Travel and Hospitality (TnH) - August 2021 by Prem Sagar

ISSUE 11 / VOLUME XII / August 2021 Rs.350 / Pages 62

EDITOR'S NOTE

Forces to be reckoned with! The wait is over, TnH’s POWER list is finally out! At a time when the virus has shaken the industry to its core and touched all aspects of its functioning, these leaders are skillfully steering the process of recovery, and best proving their might in these current times. The TnH Power 25 features individuals from a wide range of sectors in travel and tourism— from tourism boards and online travel agencies to airlines, hotels and even the government. Together, they represent a mix of roles that has significant relevance to the continued and successful growth of the global travel and tourism industry. Of course, the list is a bit skewed towards individuals with the power to especially impact Indian tourism. Some of the candidates are the usual suspects- they are not just the highest earning, but also the most visible and the most talkedabout. Some others are heading the industry’s biggest companies and yet others are the most respected industry veterans. Finally there are those that are

carving a niche for themselves, that will ensure that they are the most in-demand not just at this current moment but also for years to come. Because we believe that transparency is important, we would like to share that the list is not scientific but subjective. It’s the result of an opinion poll from a sample of our travel industry database combined with our team’s assessment of the track record, thought leadership and economic power of the candidates. Therefore, we accept that our readers will agree and disagree on at-least some of the names. In this respect, we welcome your feedback. Hope the list inspires you all! And for those of you who missed out or disagree with who made it to the list, here’s my placatory note: don’t worry, work hard, there’s always next year! Publisher & Editor Srishti Jindal

CONTENT Sir Richard Branson

Dev Karvat

Rahul Bhatia

Sean Doyle

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum

Kavi Ghei

Zubin Karkaria

Ritesh Agarwal

His Excellency, Mr Akbar Al Baker

Brian Joseph Chesky

Deep Kalra

Vikramjit Singh Oberoi

Nishant Pitti

Puneet Chhatwal

Founder and chairman of the Virgin Group

Group Managing Director, InterGlobe EnterprisesPromoter, Indigo

Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline Group

17 19

CEO of VFS Global

Qatar Airways, Group Chief Executive

Co-founder & CEO, Airbnb

Founder & Group Executive Chairman of MakeMyTrip

Co-founder, Wholetime Director and Chief Executive Officer of EaseMyTrip

Founder and CEO, ASEGO

CEO of British Airways

Founder and Chief Executive WOfficer of OYO Rooms

William Douglas Parker

CEO of American Airlines Group

Carsten Spohr

CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa AG

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of EIH Limited (The Oberoi Group)

Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Indian Hotels Co. Ltd. (TATA Group)

Kapil Chopra

Ajay Singh

Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia

William Matthew Walsh

Gangapuram Kishan Reddy

Bhaskar Bhat

Sanjiv Puri

Glenn D. Fogel

Chairman & Managing Director of ITC

President & CEO, Booking Holdings

Union Minister For Civil Aviation

Union Minister For Culture, Tourism And Development Of North Eastern Region (DoNER)

Postcard Hotels & Resorts

Chairman and Managing Director of SpiceJet Ltd.

Director-General, IATA

CEO, Vistara Airlines

Himmat Anand Founder, Tree of Life Resorts and Hotel

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“

The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails. -John Maxwell

One of the largest service industries in the world, before the pandemic hit, the travel and tourism market directly contributed $2.9 trillion to the global GDP in 2019. Further, travel and tourism’s total contribution to GDP worldwide in 2019 was just over $9.2 trillion. With its dynamism and opportunity for entrepreneurship, it is unsurprising that the travel and tourism industry has several inspiring leaders. Over the years, these key individuals have continued to inspire, initiate and innovate. They have overcome tremendous challenges, steering some of the largest entities in the travel industry through choppy waters, exploring uncharted territories and often influencing travel as we know it. In the following pages is our list of the top 25 most influential people in the global travel industry with a special focus on Indian leaders.

Reach For The Stars

Sir Richard Branson Sir Richard Branson is an entrepreneur, author, adventurer and visionary. He is also the founder of the global conglomerate, the Virgin Group. Initially started as a small mail-order record venture, Branson’s enterprise has grown into the Virgin Group, which now consists of several companies in diverse sectors including travel and leisure, music and entertainment, financial services and more. Over the last few decades, Branson and the ‘Virgin’ brand have become a household name in several countries across the world. However, in the travel industry, their names are closely associated with the British airline, Virgin Atlantic. First started in 1984, Virgin Atlantic marked Branson’s foray into the aviation industry. An avid traveller and aviation enthusiast, Branson has been closely involved with the development of the Virgin Atlantic brand, participating in the airline’s advertisements and publicizing them through his own activities. In addition to his work with the airline, Branson has also promoted other travel ventures under the Virgin brand. For instance, in 1987 and 1991, Branson undertook hot air

balloon crossings across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, respectively. Today, Virgin Balloon Flights still take to the skies also offering reward points to passengers. Branson has also entered the cruise industry through the cruise line, Virgin Voyages; and the British railway industry through Virgin Trains. However, the sky has not been the limit for this adventure enthusiast. In 2004, Branson started Virgin Galactic, a spaceflight company. Through this venture, Branson hopes to promote commercial space tourism. In July 2021, Branson was one of the first few people who flew on Virgin Galactic’s test flight on SpaceShipTwo — successfully reaching the edge of space and creating history. Over the course of his remarkable career, Branson has overcome several personal and professional challenges including a learning disability, the death of his child, and failed businesses. He has also received several accolades, including being knighted at the Buckingham Palace in 2000 for his contributions to entrepreneurship. Branson’s zest for pushing the frontiers of travel and innovation are indeed remarkable and inspiring.

