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Read MoreWith over 25 years of international hospitality experience, Upadhyay will oversee operations and commercial performance at Hilton Gurugram Baani City Centre and DoubleTree by Hilton Gurugram Baani Square.
Hilton has appointed Sharad Kumar Upadhyay as Cluster General Manager of Hilton Gurugram Baani City Centre and DoubleTree by Hilton Gurugram Baani Square. In his new role, he will oversee operations, commercial performance and guest experience across both properties.
Upadhyay brings more than 25 years of international hospitality experience across India, China, Nepal and Thailand, having held leadership positions in Beijing, Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Kathmandu, Pattaya and Bangkok.
Upadhyay joins Hilton from IHG Hotels & Resorts, where he spent nearly 25 years, most recently serving as general manager of Crowne Plaza Greater Noida, the largest Crowne Plaza in South West Asia.
His career with IHG began in 2002 at Crowne Plaza North Beijing. He subsequently held leadership positions at Crowne Plaza Kathmandu and across Delhi NCR, including director of food and beverage. He also served as executive assistant manager in Thailand before taking on general manager roles in Mumbai and Greater Noida.
During his career, he has led hotels through ownership transitions and post-pandemic recovery, with a focus on revenue growth, guest satisfaction and team performance.
Upadhyay’s contributions have been recognised through honours including the IHG Journey to Tomorrow Award, the IHG IMEA Leadership Award and the IHG Exceptional General Manager Award.
His executive education includes the General Management Program at Cornell University, the Global Advanced Management Programme offered by the Indian School of Business and NUS, and Harvard University’s Professional Development Programme in Design Thinking.
Ranjan Malakar, Senior Regional Director – Operations, India, Hilton, said: “Sharad’s depth of experience across markets, and his track record of driving performance through disciplined operations and strong stakeholder relationships, make him an outstanding addition to our leadership team in Gurugram. We look forward to his contributions as he leads both hotels into their next phase of growth.”
Upadhyay said: “I am delighted to join Hilton and lead two hotels that are so well placed in Gurugram’s business and leisure landscape. My focus will be on building strong, diverse teams, delivering memorable guest experiences, and growing the hotels’ performance in close partnership with our owners and stakeholders.
The hospitality veteran will lead the 529-key dual-branded Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn complex on Bengaluru's Outer Ring Road.
Abhiram Menon has joined Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru Embassy TechVillage, Outer Ring Road (ORR), as the Cluster General Manager. In his new role, he will provide strategic direction for the 529-key dual-branded complex, which features 37,000 square feet of banquet space, four food and beverage outlets, a temperature-controlled swimming pool, a yoga deck, a gym and a spa.
His priorities will include strengthening operational excellence and commercial performance, enhancing guest experiences, driving sustainable growth and further reinforcing the hotels’ position within Bengaluru’s corporate travel, dining and events landscape.
With more than two decades of hospitality experience, Abhiram brings with him an outstanding track record in leadership, operations, F&B and guest experience excellence.
Commenting on his appointment, Abhiram said, “I am honoured to take on this role and lead two distinctive Hilton brands at one of Bengaluru’s key business destinations. With no significant new hospitality development on ORR in nearly a decade, this integrated complex presents a compelling one-stop destination for corporate travellers, MICE and events, as well as residents from the surrounding communities. I look forward to working with our teams to build on the complex’s strengths, elevate the guest experience and drive sustained commercial and operational performance.”
Prior to this appointment, Abhiram served as the General Manager of Hilton Bangalore Embassy GolfLinks. Earlier in his career, he held progressively senior leadership positions at Lemon Tree Hotels and IHCL, building extensive expertise across hotel operations, commercial strategy and guest experience.
In 2022, he was named Hotelier India’s General Manager of the Year – Midscale to Upscale. Abhiram has also completed leadership and business management programmes at Harvard and holds a PGDBA in Sales and Marketing and a Bachelor’s degree in Hotel Management.
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