At Today’s Traveller Summit, an air of optimism filled the room as top hospitality leaders from across India gathered to discuss the Leadership Makeover: The Rise of Development Leaders in Hospitality. The dialogue was refreshingly open, touching on growth, talent acquisition, and how companies are preparing to navigate the future. Yet, amidst all the talk of expansion and innovation, there was an underlying issue no one fully addressed—the leadership crisis that was quietly brewing in the background.
Mandeep S. Lamba, President of South Asia at HVS, moderated the panel discussion titled “Leadership Makeover: The Rise of Development Leaders in Hospitality Companies.” The panel featured prominent industry leaders, including Anil Chadha, Divisional Chief Executive of ITC Hotels; Mohit Nirula, Chief Operating Officer of The Oberoi Hotels; Sudeep Jain, Managing Director of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG); Nikhil Sharma, Managing Director and Area Senior Vice President (ASVP), South Asia at Radisson Hotel Group; and Zubin Saxena, Senior Vice President & Regional Head, South Asia, Hilton.
Mandeep Lamba set off the panel debate with an impactful opening statement: “It’s difficult to get five CEOs leading India’s Hospitality Industry together on one stage, and I want to ask—what’s keeping you busy, and what’s the outlook? What will happen over the next five years?”
Pacing Ahead in a Booming Market
Kicking off the discussion, Mohit Nirula shared how his company, with a legacy of over three decades, is adapting to the modern demands of the industry. “We are now well on our way to expanding rapidly, but even if we double in size, we remain focused on maintaining the ethos and bespoke luxury that defines us. This is what keeps us busy right now,” he noted, emphasizing the fine balance between growth and the preservation of the brand’s identity.
Likewise, Nikhil Sharma spoke about his company’s aggressive expansion, stating, “We’ve signed more than 20 hotels this year, with 13 more to open before December. Growth is the primary focus, and it’s keeping us on our toes.” While these success stories were inspiring, they raised an unaddressed question: can leadership keep pace with such rapid expansion, especially in an industry that is undergoing a dramatic transformation?
Anil Chaddha took a more urgent tone when discussing the current state of the market. “Our time is now, and if we don’t catch the pace, it’s never coming back,” he said. Reflecting on the rapid developments, Chaddha emphasized the importance of simultaneous growth across brands and teams. He cited the opening of 32 hotels and the launch of two new brands in the last two years, underscoring, “This is not the time to walk; this is the time to run.” But with such rapid strides, one wonders if the leadership infrastructure is prepared to manage this pace effectively.
Meanwhile, Sudeep Jain echoed the urgency, summarizing his company’s priorities: “We’re focused on three things—opening new hotels, signing new ones, and recruiting new talent.” His straightforward approach resonated with the entire panel, yet it highlighted the elephant in the room—where will this talent come from, and more importantly, who will lead them?
Talent Acquisition vs. Talent Retention
As these hospitality giants gear up for growth, there was a stark lack of conversation about the fact that growth alone isn’t enough; the leadership itself must undergo a makeover to address the complexities of leading teams in an era defined by manpower shortage, evolving workforce expectations, technological advancements and global competition.
Despite the clear acknowledgement of a brewing manpower crisis, with leaders like Zubin Saxena raising concerns about where the talent will come from to fill the growing number of rooms, the issue was not sufficiently addressed. While the panellists spoke about recruitment challenges and the need to hire aggressively, there was little discussion on the deeper problem—how to retain and develop this talent in a rapidly evolving industry. The focus remained on expansion, but without robust strategies for managing and nurturing talent, the industry risks hitting a self-imposed ceiling.
The panellists repeatedly touched on the need to address talent shortages, with Nikhil Sharma highlighting efforts to launch a skill development program to bridge the gap in entry-level talent. “We have great middle and senior management, but we’re missing talent at the bottom end,” he observed.
Leaders like Anil Chaddha emphasized the importance of investing in employees and providing growth opportunities, noting, “We’ve opened 32 hotels in the last two years… [but] you cannot deliver the kind of competitive performance needed without investing in people.” However, the conversation once again danced around the larger problem. Today’s generation of workers is not willing to wait 20 years to climb the corporate ladder, as Chaddha pointed out. The hospitality industry has to offer faster growth, a more engaging work environment, and meaningful career paths, or it will continue to lose talent to industries that are more responsive to employee needs.
Throughout the discussion, the challenge of talent acquisition was a recurring theme. Zubin Saxena raised a significant point, stating, “Each hotel has a significant economic impact, but if we’re adding 57,000 new rooms in the next five years, where are the people to fill these roles?” His concern highlighted the unsustainable trajectory of growth without a robust leadership and talent development strategy.
Anil Chaddha also spoke about the challenge of retaining talent: “You cannot deliver the kind of competitive performance needed without investing in people.” Younger workers expect more than just job security—they want work-life balance, flexibility, and meaningful career opportunities. Sudeep Jain pointed out, “We need to recruit an average of 25 people a day.” However, the bigger issue was left unspoken—how does leadership adapt to manage this influx of talent effectively?