A Flight To Success

Rahul Bhatia A doyen of the Indian travel and tourism industry, Rahul Bhatia is the Group Managing Director of InterGlobeEnterprises and the Promoter and Non- Executive Director of InterGlobe Aviation Limited. Bhatia has over three decades of experience in diverse aspects of tourism and established InterGlobe Enterprises in 1989. InterGlobe has interests in civil aviation, hospitality, travel commerce, airline management, aircraft maintenance engineering, and advanced pilot training. The most popular of his ventures are Indigo Airlines, the Ibis hotel chain in India in partnership with ACCOR, and the award winning ITQ which is the official distributor of Galileo and Worldspan in leading markets of Asia Pacific. However, undoubtedly his biggest asset amongst all of these is InterGlobe Aviation, whose IndiGo is India’s biggest airline by market share. Bhatia co-founded the Indian low-cost carrier with airline industry personality Rakesh Gangwal in 2006. Since its humble beginnings, IndiGo has come a long way. Prior to the pandemic, the company flew to over 87 destinations in India and abroad with a fleet of over 283 aircrafts . Even so,

over the years, Bhatia and his colleagues at IndiGo have continued to strive to make the airline more efficient and affordable. Indigo’s business model is also unique, with well-trained staff and processes for getting aeroplanes flight-ready in 25 minutes or less — IndiGo reportedly has the quickest turnaround time. His vision and the unprecedented growth and success of IndiGo and InterGlobe Enterprises has led to Bhatia becoming one of the most influential people in the Asia-Pacific region’s travel industry. In 2011, Bhatia was recognized as ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ by Ernst & Young and The Economic Times. He also received the ‘The Outstanding Start-Up’ award at the 2011 Forbes India Leadership Awards. Furthermore, In 2016, Bhatia was featured on the Forbes’ Global Game Changers List and was also recognised by TnH magazine as ‘The Most Outstanding Leader of the Industry’ at the TnH Awards.

Ruling The Skies

His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum A juggernaut of middle eastern aviation, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum is the Chairman and Chief Executive of the Emirates Airline and Group. Concurrently, he also serves as the President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and as the Chairman of Dubai Airports. With over four decades of experience in the aviation industry, Sheikh Ahmed has played a prominent role in the development of Emirates Airlines as a global brand and Dubai’s rise as a global hub for aviation and leisure. In fact, aviation has become a major contributor to Dubai’s GDP — comprising 28% of its GDP. He has also been closely associated with Emirates Airline since 1985 when he was appointed as chairman of the international carrier. Today, Emirates is one of the largest international airlines in the world with over 250 aircraft and flights to over 150 global destinations. In 2009, Sheikh Ahmed also became the chairman of Dubai’s low budget carrier, flydubai. Under Sheikh Ahmed’s guidance, both Emirates and flydubai have

partnered to increase connectivity and expand their respective global networks. In addition to his work with the airlines, Sheikh Ahmed has also led multiple aviation industry-related organizations and regulatory bodies since the mid-1980s. He began his career in the aviation sector as the President of the Dubai Department of Civil Aviation (DCA), which was later restructured into two separate entities—the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Dubai Airports. Under his leadership, Dubai’s airports have also expanded rapidly, with the Dubai International Airport becoming one of the busiest in the world. Sheikh Ahmed’s efforts to put Dubai on the global aviation map and increase its profile as a tourist destination have been met with several accolades. For instance, in 1994, Sheikh Ahmed became a fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, one of the industry’s oldest and most respected professional associations for aviation.

Creating Global Footprints

Zubin Karkaria Known to have revolutionized Visa processes for travellers and diplomatic missions across the world, Zubin Karkaria is the Founder and CEO of VFS Global — the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services specialist for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide. After understanding the diverse challenges and administrative issues caused by long visa processes in the Indian context, Karkaria was inspired to set up an initiative that would streamline these processes. Launched in 2001, VFS Global was initially designed as a pilot intervention for visa applicants to the US embassy in Mumbai. Under Karkaria’s leadership though, VFS Global steadily created a mammoth global footprint that spans over 143 countries. As of June 2021, VFS Global works with 62 client governments including India, Japan, UAE, the US, and the UK and since its inception it has processed over 230 million applications. Karkaria’s innovative approach to the travel business has continued over a career spanning 30 years. His tryst with the travel industry began in the 1990s when he joined Kuoni

Group, where he spent much of his time rising to hold several management positions. He eventually started VFS, short for visa facilitation service, as a new business within Kuoni. Over time VFS became so large and profitable that in 2015 Karkaria was appointed the CEO of the entire Kuoni Group, becoming the first ever Asian to hold this position, and Kuoni Group merged with VFS.A phenomenal visionary and an outstanding leader, Karkaria has earnt recognition and won numerous accolades for his contributions to the global travel industry. Under his leadership VFS Global was awarded the title of the ‘Most Outstanding Organization of the Year – 2016’ at the Travel & Hospitality Awards. He has also been named as a ‘Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite’ (Knight of the National Order of Merit) by the French government and most recently was honoured with the ‘Global Game Changers Award’ at The Indian Awards in London.

