Bhakuni brings over a decade of experience across hospitality, education, training and talent development.

Surendra Singh Bhakuni has been appointed as Learning & Development Manager at Welcomhotel by ITC Hotels, The Savoy, Mussoorie. In his role, he leads training initiatives, talent development and organisational learning programmes focused on service standards and operational capabilities.

Experience across hospitality and education

Bhakuni brings over a decade of experience across hospitality and education, having worked with brands including The Oberoi, Taj Hotels, Radisson, Vana, Hyatt and Louvre Hotels Group.His career spans frontline F&B operations, restaurant management, academia and learning and development roles.Before joining The Savoy in January 2025, Bhakuni served as Cluster Training Manager at Louvre Hotels Group. He also spent nearly six years as an Assistant Professor at Uttaranchal University, where he headed the Training & Placement Cell and contributed to the university’s A+ NAAC accreditation.

Education and achievements

Bhakuni holds an MBA in Human Resources & Marketing, a Master of Hotel Management and is a graduate of IHM (PUSA), Goa.His professional achievements include recognition as Best Mentor in Hotel Management and Best Training Initiative, along with Employee of the Quarter recognition. His work has also contributed to NPS improvement, Grooming and Service Culture Audit performance, employee engagement and structured learning programmes.

Shabana Raj will lead learning and development initiatives across Grand Mercure Bangalore, Grand Mercure Mysore and ibis Styles Mysuru, focusing on capability building and talent development.

Shabana Raj has been appointed as Learning & Development Manager for Grand Mercure Bangalore, Grand Mercure Mysore and ibis Styles Mysuru. In her new role, Shabana will oversee the learning and development function across the three properties, driving initiatives that strengthen employee capabilities, support leadership development and foster a consistent culture of service excellence.

Professional Experience

With over 20 years of hospitality experience, Shabana has worked across leading hotel companies including Accor, Marriott and ITC Hotels. Most recently, she served as Cluster Learning & Development Manager at ibis Hotels Mumbai, where she led L&D strategy across multiple properties, designing structured training calendars covering guest experience, culinary excellence and operational effectiveness, while driving service culture programmes such as the SMILE framework.

She managed the complete training lifecycle, from needs analysis and content development to facilitation and impact measurement, giving her a strong understanding of both learning and development and hotel operations.

Focus Across Three Properties

Across the three properties, Shabana will work closely with the leadership and departmental teams to identify capability gaps, strengthen functional and leadership skills, and create development pathways for employees across different levels.

She will also focus on strengthening internal talent pipelines and enabling high-potential team members to take on larger responsibilities, while ensuring that learning initiatives remain closely aligned with business objectives and guest expectations.

Leadership Perspectives

Parag Shah, General Manager, Grand Mercure Bangalore, said, “As our teams continue to grow and evolve, a strong learning culture is essential. Shabana’s experience will help strengthen capabilities, support leadership development and further our commitment to service excellence across the three properties.”

Manali Gupta, Cluster General Manager of Grand Mercure Mysore and ibis Styles Mysuru, said, “People development is at the heart of strong hospitality teams. Shabana brings valuable L&D experience along with an understanding of hotel operations, and we look forward to her strengthening our talent pipeline and creating meaningful growth opportunities for our teams.”

Shabana Raj on Her Appointment

Speaking on her appointment, Shabana said, “Effective learning begins with understanding people, their aspirations and what they need to succeed. I look forward to creating relevant learning opportunities, strengthening our talent pipeline and empowering our teams to take greater ownership of their roles.”