Adapting to a Changing Workforce
The shift in workforce demographics was another critical issue that panellists like Sudeep Jain touched upon, but there was a sense of hesitancy to fully embrace the reality of this change. Jain noted, “What was once appreciated, like good meals and air-conditioned cafeterias, isn’t enough anymore. Today, employees want work-life balance and flexibility.” It’s a stark reminder that while the industry’s infrastructure may be expanding, the mindset around leadership needs to evolve just as quickly.
Anil Chaddha reiterated that, despite investments in employee satisfaction and new facilities such as gyms, pool tables, and cafeteria upgrades, today’s young workforce is not as patient as previous generations. Chaddha emphasized, pointing out that companies must provide opportunities for faster career progression.
Yet, the solutions presented—offering better cafeterias or more monthly days off—seemed to miss the mark. What the workforce is really looking for goes beyond perks; it’s about creating an inclusive culture where they can thrive both professionally and personally.
The changing demographics of the hospitality workforce were also touched upon, but with a sense of hesitancy to fully embrace this reality. Sudeep Jain remarked, “What was once appreciated, like good meals and air-conditioned cafeterias, isn’t enough anymore. Today, employees want work-life balance and flexibility.” As leaders, acknowledging these shifts is essential, but adapting to them is the real challenge.
Anil Chaddha echoed similar sentiments, stressing that today’s generation is “not going to wait 20 years to become a general manager.” The need for faster career progression and more engaging work environments is paramount, yet the solutions offered seemed to miss the mark. Better cafeterias and more days off may not suffice in retaining a workforce that is more driven by opportunities for personal and professional growth.
The Unspoken Leadership Challenge
The real elephant in the room? The current leadership is struggling to adapt to the new demands of an industry in transformation. We heard repeatedly about the focus on signing new hotels and filling a growing pipeline, but little was said about the actual skills required to lead through this change.
Hospitality is no longer just about filling rooms—it’s about innovation, sustainability, and creating a compelling workplace culture. Are today’s leaders equipped to inspire teams in an industry now driven by tech, rapid expansion, and the expectations of a more discerning workforce?
Zubin Saxena raised a critical point about the talent crisis: “Each hotel has a significant economic impact, but if we’re adding 57,000 new rooms in the next five years, where are the people to fill these roles?” The industry is on an aggressive growth trajectory, but the truth is that this pace is unsustainable without the right leadership in place to cultivate and retain talent.
Sudeep Jain echoed this concern, stressing the need to hire 200 people per day across the industry to meet these ambitious expansion goals. He added, “We’ve done the math… we need to recruit an average of 25 people a day. And when you multiply this across the industry, that number grows to about 200 people per day.”
A key point of discussion was the changing expectations of the new generation entering the hospitality industry. Mandeep Lamba remarked on how the demographics have shifted from employees content with basic benefits to a younger, more educated workforce with higher expectations. “Today’s youngsters are more educated, more aware, and have different needs,” he noted.
In response, Sudeep Jain highlighted the importance of evolving workplace environments. “What was once appreciated, like good meals and air-conditioned cafeterias, isn’t enough anymore. Today, employees want work-life balance and flexibility. If we don’t adapt, we’ll lose talent to other industries.”
Zubin Saxena advocated for more innovative solutions to tackle the challenges. “We need to change the way we look at talent acquisition, especially at the top and bottom of the funnel. The best general managers may come from outside the hotel industry, and we need to offer flexibility and multiple career paths.”
But what went unspoken was the crux of the issue—do current leaders understand how to manage this talent, especially given the shift in workforce dynamics? Many of today’s hospitality leaders built their careers in an era where working long hours and hard conditions were expected. Now, young talent is looking for flexibility, work-life balance, and meaningful opportunities—something the traditional leadership model isn’t designed to accommodate.
Leadership at a Crossroads
The Today’s Traveller Summit left us with a sense of urgency—while the hospitality industry is poised for unprecedented growth, it’s clear that the leadership required to sustain this growth may not be fully in place yet. There was plenty of talk about new hotels, new talent, and new strategies, but the elephant in the room remained largely unaddressed. Leadership in hospitality is undergoing a critical makeover, but the panel shied away from the deeper issues of transforming leadership.
Hospitality leaders today are expected to juggle more than operational efficiency; they must now spearhead development, manage an ever-evolving workforce, and keep pace with a dynamic market.
The future of the industry depends not just on growth and talent but on leaders who can adapt to the changing landscape. As the hospitality industry continues its breakneck expansion, the real test will be how effectively leaders adapt to these new realities—and whether they can create the kind of workplace that not only attracts but retains the talent needed for the next phase of growth. If this isn’t addressed, the industry’s future may not be as bright as its projections suggest.
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