All Corners Of The World

His Excellency, Akbar Al Baker A renowned figure in the global aviation industry, His Excellency, Mr Akbar Al Baker has been Qatar Airways’ Group Chief Executive since 1997. He also holds CEO positions in several divisions of Qatar’s national airline including Hamad International Airport, of which he has served as a developer since 2014. In addition to his role at Qatar Airways, Al Baker holds the position of Secretary-General of the Qatar National Tourism Council. Under Al Baker’s leadership, Qatari aviation has transformed and grown rapidly. From a small airline launched in 1997, Qatar Airways has grown into an award-winning international carrier, flying to over 130 destinations across the world. Over the course of two decades, Al Baker has reiterated the need for high standards of service and safety for airline passengers. These efforts have borne fruit. Since 2011, Qatar Airways has been recognized as ‘Airline of the Year ’ by Skytrax on multiple occasions, including in 2019. Passionate about innovation, Al Baker has also sought to combine luxury with air travel. This has resulted in several upgrades to Qatar Airways’ onboard experience In 2019, Qatar Airways business class was named as the world’s best at the Skytrax World Airline Awards and the TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards.

Al Baker has also held several influential positions in international aviation bodies. In May 2021, he was appointed as the Chairman of the oneworld® Alliance. Previously, he served as the Chairman of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Board of Governors from June 2018 to June 2019. In addition to aviation, Al Baker is also passionate about increasing tourism to Qatar. After being appointed as Secretary-General of the Qatar National Tourism Council, he has been deeply involved in the planning of the FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted in Doha in 2022. Al Baker has received many honours for his work in the aviation industry. In June 2015, he was awarded the Legion of Honour, the highest French order of merit.

Strategies To Action

Brian Joseph Chesky Brian Chesky is the CEO of Airbnb, an online platform to find lodging, homestays, vacation rentals and book tourism-related activities. A publicly-traded company since December 2020, Chesky co-founded Airbnb with Nathan Blecharczyk and Joe Gebbia in 2008. Chesky has had an unconventional journey to becoming a key player in the tourism industry as well as in silicon valley. An industrial designer by training, in 2007, Chesky and Gebbia leased out their apartment to designers, who were visiting for a conference but couldn’t find hotel rooms. Chesky provided them with an airbed, poptarts for breakfast and soon the company took shape. Airbnb was launched in August 2008 as Airbedandbreakfast.com. In the early years, Chesky and the other co-founders would do all the work by themselves. Often photographing homes, and updating spreadsheets regarding bookings and more.

Since its early days, Airbnb has come a long way. It began expanding internationally in 2011 and as of 2020, the company appears to have a presence in over 220 countries worldwide. Airbnb reportedly also has over 5.6 million listings online as of September 2020. More than 900 million guests have used this Airbnb to date. The meteoric rise of Airbnb has been temporarily curbed by the pandemic though, with the company having had to lay off a significant portion of its full-time staff. As the CEO of Airbnb, Chesky has been primarily involved in planning for the company’s future. His bold moves and innovative strategies have earned him recognition in the travel industry and beyond. For instance, in 2015, Chesky was included as one of the most influential people alive in the Time 100. In the same year, he was also appointed as a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship.

Pioneer of Online Travel

Deep Kalra Deep Kalra is among the few entrepreneurs in India who realized the immense potential of the internet early on and leveraged it to pursue his entrepreneurial journey. Considered the pioneer of the online travel marketplace in India, Kalra founded India’s leading online travel company, MakeMyTrip in the year 2000. Today after two decades since its inception, MakeMyTrip enjoys a dominant position in India’s online travel market with the OTA having over 50% market share in all travel verticals. A graduate in Economics from Delhi’s St. Stephen’s College and an alumnus of the prestigious Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, Kalra worked for leading MNCs such as ABN AMRO Bank, GE Capital, and so on before launching his own venture. While working at GE Capital in the U.S as its VP of business development, Kalra used the internet extensively to achieve the company’s goals.

It was because of this tenure with GE that he foresaw the huge possibilities of the internet in business.Eventually Kalra left GE to embark on his own entrepreneurial journey and with his co-founders Rajesh Magow, Keyur Joshi and Sachin Bhatia, founded MakeMytrip.com in 2000 in the US market. Initially the idea was to serve the overseas Indian community in the US by offering online travel services such as flight bookings. Ultimately, MakeMyTrip started selling airline tickets and hotel stays to the Indians in India and was listed in NASDAQ in 2010, which was a big feat for any Indian e-commerce company at the time. Since then MMT has grown to become the largest online travel company in India and continues to grow exponentially till today. The success story of Deep Kalra changed how Indians book travel forever and has earned Kalra a spot on every travel power list.

