Serviced-focused, customer-oriented General Manager dedicated to delivering positive customer experiences to promote loyalty and repeat business.
I possess a combination of operational, administrative, sales and customer-facing skills. Sound judgment, good planning abilities and interpersonal communication strengths.
Well-rounded experience of having worked in Company Owned Assets, managing Owner Asset (a Palace Hotel), HMA Asset, Leased Asset and MLR (Strata Tiled asset).
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
Work History
General Manager
Minor Hotels ANZ | Oaks Darwin Elan Hotel
08.2022 - Current
In charge of Oaks Darwin Elan Hotel, a 268 room Hotel in Darwin CBD – with a combination of spacious Hotel rooms and self-contained one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, including a Restaurant cum Bar, Room Service and Conferencing facilities
Managed a diverse team of professionals, fostering a positive work environment and high employee satisfaction.
Managed & led the Team which delivered the highest single property EBIDTA for Minor Hotels ANZ in FY 2022 [AUD7.30 million against a Budget of AUD4.27 million] [EBIDTA for FY 2023 was AUD6.40 million]
Led improvement in NPS 41 in 2022 to 51.40 in 2023. YTD NPS 2024 = 54.80
Nominated by Minor Hotels ANZ & shortlisted as finalist Australian General Manager - HM Awards 2023.
Nominated by Minor Hotels ANZ for Upscale/Midscale Hotel Manager - 2023 Hospitality Awards.
Reduced budgetary expenditures by effectively negotiating contracts for more advantageous terms.
Office Services Manager
Dept. Of Infrastructure, Planning & Logistics, NT Govt
01.2022 - 07.2022
Hired with a mandate to Office Services function at Energy House (Darwin CBD) and Highway House (Palmerston)
Provide strategic advice and direction on the management of DIPL’s accommodation and assets in accordance with government directions to meet business needs
Ensure delivery of timely and client focussed service in management of accommodation, property management and building security requirements; attend meetings and monitor related onsite contractors
Provide advice and assistance regarding corporate travel, corporate uniforms, personal protective equipment purchases and associated invoice processing
Establish, and maintain, key relationships with Departmental Divisions and relevant external agencies in order to provide efficient and timely service
Provide written reports on activities and expenditure relating to accommodation, travel and fleet across the department.
Dual Property General Manager
Quest Apartment Hotel, Palmerston & Berrimah, NT
05.2021 - 08.2021
Performing Property General Manager tasks for both Quest Palmerston & Quest Berrimah
Hotel Manager
Quest Apartment Hotel, Palmerston, NT
05.2020 - 04.2021
Business Operations: Managing day to day operations of the Front Office, Housekeeping & Maintenance functions
Preparing the budget, developing & implementing annual business plan for FY 2020-21
Franchise & Legal Compliance: Liaising with landlord/their appointed agents
Ensuring compliance with state & local laws/codes and regulatory requirements including insurance
Business Development: Preparing & implementing a business development / sales plan
Rostering staff in accordance with operational requirement and budgeted labour costs
Development of the Business Plan with Franchise Relationship Manager.
Reviewing the Daily Reservation Activity to ensure potential leads are identified and actioned.
Developing advertising & promotion ideas for the property in conjunction with Hotel Manager & FRM.
Contacting potential clients to establish rapport and arrange meetings.
Finding and developing new markets and improving sales.
Researching organizations and individuals to find new opportunities.
Attending conferences, meetings, and networking events.
Developing quotes and proposals for clients.
Handling RFP’s.
General Manager
Taj Aravali Resort & Spa
01.2018 - 07.2019
A 92 Room (upcoming 212 Room) Luxury Resort & Spa – managed by Taj Hotels Palaces Resorts Safaris – in the beautiful lake city of Udaipur in Rajasthan.
First phase of the Resort (91 rooms) opened operationally on 7th December 2018 to rave reviews.
Awarded the HICSA 2019 ‘Best New Hotel of the Year’ in the Luxury/Upper Upscale Hotels Segment.
Achieved TripAdvisor rating of 5 & www.booking.com rating of 9.1 in the first three months of operations.
Achieved YTD revenue of AUD 2.49 Million (INR 11.93 Crores) (40 RPD @ ADR of AUD 301.00) in FY 2018-19.
Responsible for all pre-opening functions of the Resort & Spa.
Working on the Sales & Marketing Plan, Food & Beverage Concepts, Online & Digital Content Development, Hotel Photography & Videography, Recruitment of Department Heads and all Associates, Operating Supplies & Equipments, Brand Standards & SOP’s.
General Manager
Taj Usha Kiran Palace
12.2014 - 01.2018
A 40 Room Luxury Palace Hotel – owned by His Highness Maharaja Mr Jyotiraditya M Scindia (Royal Family of Gwalior), Managed by Taj Group of Hotels
Achieved an ADR growth of 6.18 % in FY 2016-17 vis– a - vis previous FY
Achieved a 14.75 % growth in customer satisfaction growth in FY 2016-17 (i.e Medallia NPS)
Achieved (for FY 2015-16) Revenue growth of 9 % when compared to Budget and a Revenue growth of 19 % vis-à-vis previous financial year FY 2014-15.
