Authoritative and driven, Subrata Banerjee has been with Radisson Hotel Kathmandu for 3 years. Banerjee talks about his experiences in the hospitality industry.
What was the first thing that got you into this profession? Could you tell us about your experiences and how they moulded and shaped you into the leader you are today?
Fascinated by articles about hotels in magazines, I started reading more about this industry. After extensive research, I grew certain that this is the line of work I wanted to be in. My career began with Taj Hotels as a banqueting manager in late 80s and by good fortune and certainly the hard work, I was able to attain the position of General Manager at Holiday Inn, Gujarat in the year 1998. Thereafter, I managed several new and running properties of various chains across India as well as abroad throughout my career. It still feels surreal to believe that I have devoted more than 30 years of my life in the hospitality industry, which has not only shaped my career but also taken care of my passion of meeting diverse people.
What was the best advice anyone ever gave you, and how much of it have you followed through?
I had mentors in all stages of my career. However, the following are the few names and the advice I received from them:
Mayank Mehta: Reach out to your people at the shop floor all the time. Know them well, address them by their name and help them whenever needed, but empower them to impress.
Rajiv Chopra: In Leadership, be fair and firm.
Ajay K Bakaya: Exercise, be healthy and stress-free. Only then can you take loads of responsibilities and carry them out happily. Never lose calm.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I love training dogs and of course, long-distance cycling is my passion.
Your 3 biggest accomplishments to date?
All hotel chains I have worked with have hired me back multiple times.
During my time in Jaypee Palace Convention Centre in Agra, it was awarded the Best Convention Centre of India by the government in 2007.
My restaurant ‘Raintree’ at Taj was rated as one of the 10 best restaurants in the world during my tenure.
At what point might you feel you’ve met true success?
Life is a journey, success and failure keeps coming.
What do you look for in people to create your dream team?
Right attitude is a must in the hospitality industry. For me, willingness to learn and work hard is the right attitude. In this industry, we are here to serve so I look for people who are able to serve with a smile in any condition they are put into.
What are the challenges you are facing with the arrival of VNY 2020 and how do you plan to overcome them?
The infrastructures in the country are lacking, Nepal needs to be connected more effectively via land and air to be able to succeed in achieving the set goals for VNY 2020. However, now that it is happening, let’s get going and what we have to do is treat the guests in such a manner that they go back with pleasant memories and remarkable experiences.
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