Zest For Travel And Suceess

Nishant Pitti Nishant Pitti is the Chief Executive Officer, Wholetime Director, and Co-Founder of the online travel company, EaseMyTrip. However, this travel maverick stumbled into the industry quite accidentally. Now, after more than a decade in this sector, Pitti’s company is the second largest OTA in the country and one of the only profitable ones.

just two years the company generated a turnover of more than 100 crore rupees in 2010. Today, EaseMyTrip offers several services and products including airline tickets, hotel bookings, holiday packages and more. Although the company had initially started with a B2B model, it has now expanded to providing robust B2C services as well.

Pitti’s tryst with the travel industry began fairly early in his youth. As a youngster, Pitti, and his brother Rikant, would often try to book their businessman father’s airline tickets. They soon realised that they were able to save several hundreds of rupees on these purchases. Through word of mouth and existing connections, the Pitti brothers started booking tickets for family and friends. Noticing the large volume of bookings from the same email ID, an airline asked them to become its travel partner. After some ups and downs, and a dash of ‘jugaad’, Pitti was able to start his own travel agency. In 2008, he named the company EaseMyTrip, and in a span of

It has to be noted that inspite of the pandemic, under Pitti’s leadership, in FYI 2021 the company reported a net profit of Rs 61.4 crore. Further it has seen a 3.5x surge in its stock price since its March listing, proving Pitti’s business acumen.

Paving The Path Ahead

Dev Karvat Dev Karvat, the Founder and CEO, Asego (Karvat Group), is a well-known name in India’s travel & tourism industry as is the Karvat Group, which is one of India’s leading providers of travel ancillary services including travel insurance, catering to clients including top travel agents, corporates/ TMCs, and airlines. As the travel industry renews itself in the brave new post pandemic world, one thing is clear: travel insurance is now as essential for travel as an air ticket. And since Dev has been somewhat of a pioneer in this space, it is undoubtedly now his time to shine.

Group. Subsequently, TrawellTag Cover-More became a part of Zurich Insurance Group. Under Dev’s leadership, TrawellTag Cover-More provided protection coverage to about 4 million travellers globally in the pre-Covid-19 world. Post Cover-More’s decision to exit India in 2020, owing to the pandemic, Kavat group began independent operations under the new brand name-Asego. The move is expected to help the group consolidates its position in the Indian travel ancillary services market and propell it to even greater success.

Recognising his professional ability and business acumen, and his stellar role in driving TrawellTag’s business in India, Australia based Cover-More Group appointed Dev Karvat as its CEO and partner for emerging markets in 2012. In 2017, Zurich Insurance Group, one of the world’s leading multi-line insurers, acquired Cover-More

Among his latest accolades: Asego is now all set to expand its domain to other insurance segments such as health, motor, package products, liability cover and marine cover.

From Survival To Success

Glenn D. Fogel lenn D. Fogel has been the Chief Executive Officer and G President at Booking Holdings since January 2017, presiding over its phenomenal growth and expansion. The company’s revenue also increased significantly under his leadership. In 2016, the year before Fogel became CEO, Booking Holdings’ revenue was $10.7 billion, which jumped to $14.5 billion in 2018. Under his leadership, Booking Holdings has successfully been navigating competition to stay on the top in the industry. He led the expansion of the company into segments such as restaurants, activities, cars, air and homestays while maintaining hotels as its key segment. Fogel has also been the Chief Executive Officer of Booking.com since June 2019. Booking Holdings, the world’s leader in online travel and related services, owns Booking.com and other leading travel brands including priceline.com, agoda.com, Kayak, rentalcars.com and OpenTable. Founded by Jay Scott Walker in 1997 and headquartered in Norwalk, CT, Booking Holdings’ offerings include reservation for accommodations including hotels, hostels, apartments, vacation rentals and other properties and related services. The American travel technology company operates websites in about 40 languages and provide services in more than 220 countries. The company’s overall listings of hotels, homes and apartments are about 28 million. The company has more than 300 offices in over 70 countries.

Unarguably, heading such as large company is a matter of great pride as well as immense responsibility, and Glenn Fogel has been discharging this responsibility quite successfully. He has had a long stint with Booking Holdings, holding many key positions at Booking Holdings including its head of worldwide strategy and planning from 2010 to 2016. He has been with the company since 2000 when it was called The Priceline Group. Before joining Booking Holdings, Fogel worked as a trader in a global asset management firm. This followed his stint as an investment banker specializing in the air transportation industry. Born in Port Chester, New York, Fogel is a graduate of Harvard Law School and holds a Bachelor degree in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Fogel is a member of the New York State Bar (retired).

