An accomplished entrepreneur
With ambitious development plans, coupled with the proven success record of Sanjay Sethi, CEO and managing director, Berggruen Hotels, one gets the impression that Berggruen Hotels is destined to become a force to reckon with in the hospitality sector. By Dinkar Farwaha
Astuteness of mammoth proportions, an unparalleled ability to concentrate, determination and hard work are the four main traits that radiate from the calculating, yet humble figure that is Sanjay Sethi. Behind the intelligent and bespectacled eyes, lies a brain that is steadily making Berggruen Hotels a formidable force in the corridors of the hotel industry. He can arguably be rated as one of the very few men who have the potential to help the group achieve the great things that Nicolas Berggruen dreamt of.
Initial years
After completing his schooling from St Thomas, Kolkata, Sethi attended the Institute of Hotel Management (IHM), Kolkata. Choosing a career in this sphere wasn't an obvious choice for Sethi. He explains, "Even though I was a good student, I did not perform that well in twelfth standard and it therefore dashed my ambition of pursuing engineering from one of the better colleges in the country." A pause and he continues, "My father had a strong reckoning that the hospitality industry had a great future ahead and that I should therefore consider making a career of it. Convinced by the suggestion, I decided to pursue hotel management."
He began his career with a self-run catering company in New Delhi. After successful stints in F&B and front office with Hotel Hindustan International (HHI), Varanasi, HHI, Kolkata, and Taj Savoy, Ooty, Sethi got his first break as an influential general manager with Taj Garden Retreat, Madurai, followed by his association with Bogmalo Beach Park Plaza Resort, Goa, and Jai Mahal Palace, Jaipur.
His consistent hardwork and proven track record led him to becoming the area general manager, Taj hotels, North Goa. Sethi, during his tenure, was responsible for the growth of all the Taj properties in the region, sorting out the union issues which existed at that time, and also building the company's strong relationship with the local authorities.
He then moved on to Taj Bengal, Kolkata, and during his tenure, the group maintained its leading position and reputation against the developing competition, with the opening up of two new luxury properties in the city (ITC Sonar Bangla and Hyatt Regency).
The next assignment as area director, Taj Hotels, Hyderabad was "the best in terms of professional achievement" for Sethi. In a short span of time, the group was "able to re-allign its efforts in a market which was developing at a rapid pace and tap the huge potential."
Having excelled in the all the assignments that he had been a part of, 'the bug of the entrepreneur' finally caught Sethi. Nicolas Berggruen, founder and president of Berggruen Holdings, who was very keen on setting-up a global chain of budget and mid-market hotels, offered Sethi an opportunity to head Berggruen Hotels and thereby fulfill his desire. Says Sethi, "There was an immediate integration of ideas between us and I decided to be a part of his dreams."
It was essential to build a strong team of individuals, which Sethi did with a lot of thought. He then launched the 'Keys' brand of hotels, resorts and serviced apartments, which is in the process of development across tier 1, tier 2 and tier 3 cities.
Unlimited growth potential
"We have a pan-India outlook and are open to land acquisition opportunities in all promising cities," says Sethi. He aims to have 38 operational hotels by 2011-12. The group has already acquired hotel sites in cities like Bangalore, Trivandrum, Thiruvananthapuram Ludhiana, Goa, Cochin, Kovlam, Pune, Nasik, Pondicherry, Aurangabad, Vadodara, Jammu, Kolkata, Lucknow, Baroda, etc.
Meanwhile, the group has also finalised its plans for the international foray of its Keys brand of hotels, resorts and apartments outside India. It has shortlisted the Middle East, North Africa, South East Asia and neighbouring countries like China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Maldives as possible destinations. This is part of its plans to open 30 hotels outside India by 2011-12. Says Sethi, "Primarily, we are looking at the ownership model, but are open to the management model also, in case there are any barriers regarding ownership in a particular country." It is also looking at the joint venture model to develop its brand further in the international market.
Moreover, the huge gap between demand and supply of upscale hotels in the country has led the group to foray into the upscale segment also. "We are on the verge of completing land acquisitions in Goa, Delhi and Hyderabad to build upscale properties," informs Sethi. The group plans to open eight to ten such properties in tier 1 and 2 cities in the next three to four years.
With such well-laid development plans, and given Sethi's previous success rate, the group is sure to become a force to reckon with in the hospitality sector.
Man behind the CEO
Sethi is driven by his father's values and his own conscience. Despite his busy schedule, he maintains a fine balance between his professional and personal life, spending his free time with his family or otherwise playing golf. As for future plans, he wants to keep working hard towards making Berggruen Hotels a noted hotel chain.
expresshospitality.com