Achieved # 1 Ranking on TripAdvisor for the City
Worked on a major redeployment plan of Executives to reduce payroll cost. Achieved a 21.6 % reduction in payroll cost
Undertaken various HR initiatives to increase & enhance employee engagement in the Hotel
Conceptualised & designed various Guest Engagement initiatives to enhance guest satisfaction scores.
Director – Catering Sales
The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower
12.2011 - 11.2014
Banquets & Catering was an important & integral part of the F&B revenue of Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Mumbai
Revenue Budget for FY 2014- 15 was AUD 12.12 Million (INR 58.03 Crores). Previous FY banquet revenue was AUD 11.07 Million (INR 53.00 Crores)
Responsible for increasing Beverage APC in FY 2012-13 (YTD, April - Nov LY v/s CY) from AUD 4.08 (INR 195.00) to AUD 6.37 (INR 305.00). This was a 56 % increase
Responsible for increasing Beverage contribution in FY 2012-13 (as a percentage to Total Sale) from 8.67 % to 11.05 %
Conducted a “Departmental Restructuring Study” and put forth a proposal to enhance efficiency of the Catering Sales Dept and to facilitate faster reverts to guest queries.
Food & Beverage Manager
THE LEELA MUMBAI, Leela Palaces And Resorts
05.2010 - 12.2011
Responsible for day to day operations of the F&B Dept, which included the following outlets: Citrus – All day dining restaurant with an open show kitchen, The Great Wall – Chinese specialty restaurant featuring Hunan, Schezwan & Cantonese Cuisine, Stella – Signature Italian fine dining restaurant with an exquisite wine library, Jamavar – Authentic Indian restaurant, Six Degrees – Cosmopolitan bar than offers wide range of exotic cocktails and beverages, The Lobby Lounge – the perfect meeting place with exotic teas and coffees, Private Dining, Banquet Operations
Total revenue budget for FY 2010-11 was AUD 10.37 Million (INR 49.62 Crores)
Responsible for recruitment, training, motivation & retention of staff members
Total manpower budget for F&B service is 180 staff members.
Food & Beverage Manager
The Leela Kempisnki Kovalam
08.2008 - 04.2010
Responsible for day to day operations of the F&B Dept, which included the following outlets: The Terrace – Multi cuisine all day dining restaurant, Tides – Beach side Pan Asian restaurant, The Bar, Sky Bar – Lounge Bar, The Café – Exclusive restaurant for Club residents, In room dining, Banquet Operations (Rajiv Gandhi Convention Centre, Maya, Tara, Roshni and Pandhal)
Assignments included planning of annual F&B Event calendar, organising Food festivals and Beverage promotions in co-ordination with the Executive Chef
Responsible for recruitment, training, motivation & retention of staff members
Total manpower budget for F&B service was 80 staff members.
Food & Beverage Manager
Rebak Island Resort – A Taj Hotel
07.2007 - 08.2008
Resort officially launched as a Taj Hotel in the month of June 2007
Assignment included implementing “Leisure SBU” Brand Standards, Staff Training, Upgrading Wine and Beverage Menus, Implementation of Operating Procedures & Processes for Restaurants and Bars, Vendor Sourcing and Negotiation
Responsible for operations of Minum Minum (Lounge Bar), Senari (All Day Dining restaurant), Boardwalk (Dinner Restaurant), In Room Dining, SY 69 (Activity Bar), Pool bar, Hard Dock Cafe and Banquets.
Assistant Food & Beverage Manager
The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower
10.2006 - 06.2007
Area of responsibility included Golden Dragon, Zodiac Grill, The Chambers, Wasabi by Morimoto, In Room Dining and the Corporate Dining Room
Departmental Income for the financial year 2006-07 was as mentioned below: Golden Dragon – $ 1.88 Million (INR 9.02 Crores), Zodiac Grill – $ 1.06 Million (INR 5.12 Crores), Chambers – $ 0.894 Million (INR 4.28 Crores), Wasabi by Morimoto – $ 1.76 Million (INR 8.43 Crores), In Room Dining – $ 1.81 Million (INR 8.67 Crores)
Reporting to the EAM – Food & Beverage and responsible for smooth day to day operations of the above restaurants
Actively involved in completing the application process for “Wine Spectator” Awards.
Restaurant Manager – Food & Beverage
The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower
07.2006 - 09.2006
Responsible for smooth day to day operations of Souk & Casa Blanca (Private Romantic Dining area in Souk)
Maintaining and updating profiles of regular and VIP guests
Responsible for conducting regular staff training sessions.