The Art Of Skillfull Navigation

Sean Doyle A well-known figure in the European airline business, Sean Doyle was appointed the CEO of British Airways in October 2020 — taking charge of an airline reeling from the pandemic as well as tough competition from low-cost carriers in the continent. With almost two decades in the industry, Doyle has held several leadership roles. Before leading British Airways, Doyle had a brief stint as CEO of Aer Lingus between January 2019 and September 2020. He has also spent the majority of his career at British Airways. In 2016, Doyle was appointed to the executive management committee as director of network, fleet and alliances.

During this period he helped to implement the carrier’s partnership with American Airlines. Prior to this, Doyle had held several positions in the airline as well. Doyle has deep knowledge about the industry and has skillfully navigated Aer Lingus through Brexit-related discussions. Brexit will continue to impact British Airways’ operations as well along with financial challenges caused by the pandemic. However, Doyle believes that running the airlines as part of the group will help with easing the strain on the airline as the COVID situation improves for global aviation.

Chartering New Territory

Kavi ghei Kavi Ghei is well known for his contribution to the travel industry and pioneered the travel representation business in India. Today, as a result of his vision and innovation, the industry he has carved out has become an imperative part of the Indian travel ecosystem. He is counted among the few veterans in India’s travel & tourism industry who recognised the early potential and opportunities in the country’s tourism sector and even 30 years later, his company TracRep continues to provide high quality products and services to their niche clientele. Specialising in providing destination representation, consultancy, marketing, public relations and communications services for the outbound travel & tourism industry, Trac has a stellar track record of working with leading DMOs, hotels and other travel companies from around the world. There is a long list of popular destinations it has represented in the Indian market, including Monaco, Jamaica, Abu Dhabi, Maldives, Malaysia,

Singapore, Kenya, Mauritius and Israel. In fact, Trac has been pivotal in raising profile of these destinations in the country’s travel market and as a result Ghei and his company Trac both enjoy immense goodwill in the trade fraternity. It’s important to note that it has been a challenging few years for Trac just like it has been for outbound travel in general. Inspite of the testing atmosphere, where several DMOs have either shut down or trimmed down operations, under Ghei’s dynamic leadership, Trac has sustained and renewed its operations. They have continued to build an extensive network of trade partners with whom they enjoy a strong rapport and diversified into new and lucrative growth opportunities like global citizenship by investment.

Age Is Just A Number

Ritesh Agarwal It seems like age is just a number to Ritesh Agarwal, who is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of a multi-million dollar hospitality business, OYO Hotel & Homes. Agarwal started OYO before the age of 20. Today, OYO has grown into a global brand, with operations in over 800 cities in 80 countries around the world. Agarwal’s rise as one of the most influential figures in Indian travel has been inspiring. Hailing from a small town in Odisha, Agarwal belongs to a family that runs a small shop. He would have probably taken over the shop at some point too. However, a journey across India at the age of 17 convinced him to pursue his entrepreneurial ambitions: to improve budget accommodations. Shortly thereafter, he received the Thiel Fellowship, having dropped out of college and started a short-stay budget accommodation business,

Oravel. The fellowship equipped Agarwal with a grant worth $100,000 and an opportunity to be mentored by entrepreneurs like Peter Thiel, Elon Musk, and others. By 2013, Agarwal had launched OYO Hotels and Homes. Today, OYO seems to be beating the pandemic blues. It has reportedly recovered most of its pre-pandemic gross profit margins. OYO’s strategies to deal with shrinking demand during COVID may have helped. They not only promoted staycations, high standards of sanitization, but also offered rooms to health workers and essential workers. Agarwal’s work has generated several accolades. He has been listed in Forbes 30 under 30 in Asia and has won the Business World Young Entrepreneur Award. OYO is also poised to go public. This

Knowledge Is The Key

William Douglas Parker William Douglas Parker or Doug Parker is the current Chairman and CEO of American Airlines Group, Inc. He began his journey with the American Airlines Group in 2013, after overseeing a successful merger between American Airlines and US Airways, where he was CEO. Since this merger,

West, Parker displayed his skills to handle crises too. Having been named CEO in September 2001, Parker faced several unprecedented challenges in the aftermath of 9/11. Yet, he was able to successfully guide the airline through this uncertain period.

American Airlines has become the largest airline in the world in terms of fleet size and serves destinations in over 55 countries across the world. With over 20 years of senior leadership experience, Parker is one of the most knowledgeable executives in the aviation industry. As CEO of American, he has helped the group generate significant improvements to American’s financial growth. Previously, during his tenure as the Chairman and CEO of US Airways, Parker successfully led the airline to outperform its peers in terms of its operations and generate record revenue growth. Parker is also a skilled negotiator and adept at handling crises. In 2005, he led the merger between US Airways and American West, of which he served as the Chairman, President and CEO. At American

While Parker grew up with aviation, a fascination with numbers — not aviation — has driven his growth in this field. In the early 1990s, Parker served as the vice president, assistant treasurer and vice president of Financial Planning and Analysis at Northwest Airlines. He also held several finance-related positions with American Airlines, where he began his career in 1986. Over the span of his career, Parker has emerged as one of the most prominent supporters of airline industry consolidation. In 2017, he received the Tony Jannus Award for distinguished achievement in commercial air transportation.

