With over 18 years in the luxury hospitality industry, Ashish brings a wealth of experience to this new role at a time when SUJÁN is poised for strategic growth. An alumnus of the Institute of Hotel Management PUSA, New Delhi, Ashish embarked on his career in hospitality as a Management Trainee with Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts in 1998 and has worked at leadership positions at Leela Palace, Bangalore and later at The Leela in Mumbai.
He joined the Taj Group of Hotels in 2004 and held senior leadership positions across their luxury hotels including The Rambagh Palace, Jaipur. He was appointed General Manager of the iconic and award-winning Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur in early 2009. Umaid Bhawan Palace achieved record profitability and guest acclaim during his four-year tenure, and received coveted awards and listings across top luxury travel media such as Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure and Robb Report, to name a few. After a very successful tenure at Umaid Bhawan Palace, Ashish joined The Leela, Mumbai as General Manager in 2013.
Ashish has over 9 years of general management experience, 7 of which have been as a General Manager. He has honed his management skills across diverse locations and business environments. Most recently, Ashish completed a stint as General Manager with Starwood Hotels and Resorts at The Westin, Mumbai. In addition he has completed a course in Hospitality and Finance from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Management. He also holds an Executive MBA from the S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research, Mumbai.
Announcing the appointment, Mr. Jaisal Singh , Chief Executive said “We are delighted to welcome Ashish Rai to the SUJÁN family in this key operational role. An experienced, successful and energetic hotelier, his appointment will not only enhance the team but also accelerate the implementation of SUJÁN’s vision.”
Ashish Kumar Rai says “ I have always admired SUJÁN’s niche and experiential offerings which have created a benchmark in luxury hospitality, worldwide. It is a privilege to be associated with the SUJÁN group as it embarks on its next phase of strategic growth ”
Ashish Kumar Rai will be based at SUJÁN Headquarters in New Delhi where he shall report to Mr. Jaisal Singh, the Chief Executive of SUJÁN.