Manager – Catering Sales
The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower
12.2003 - 06.2006
Total revenue budget of the banquet department for the financial year 2005-06 was AUD 5.30 Million (INR 25.39 Crores).
Responsible for supervising daily operations of the Catering Sales office and a team of 6 Sales Executives
Assistant Restaurant Manager – Golden Dragon
The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower
08.2002 - 11.2003
Part of the team responsible for re-launching the new Golden Dragon (Chinese Restaurant)
Responsible for supervising 18 employees and smooth day to day operations of the restaurant
Departmental income for the financial year 2002-03 was approximately AUD 1.04 Million (INR 5 Crores)
Part of the team; deputed to Banquets; which organized the famous “Taj Centenary Celebrations” dinner
Part of the team; deputed to banquets; which achieved record sales of approximately AUD 776,866.00 (INR 3.72 Crores) for the banquet department in the month of December’02.
Restaurant Supervisor – Navajo Restaurant
Marriott’s Camelback Inn
10.2000 - 03.2002
Responsible for supervising restaurant operations at Navajo (Seafood Buffet restaurant of the Resort)
Responsible for supervising 40 associates within two different shifts
Navajo restaurant produced revenue to the tune of USD 4 Million and had a labour budget of USD 1 Million
Assisted in supervising “Sprouts” – Spa restaurant and “Chaparral” – fine dining restaurant whenever required
Deputed to Vail Marriott, Colorado on task force for one month.
Food & Beverage Service Attendant
Hotel Inter-Continental
08.1999 - 07.2000
Worked at Cafe Opera (Seafood buffet restaurant cum Coffee Shop); as part time employment; while pursuing Bachelor’s degree at The Hotel School, Sydney.
Food & Beverage Executive
The Ambassador Hotel
01.1999 - 07.1999
Part of the team, which launched the new coffee shop cum pub “Flavors”
Responsible for departmental training, staffing, maintenance and upkeep of guest history records.
Management Trainee
The Ambassador Hotel
07.1997 - 12.1998
Trained in all the departments of the hotel for a year and successfully completed understudy period in the Food & Beverage department
Completed various case studies and projects, which included a downsizing exercise for the Food & Beverage department.
Education
Bachelor of Business in Hotel Management -
Southern Cross University (The Hotel School)
Sydney, NSW
10.2000
Advanced Diploma of Hotel Management -
The Hotel School
Syndey, NSW
11.1999
Food & Beverage Management Certificate -
Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Motel Association
08.1998
Diploma in Hotel Administration & Food Technology -
Sophia Shree B.K. Somani Memorial Polytechnic
Mumbai, India
04.1997
Skills
Leadership and team building
Customer Relations
Training and Development
Relationship Building
Verbal and written communication
Administrative Skills
P&L Management
Problem Resolution
References
Upon Request
Timeline
General Manager
Minor Hotels ANZ | Oaks Darwin Elan Hotel
08.2022 - Current
Office Services Manager
Dept. Of Infrastructure, Planning & Logistics, NT Govt
01.2022 - 07.2022
Dual Property General Manager
Quest Apartment Hotel, Palmerston & Berrimah, NT
05.2021 - 08.2021
Hotel Manager
Quest Apartment Hotel, Palmerston, NT
05.2020 - 04.2021
Business Development Manager
Quest Apartment Hotel
11.2019 - 05.2020
General Manager
Taj Aravali Resort & Spa
01.2018 - 07.2019
General Manager
Taj Usha Kiran Palace
12.2014 - 01.2018
Director – Catering Sales
The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower
12.2011 - 11.2014
Food & Beverage Manager
THE LEELA MUMBAI, Leela Palaces And Resorts
05.2010 - 12.2011
Food & Beverage Manager
The Leela Kempisnki Kovalam
08.2008 - 04.2010
Food & Beverage Manager
Rebak Island Resort – A Taj Hotel
07.2007 - 08.2008
Assistant Food & Beverage Manager
The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower
10.2006 - 06.2007
Restaurant Manager – Food & Beverage
The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower
07.2006 - 09.2006
Manager – Catering Sales
The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower
12.2003 - 06.2006
Assistant Restaurant Manager – Golden Dragon
The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower
08.2002 - 11.2003
Restaurant Supervisor – Navajo Restaurant
Marriott’s Camelback Inn
10.2000 - 03.2002
Food & Beverage Service Attendant
Hotel Inter-Continental
08.1999 - 07.2000
Food & Beverage Executive
The Ambassador Hotel
01.1999 - 07.1999
Management Trainee
The Ambassador Hotel
07.1997 - 12.1998
Bachelor of Business in Hotel Management -
Southern Cross University (The Hotel School)
Advanced Diploma of Hotel Management -
The Hotel School
Food & Beverage Management Certificate -
Educational Institute of the American Hotel & Motel Association
Diploma in Hotel Administration & Food Technology -