Diversity Personified

Carsten Spohr A prominent figure in European aviation, Carsten Spohr is the CEO of Deutsche Lufthansa AG. Named as one of the ten most reputable CEOs by Forbes in 2019, Spohr has been leading Lufthansa since May 2014. Spohr’s tenure at Lufthansa has been marked by his ability to navigate through difficult circumstances. Under his supervision, the Lufthansa Group airlines successfully restructured their distribution — becoming the first to do so. Spohr is also a proponent of consolidation in the aviation industry. Over the past few years, he has advocated for the need for a strong and consolidated European market. Previously, with his guidance, the group’s passenger business also grew more profitable, increasing from 111 million Euros in 2012 to almost 300 million Euros in the first 9 months of 2013. Spohr has over 25 years of experience in the aviation industry and has been closely associated with Deutsche Lufthansa for the majority of his career.

At Deutsche Lufthansa, Spohr has held several senior leadership positions. For instance, he has served on multiple executive boards of Lufthansa Group’s subsidiaries as Chairman including the Lufthansa Passage Executive Board and the Executive Board of Lufthansa Cargo AG. In 2011, Spohr was also appointed as a member of the Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa. Over the last three decades at Deutsche Lufthansa, Spohr has managed diverse portfolios such as hubs, cabin crew, personnel and central personnel marketing. Spohr has also managed Lufthansa’s worldwide partnerships including those with Star Alliance and regional partners. In addition to being a well-regarded executive, Spohr is also a trained commercial pilot. He briefly worked with Deutsche Aerospace AG before joining the Deutsche Lufthansa Group. Following his passion for aviation, Sporf maintains an active license to fly the Airbus A320 Family aircraft.

Journey To Leadership

Vikramjit Singh Oberoi With over 25 years of experience, Vikramjit Singh Oberoi is a leading figure in the Indian hospitality industry. Oberoi has been the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of EIH Limited, the flagship company of The Oberoi Group since April 2015. Oberoi was exposed to the travel and tourism industry from an early age. He belongs to the prominent Oberoi family, which not only lends its name to the group but has also been an important player in the Indian tourism sector for decades. EIH Ltd. itself operates some of India’s largest luxury hotels under famous brands like Oberoi, Trident, and Maidens. He is also no stranger to senior-level management. Throughout his career, Oberoi has held several

operations-related positions. He joined EIH Ltd.’s board as a Non-Executive Director in 1993. Over the next few years, he was appointed as a Whole-Time Director and Deputy Managing Director of the company in July 2004. By July 2007, he had become a Joint Managing Director at EIH Ltd. Subsequently, he was designated as the Chief Operating Officer and Joint Managing Director in November 2010. Oberoi’s leadership includes entities beyond EIH Ltd. He is on the Board of Directors of several entities including EIH Associated Hotels Ltd., BI Publications Pvt Ltd., Oberoi Holdings Pvt Ltd., Oberoi Hotels Pvt Ltd., and more!

An Extraordinary Mind

Puneet Chhatwal How does one run South Asia’s largest hospitality company? You need to just ask Puneet Chhatwal for answers. Chhatwal is the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL). He has held this position since 2017. IHCL includes beloved brands like Taj, Vivanta, Ginger and more. A veteran of the hospitality and tourism industries, Chhatwal brings over 30 years of experience to his role at IHCL. Over the span of his illustrious career, Chhatwal has worked in diverse contexts including renowned hotel groups in North America and Europe. Before working with IHCL, Chhatwal was the Chief Executive Officer of the German hospitality business, Steigenberger Hotels AG, as well as a member of its Executive Board. Previously, Chhatwal also was the

Chief Development Officer of The Rezidor Hotel Group – Carlson Hotels Worldwide. Since taking over as IHCL’s MD & CEO, Chhatwal has steered the company through brand expansions and disruptions caused by the pandemic. However, IHCL might be able to weather the storm after all. With its highly diversified portfolios of over 160 properties across India and abroad, and some savvy cost-cutting strategies, ICHL might just be looking at a rosier 2022. Chhatwal has received significant international recognition for his contributions to the global hospitality industry. He has received the Carlson Fellowship, which is a prestigious honour. In 2014, he was also included as one of ‘Europe’s 20 extraordinary minds in Sales, Marketing and Technology’ by HSMAI European Awards.

The Growing Way

Sanjiv Puri Associated with ITC since 1986, Sanjiv Puri became its Managing Director in May 2018. Over the past few decades, ITC has grown steadily becoming one of the most diverse companies in India. Today, ITC has a diversified portfolio of brands ranging from personal care and hotels to Agri-business and IT. With over 30 years of experience at ITC, Puri has grown with the company. Prior to becoming Managing Director, Puri was appointed the company’s Chief Executive Officer and Wholetime Director of its board in 2017 and 2015, respectively. Previously, he was also ITC’s Chief Operating Officer (COO). He is also well versed in different aspects of ITC’s businesses. In fact, from manufacturing to IT, Puri has done it all. For instance, he was the President of ITC’s Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) businesses. He is the current Managing Director of ITC’s Infotech India Ltd. (‘I3L’) and its British and American subsidiaries.

