Our advisory council

Frits van Paasschen is the former CEO of Starwood Hotels and Coors Brewing Company. Prior to being CEO, he was President of Nike Europe, Middle East and Africa and Vice President of Finance at Disney.

He began his career as a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group and McKinsey. Mr van Paasschen has served on the corporate boards of Oakley, Jones Apparel, and Barclays. He was Chairman of the European-American Industrial Council and a board member of both the US-China and US-India Business Councils, and is currently a non-executive director at Royal DSM and Williams-Sonoma. Mr van Paasschen was the Dean's Distinguished Lecturer at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration and a Conti Professor at the Penn State School of Hospitality Management. As an MBA student, he lectured in economics as a Teaching Fellow at Harvard College. Mr. van Paasschen is an avid traveller and has had numerous visits to India across the span of three decades.

He is an alumnus of The Oberoi School of Hotel Management (now OCLD), India’s foremost institution of higher learning in the hospitality industry. He has held various senior executive roles in hotels, townships, and large IT infrastructure networks.

Yateendra has trained and consulted clients on strategic and operational issues in 50+ countries, and supports the development of innovative solutions within the hospitality industry worldwide.

As a second generation entrepreneur at Brigade, Nirupa oversees the company’s hospitality ventures. During her 8 years in Brigade she has helped launch 3 hotels, signed up more than 12 for the pipeline, of which 8 are already in various stages of construction. of Brigade REAP.

Nirupa also conceptualised and successfully launched the multi-award winning lounge bar HIGH Ultra Lounge in Bangalore, the highest point for food and beverage in South India.

Nirupa recently launched India’s first and only real estate accelerator called Brigade Real Estate Accelerator Program, an initiative to mentor high-tech start-ups in real estate, including hospitality.

She has been identified as one of CNBC’s “Young Turks” and has previously won the:
Entrepreneur of the Year 2017, by Future Woman Leader Summit Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2016 by Construction Week Restaurant Owner of the Year – India 2016 at the Hospitality Leaders’ Industry Choice Awards Rising Star Award 2015 - South Asia by the International Society of Hospitality Consultants

Nirupa is passionate about reading, travelling and writing. Her articles are regularly published in the news and trade journals. She loves sports and recently completed her first triathlon. She is trained as a Six sigma Black Belt.

Founder & CEO of GOCO Hospitality, and Managing Director of Horwath HTL Health and Wellness, Ingo Schweder brings more than 30 years of experience from the fields of spa and hospitality, and has been involved in the design, development and worldwide operation of numerous iconic hotels and wellness destinations.

Under his guidance, Ananda in the Himalayas, the globally recognised destination spa, was established Ingo has been a board member of Mandarin Oriental and earlier Corporate Director of Operations for Oberoi Hotels & Resorts.

His vision for GOCO Hospitality is to grow the company in the vastly expanding wellness real estate and hospitality segment. The company’s reputation after only five years now speaks for itself. GOCO Hospitality has become the go-to wellness company for hospitality giants like Bulgari, Ritz-Carlton, Viceroy Hotels & Resorts, Wynn Resorts, MGM, Emaar Hospitality and Four Seasons. In addition, GOCO Hospitality recently purchased the 85-acre Glen Ivy Hot Springs in Southern California and is expanding it with additional wellness real estate anchored by a 125-room GOCO wellness retreat.

With over twenty years of hospitality experience spanning across multiple countries and various Marriott International brands, Neeraj Govil is responsible for strategic leadership, establishing brand positioning and expanding effective market share of the Marriott International brand portfolio in South Asia.

An alumni of The Oberoi Centre for Learning and Development (OCLD), Mr. Chopra's experience as a hotelier spans over nineteen years.

Most recently, Mr. Chopra was the Executive Vice President of the Group and was instrumental in opening two flagship properties - The Oberoi and Trident in Gurgaon. Mr. Chopra was also voted "Hotelier of the Year" by Hindustan Times in 2012. The Oberoi Group was voted 'World's Leading Luxury Hotel Brand' by the World Travel Awards in 2012. Furthermore, under Mr. Chopra's leadership, The Oberoi, Gurgaon was voted 'World's Leading Luxury Hotel' by the World Travel Awards for the second consecutive year in 2012. The Oberoi, Gurgaon was also awarded 'Best Hotel for Business in India' by Condé Nast Traveller, India, Readers' Travel Awards 2012.

With an association of over two decades with Accor, Puneet Dhawan relocated himself to India take over Accor’s operations in the country and joined as Senior VP Operations, Accor India & South Asia in 2020.

He previously held key positions across countries such as Hong Kong, Vietnam, Australia, Singapore, India, UAE and Philippines.

