for Learning and Development, beginning his career in 1992 as a management trainee with The Oberoi Group. He has also completed the General Managers Program from Cornell University.

A passionate golfer, George has a flair for languages and is a food aficionado. His wife Ritu, son Neel and daughter Zara will be accompanying him to Bangalore. He believes, “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.”

Appointment | Le Meridien, Jaipur Resort and Spa appointed Ravi Yadav as Food and Beverage Manager

With over nineteen years of experience in the hospitality industry, he will oversee the operations of all three Food and Beverage outlets at the hotel

Le Meridien, Jaipur Resort and Spa is delighted to announce the appointment of Ravi Yadav as Food and Beverage Manager. With over nineteen years of experience in the hospitality industry, he will oversee the operations of all three Food and Beverage outlets at the hotel namely Latest Recipes, Madeira Bar and Suryavillas along with in-room dining and banquet services.

A seasoned hotelier with apt management skills, Ravi believes that creating a core team lays the foundation for successful operations and bigger achievements. Ravi will be responsible for food and beverage menu planning and execution for all outlets, menu engineering and costing, and pushing and maintaining guest satisfaction.

He completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Hotel Management from the National Institute of Hotel Management, Dehradun, and B.Com from Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Naur, Uk.

He has worked with some of India’s luxury hospitality brands like Hilton, Eros Hotels, Courtyard by Marriot, Four Points Sheraton, IHG, and Fortune Select Global. Over the years, he has gathered experience in increasing the profitability and growth of the brand while ensuring guest satisfaction. Ravi is an exceptionally skilled professional who is self-motivated and loves to spend his leisure time listening to music and reading books.

Appointment | Alila Fort Bishangarh Elevates Sachit Jha as Director of Operations

He will be responsible for negotiations, budgeting, and purchasing in line with Hyatt international's brand standards, whilst exceeding employee, guest, and the organization's expectations

Alila Fort Bishangarh is pleased to announce the appointment of Sachit Jha as Director of Operations. A driven and skilled leader, Sachit is a veteran hospitality professional who brings more than 15 years of experience in creating experiential guest services and strategies. In his new role, he will be responsible for negotiations, budgeting, and purchasing in line with Hyatt international‘s brand standards, whilst exceeding employee, guest, and the organization’s expectations.

Sachit’s professional journey began after he obtained a BSC degree in hospitality and hotel administration. His career has seen him through a diverse selection of assignments in various hotels. In the last 15 years, he had a passionate journey of professional development with Taj, Marriott, ITC, Suryagarh, and Hyatt. He got nominated for Food and Beverage Manager of the year by Hotelier India in 2021.

While his professional responsibilities keep him occupied, Sachit is a voracious reader and creative person who believes to create surprisingly different memories for the guests. He enjoys writing and traveling.

Commenting on his appointment, Sachit Jha said, “I am excited about the new role and take this opportunity to continue to bring curated sustainable practices for the new age traveler”.

Appointment | ROBIN FLANZ APPOINTED AS DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING FOR PARK HYATT NEW YORK

NEW YORK (May 2022) – Park Hyatt New York is pleased to announce the appointment of Robin Flanz as Director of Sales & Marketing.

With over 20 years of extensive luxury hospitality experience, Flanz will oversee sales, marketing, and revenue management for the luxury five-star hotel located within steps of New York City’s most iconic landmarks and destinations. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Robin to Park Hyatt New York,” said Peter Roth, area vice president, and general manager of Park Hyatt New York. “With his extraordinary sales & marketing background and results-driven attitude, Robin will be a fantastic addition to our team, helping build on the outstanding service Park Hyatt New York is known for.” 

Flanz joins Park Hyatt New York from Mandarin Oriental, Canouan, where he has served as director of marketing and commerce since October 2020. During his tenure, he developed and implemented strategic sales and marketing campaigns, drove revenue opportunities, facilitated regional partnerships, and more. Previously, Flanz has held sales and marketing positions at Langham Hospitality Group and The Langham, New York, Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo, The Ritz-Carlton Amelia Island, The Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C., and Swissotel Hotel and Hyatt Boston Harbor Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts. 

Originally from Michigan, Flanz received his bachelor’s degree in communications from Michigan State University. He has lived on the East Coast for over 25 years, living in Boston, Washington D.C., and Florida. Currently, he resides in Sparta, New Jersey with his wife, three children, and two Golden-doodles. 

About Park Hyatt New York 

Located directly across the street from Carnegie Hall, one block from Central Park and a short distance to MoMA and Lincoln Center, Park Hyatt New York is a Five-Star award-winning hotel offering proximity to global icons of both culture and industry. Spacious guestrooms inspired by New York’s most well-appointed homes enjoy an abundance of natural light and luxurious spa-like bathrooms. Striking interior architectural design and a rotating art collection set the backdrop for bespoke events. Personalize your wellness experience at Spa Nalai, with its indoor saltwater swimming pool, eucalyptus steam room, oversized hot tub, and 24-hour fitness center, overlooking the Manhattan skyline, or discover luxury Italian haircare at Rossano Ferretti Hairspa. For more information, visit parkhyattnewyork.com. Follow @ParkHyattNY on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and tag photos with #LuxuryIsPersonal.