During the Pandemic, ITC’s hotels have felt a pinch. However, Puri and his team are hoping to leverage emerging opportunities and build upon an asset-right strategy. Under Puri’s leadership, ITC has also continued to explore opportunities to grow its brands. And it appears to have worked! The company’s FMCG business has recently expanded to Rs 15,000 crores. Puri has received several awards and accolades over the course of his career. In 2018, he was given the ‘Distinguished Alumnus Award’ by IIT Kanpur, his alma mater. Puri has also been the Chairman of the FICCI FMCG Committee and a Member of the FICCI National Executive Committee.

Keeping The Legacy Alive

Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia A well-known youth leader, Jyotiraditya Madhavrao Scindia is India’s new business-savvy Minister of Civil Aviation, having assumed office in July 2021. An experienced parliamentarian, Scindia has served as a Rajya Sabha member representing his home state of Madhya Pradesh since June 2020. He is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Belonging to the royal family of Gwalior, Scindia grew up in a politically active family. However, his own path to political activism has been unconventional. Prior to joining Indian politics, Scindia worked in private equity firms for several years. As a youngster, Scindia attended Harvard, from where he had received his undergraduate degree. He has also received his Master’s in Business Administration from Stanford University.

Scindia first forayed into Indian politics after the demise of his father in 2001. As a young politician with the Congress party, he represented the Guna constituency in the Lok Sabha until 2019. In 2012, he was named the Minister of State for Power. Scindia was also appointed as the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry in 2012 and as the Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology in 2007. However, the minister faces several turbulent months ahead. The pandemic has proven to be significantly disruptive to the Indian civil aviation industry, and there is much to be done. To rejuvenate this sector, Scindia has announced the formation of three panels consisting of industry leaders. Through these efforts, Scindia hopes to foster closer industry-government ties and more collaboration between diverse stakeholders.

A Leader Of The Youth

Gangapuram Kishan Reddy In July 2021, Gangapuram Kishan Reddy was appointed India’s new Union Minister For Culture, Tourism and Development Of North Eastern Region (DoNER). A member of the BJP, Reddy is the first Cabinet minister from Telangana.As union minister, Reddy is now an integral part of India’s tourism and hospitality ecosystem. From creating policies that foster India’s growth as a leading travel destination to empowering diverse stakeholders in these sectors, there are many responsibilities that the minister is charged with! Although the pandemic has disrupted the ‘business as usual’ for Indian tourism, the minister remains optimistic. Since his appointment, he has held several conversations with industry stakeholders such as hotel associations, travel guide unions and more. Several initiatives are also being planned to promote the hospitality and travel sectors. This includes a new scheme to foster domestic tourism called ‘Dekho apna desh.’

The minister’s significant political and governance experience at the State and Centre levels is sure to come in handy as he takes on this new role. From May 2019 to July 2021, Reddy served as the Union Minister of State for the Ministry of Home Affairs. He also represents the Secunderabad constituency in the Lok Sabha. Previously, Reddy was a member of the Telangana Legislative Assembly and the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly. During his political career, Reddy has received several accolades. These include the Outstanding Youth Leadership Award, from the Maryland India Business Roundtable (MIBRT) in 2009; being named the Best Child-Friendly Legislator Award from UNICEF; and the ‘Glory of Honour’ Title and Medal from the Union of Bulgarian Commandos

Story Of ‘Paw’ssibilities

Himmat Anand Sometimes all you need is a nice resort, some peace, and lots of pets! And all of these can be found in Himmat Anand’s Tree of Life Resorts and Hotels. Anand is also the founder of the innovative pet-friendly hotel chain, A Dog’s Story — ‘paw’fect getaways for pets and their families. Anand is a well-known figure in the Indian tourism industry, with decades of experience in the hospitality and inbound tourism sectors. Having started his career with stints at the Taj Group of Hotels, Anand soon pivoted to Sita travels. Anand’s corporate life continued as he became the Head of Kuoni India Trails in 2000. Soon, he was also named as the Chief Operating Officer of Kuoni Destination Management, a post which he held until 2007.

However, Anand had grown weary of the corporate lifestyle— he wanted to open a resort. Finally, in 2010, the first Tree of Life resort near Jaipur was launched. To Anand, this property was meant to give visitors some peace of mind without losing out on the convenience of distance to an urban centre. This model seems to have worked. More boutique properties have been developed in Varanasi, Udaipur, Ranthambore, Binsar and Marari Beach. As a dog owner himself, Anand soon realised the need and demand for a more pet-friendly resort. He thus founded ‘A Dog’s Story’ in 2019 — A resort where pets did not have to be leashed and had ample space to run around!