Puneet started his hospitality career in 1994 with Mandarin Oriental Manila and joined Accor in 1998 as Director of Food and Beverage of Century Wanchai, now Novotel Century Hong Kong. In 2012, he moved to Bengaluru as General Manager Delegate to launch Accor’s first dual property in India - Novotel and ibis Bengaluru Techpark.

In 2016, Puneet relocated to Dubai as Vice President Operations – Economy & Midscale Brands Accor Middle East, managing 35 hotels in six countries. In his most recent role Puneet repositioned Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila as a top luxury urban resort with over 600 rooms and extensive F&B operations.

After attending Cesar Ritz Colleges in Switzerland, Puneet attained Hotel, Restaurant and Travel Administration degree from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst in the United States.

Anuraag Bhatnagar, is the Chief Executive Officer at The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts. He currently oversees 12 uber luxury iconic hotels in some of the most alluring destinations in India.

He joined The Leela in 2020. Under his aegis the brand has established itself as a leader in every market in which it operates, winning the coveted accolade as the World’s Best Brand by Travel + Leisure World’s Best Survey 2020 and 2021 twice in a row. The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts also opened 4 luxury hotels and has launched new initiatives such as The Leela Palace Services, Ceremonial Rituals, Tishya by The Leela, Aujasya by The Leela and Icons of India by The Leela to further elevate its positioning as an epitome of true Indian luxury.

Prior to joining The Leela Anuraag was the Multi-Property Vice President at Marriott International for Mumbai, and Goa overseeing 12 hotels. He has worked across brands like St. Regis, W Hotels and The Ritz- Carlton. He has over 3 decades of experience in running luxury hotels and businesses, including a decade at Oberoi Hotels & Resorts.

Ajay Bakaya is a seasoned hotelier, responsible for overseeing the operations, development and expansion of Sarovar Hotels, which have a portfolio with over seventy-five hotels across fifty destinations in India and Africa.

Ajay joined Sarovar over two decades ago, and has been instrumental in the success story of the company. He led its growth from their first hotel in Mumbai, to today’s enviable portfolio that encompasses Sarovar Premiere, Sarovar Portico, and Hometel brands. A postgraduate from Cornell-Essec, France, Ajay is a graduate from the Oberoi School of Hotel Management. He has a passion for travel and is a keen cyclist. He was awarded “Entrepreneur of the Year” by the Federation of Hotels & Restaurants Association of India and the “Hall of Fame” award by Hotelier India.

Ragini Chopra was the first lady management trainee to graduate from the Oberoi School of Hotel Management in 1975. Thereafter, she spent 28 years with Oberoi Hotels and Resorts in various senior capacities in operations, sales and marketing, branding and launch of the groups Luxury Resorts, headed both corporate sales and marketing and corporate communications, culminating in her assignment as Vice President Business Development for the group.

Nationally regarded as a travel & tourism and aviation industry professional, Mrs. Ragini Chopra serves on various industry committees on tourism (India Initiatives) and civil aviation, including the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), CII National Committee Civil Aviation and Tourism, ASSOCHAM’s Expert Committee on Tourism and Civil Aviation, FICCI National Committee on Civil Aviation and Tourism and the Executive Committee of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). Mrs. Ragini Chopra worked closely with the team that conceptualised and launched ‘Incredible India’ – the global campaign for marketing Indian tourism, and continues to actively promote tourism as a member of ‘Experience India Society’ and WTTC India Initiative.

Rohit Khosla, a postgraduate in hotel management from The Institute of Hotel Management Mumbai, joined the Taj Group in 1999 as Executive Assistant Manager, Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi.

During his time with the Group, he has held several positions in India, Yemen, Maldives and Sri Lanka, and has shown unwavering support and dedication to the Taj brand. In this role, Rohit oversees all of the Group’s hotels in Northern and Eastern states of India (Rajasthan, Delhi, J&K, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Assam), as well as the Taj Dubai, Taj Tashi, Bhutan and the Operations of Taj Safaris. He is currently based in New Delhi.

Most recently, Vivek was Director of Operations – Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines for the IHG group where he was responsible for the operations of the IHG’s hotels across all brands in those countries.

ishBefore joining IHG, Vivek was Co-Founder and Managing Director of CASAM Hospitality - an asset management and consulting firm, with ownership clients across South and Southeast Asia. He was also Senior Director Operations – South Asia with Starwood Hotels and Resorts and was responsible for the Pre-Opening and Operations of the groups 40+ hotels in India and South Asia. Prior to this, Vivek held senior management roles in Sales and Marketing as Director of Revenue Management for Asia Pacific for Starwood Hotels, Revenue Manager, Corporate - Hyatt International Hotels and Revenue Manager, South East Asia - Hyatt International Hotels.

Vivek holds a Master’s Degree from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration

As the Vice President of Operations - India, Hyatt Hotels and Resorts, Sunjae Sharma is at the helm of executing the company's operational and growth strategy in India. With over a decade of valuable association with Hyatt, he has held several leadership positions within the company.