A Way To Sustain Luxury

Kapil Chopra The founder of Postcard Hotels & Resorts, Kapil Chopra is not just a hotelier. In fact, he is also an avid art collector, and the Chairman of the Board of EazyDiner, a restaurant discovery app, since 2018. Chopra is also one of the most innovative people in the hospitality business. His hotel chain aims to enhance visitors’ travel experiences by marrying the idea of luxury with sustainability and community. Postcard hotels offer local food, are designed with local material, and tend to involve the local community in their business operations. From quaint Goan villages to the towering hills of Thimpu, Postcard hotels have found new homes rapidly with this business model. Chopra’s ability to have made this model sustainable is not a surprise. Over the course of his career,

he has held several prominent roles in the hospitality industry. Between January 2013 and January 2018, he was the President of the Oberoi Group — one of the youngest. Previously, he has also served as the Senior Vice-President of Oberoi Hotels & Resorts. Under his leadership, hotels have received attention and recognition. For instance, The Oberoi, Gurgaon received multiple awards including being named as the ‘Best Hotel for Business in India’ in 2012 by Conde’ Nast Traveller, India Readers’ Travel Awards. In 2012, Chopra himself received the ‘Hotelier of the Year’ award from the Hindustan Times. However, Chopra is also influential beyond the realm of hospitality. In 2021, Chopra was awarded the ‘The Hindustan Times Trailblazer Award’ for his philanthropic initiative, Charity Beds, which saved countless lives during the pandemic.

Paving The Air-Way

Ajay Singh Ajay Singh is a prominent entrepreneur and a well-known sports enthusiast. Singh is currently the principal shareholder of SpiceJet, India’s second-largest airline. He has also been the Chairman and Managing Director of the airline since 2015. A firm believer that air travel must be accessible to all, Singh co-founded SpiceJet as a budget airline in 2005. In 2010, Kalanithi Maran bought Singh’s majority share. However, by 2015, SpiceJet was cash strapped and in dire straits — forcing Singh to eventually buy back his shares.

However, Singh’s strategy to focus on growing SpiceJet’s cargo arm seems to have paid off. SpiceJet cargo’s revenue grew five-fold and was estimated to be Rs 1175 crores for FY20-21. Singh has also worked with several public sector undertakings. In 1996, he was invited to sit on the Delhi Transport Corporation’s Board. Additionally, in 1998, he was appointed as the Officer on Special Duty and was tasked with revamping the state broadcasting channel —Doordarshan. Singh eventually launched two new channels including DD Sports.

A series of smart strategies seem to have helped and by 2018, the airline was profitable again. Yet, like most other airlines, SpiceJet has also suffered from unprecedented travel restrictions during the pandemic.

Singh has continued to support sports in different capacities. He is not only the president of the Boxing Federation of India but also holds the position of the Associate Vice President of the Indian Olympic Association.

The Master Of Aviation

William Matthew Walsh One of the most well-known airline executives in the world, William Matthew Walsh or Willie Walsh became the Director-General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in April 2021, Appointed during a period of unprecedented disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Walsh has promised to engage more proactively with governments regarding travel restrictions and promote safety as flight operations resume at scale. However, Walsh is no stranger to IATA. He also served on its Board of Governors between 2005 and 2018 and was briefly chair of the board from 2016 to 2017. With over 40 years of experience in the aviation industry, Walsh is no stranger to difficult undertakings. In 2011, he facilitated the merger of British Airways and Iberia under a new parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG). Walsh then served as IAG’s CEO until his retirement in September 2020. Previously, Walsh has also held

senior leadership roles in European airlines. He was appointed as the CEO of British Airways in 2005, before which he was the COO of Irish flag carrier, Aer Lingus, and the CEO of Futura, Aer Lingus’ Spanish charter airline. Walsh’s knowledge of the industry is also compounded by his experience as a pilot. He joined Aer Lingus in 1979 as a cadet pilot, ultimately becoming a captain in 1990. Walsh has been nicknamed “Slasher Walsh”, and is well known for his ability to efficiently cut costs. His cost-cutting skills made IAG more profitable and also helped to restructure Aer Lingus in the aftermath of 9/11. His cost-cutting policies have often put him at odds with unions. However, they have also helped him gain respect and accolades in the industry. In March 2014, Walsh was named as the Laureate for Commercial Aviation by the Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine.

The Achiever of Milestones

bhaskar bhat One of the honchos of TATA Group, Bhaskar Bhat has an outstanding track-record when it comes to leadership. He has largely been credited for turning-around the fortune of Titan, making it the largest manufacturer of watches in India and the fifth largest in the world. In 2016, Bhat was appointed as the chairman of TATA-Singapore International Airlines (SIA). Under his leadership TATA-SIA, which operates Vistara airlines, has achieved many milestones. Vistara, the only private full-service carrier in the domestic market, expanded its fleet and launched its overseas operations under his watch.

An expert in key areas of businesses such as business building, marketing and sales, Bhat is successfully leading Vistara at a time when the aviation sector the world over has been hit hard by the Covid-19 crisis. Steeped in TATA’s core values and culture,Bhat strongly believes in the philosophy of building lasting institutions and aviation experts are optimistic that if the airline maintains its quality and its fleet are expanded and routes are added gradually, looking at the current revenue recovery rate, the airline can bounce back to profitability soon.

DL-SW-01/4211/20-22 | DATE OF POSTING: 5-6 OF MONTH | RNI NO. DELENG/2010/33723 | DATE OF PUBLISHING: 4th OF THE MONTH