A true hotelier at heart, Sunjae has been in the hospitality industry for close to 28 years and has contributed to several hospitality brands, prior to starting his stint with Hyatt in 2001. Before assuming his current position, Sharma was Area Vice President for South & West India and General Manager of Grand Hyatt Mumbai, where he oversaw the strategic and financial performance of 16 hotels. Sunjae started his Hyatt innings with Grand Hyatt Delhi and has handled multiple roles at Hyatt’s most iconic properties in cities like Chennai, Bangalore, Hampi, Kathmandu and Kolkata. A graduate from the prestigious Institute of Hotel Management; Sunjae’s humility and positive attitude have been his key strengths. His purpose driven approach and ‘care at the core of everything that we do’ philosophy is evident from strong leadership profile.

Navjit oversees the operations of more than 17 trading hotels across India and the Indian subcontinent, with a key mandate to drive and grow Hilton’s portfolio of brands as best in class in India. Navjit has over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry with leadership positions with Marriott International, HVS, and Oberoi Hotels.

Prior to this, Navjit spent over 13 years with Marriott International in key leadership roles, including Senior Vice President, where he grew the company’s various brands across South Asia. He has also worked with HVS in New York and New Delhi, as well as worked for over a decade in hotel operations with numerous leading hotel chains including Oberoi and ITC Hotels in India, and the Claridge’s and Dorchester hotels in London.

Navjit is an alumnus of the Oberoi School of Hotel Management, and graduated from St Stephen’s College, Delhi University, and holds an MBA in Hospitality Management from the Institut de Management Hotelier International (IMHI) in Paris.

Nikhil is a seasoned hospitality professional and leader with over 25 years of experience in the industry. He is currently the Managing Director and Area Senior Vice President, South Asia at Radisson Hotel Group (RHG), one of the largest and most dynamic hotel groups in the world. In this role, he oversees 165+ hotels in operation and development, and is responsible for driving revenue, performance, quality, and brand engagement in the fast-growing region.

Nikhil has a proven track record of business development, operations turnaround, project management, and innovation in the hospitality sector. He was previously the Market Managing Director, Eurasia at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, where he managed the full business and operational remit for the region, and nurtured relationships with owners and franchise partners. Prior to that, he was the Chief Operating Officer at Ginger Hotels, a TATA Enterprise, and a founding member of the Lemon Tree Hotel Company, India's fastest growing upscale hotel brand. Nikhil is passionate about building capability, inclusiveness, and joy in work, and is committed to delivering value to all stakeholders. He is also a co-author of Rumi & Kabir Consulting, a book that offers insights and inspiration from the lives and works of the two mystic poets.

Sandeep is the Division President of Work Dynamics, Asia Pacific, for JLL

This includes all products for corporate occupiers-Workplace Management Services, Project Management, Transactions Advisories, Lease Management, Sustainability & Workplace Consulting. In his current role, he is responsible for providing strategic direction to the business with a focus on strengthening client relationships, new business and ensuring excellence in service delivery. He keenly advocates skill development, D&L, technology applications in real estate, and sustainability.

Sandeep is a part of JLL's sustainability council, India CSR committee, and JLL’s APAC diversity & inclusion council. Besides these, he is on the governing board of few private and public skill development councils. He also chairs an industry coalition that is working towards decarbonizing the construction industry in India

Anil Parashar is the Executive Director of InterGlobe Technology Quotient (ITQ). He has extensive operational and financial experience in handling various aspects of the business. Previously, he was the Group CFO of InterGlobe Enterprises, where he oversaw significant group transactions and successfully demonstrated his financial acumen by guiding InterGlobe through various phases of development.

Anil is a member of the Executive Committee of InterGlobe Enterprises and serves on the boards of several group companies, including ITQ and IndiGo. He has over 30 years of experience, which includes leadership positions at Swiss Air, Asbestos Cement Company, and Delhi Express Travels. He is also a representative on the PHD Chamber of Commerce, ASSOCHAM, and FICCI Forums on Taxation and Travel & Tourism.

Anil is a Chartered Accountant and holds a degree in Economics (Hons.) from Delhi University.

Pushpesh Pant is an Indian academic, food critic and historian. He retired as a Professor of International relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi. He is one of India's leading experts on International Relations as well as Indian cuisine, and as a columnist has written for a number of major publications like Forbes, Open, Outlook, Times of India and The Tribune. His book, India: The Cookbook (2011), was named by The New York Times as one of the best cookbooks of the year. Prof. Pant was also featured in Raja, Rasoi Aur Anya Kahaniyaan, an Indian television series on Indian cuisine available on The EPIC Channel. The series gives an inside look into the royal kitchens of India and also explores the history behind the cuisine of the Indian royals, showing how dishes were discovered, and their significance in Indian history.