Photo Caption: Kshitij Gandhi, overall winner of the competition to find the next GM of India, with the IHCL and Les Roches teams — Photo by IHCL

Mumbai - The Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), South Asia's largest hospitality company and Swiss institution Les Roches Global Hospitality Education, ranked number 3 of the world's top institutions for hospitality management by the QS World University Rankings 2019, announced the winners of the "Next General Manager of India". The campaign, a joint initiative launched in July 2019, was to identify top talent in hospitality in India.

Aimed at young hospitality professionals, the campaign awards one full scholarship to the winner and and five 50% scholarships to the runners up; to study at Les Roches' MBA in Global Hospitality Management program in Switzerland, followed by a fast track development program at an IHCL hotel.

"IHCL, with its vision to create global leaders for tomorrow, is delighted to associate with Les Roches for this initiative. Nurturing and developing talent for the industry is in line with our commitment to be future ready. We wish all the winners the very best." Dr. P V Murthy, Executive Vice President & Global Head - HR, IHCL.

After a rigorous selection process, a panel of IHCL recruiters, Les Roches academics and external assessors named Kshitij Gandhi of Gurgaon the "Next General Manager of India" who will take up studies at Les Roches in February 2020.

"We are very impressed with the performance, attitude and maturity of all candidates and are looking forward to their contributions to the next MBA batch at Les Roches," commented Dr Dimitrios Diamantis, Dean of Graduate Studies.

The program was launched by IHCL and Les Roches to address the prevalent skills gap and prepare the next generation of leaders to support the growth of travel and tourism industry in India.

For more information on "The Next General Manager of India", please visit https:// nextgmindia .com

About Les Roches Global Hospitality Education

Founded in 1954, Les Roches Global Hospitality Education is a private institution based on the Swiss model of experiential learning, offering bachelor's and master's degrees in the fields of hospitality, tourism and event management. Les Roches prepares entrepreneurial and innovative graduates across a global network of campuses in Switzerland, Spain and China.

Part of Sommet Education, Les Roches is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). Les Roches is ranked number three of the world's top institutions for hospitality and leisure management and number three worldwide for employer reputation (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2019).

Please visit: www.lesroches.edu

About The Indian Hotels Company Limited

The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) and its subsidiaries bring together a group of brands and businesses that offer a fusion of warm Indian hospitality and world-class service. These include Taj – the iconic brand for the most discerning travellers and ranked as World's Strongest Hotel Brand 2024 and India's Strongest Brand 2024 as per Brand Finance; SeleQtions, a named collection of hotels; Tree of Life, private escapes in tranquil settings; Vivanta, sophisticated upscale hotels; Gateway, full-service hotels designed to be your gateway to exceptional destinations and Ginger, which is revolutionising the lean luxe segment.

Incorporated by the founder of the Tata Group, Jamsetji Tata, the Company opened its first hotel - The Taj Mahal Palace, in Bombay in 1903. IHCL has a portfolio of 350 hotels including 118 under development globally across 4 continents, 13 countries and in over 130 locations. The Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL) is India's largest hospitality company by market capitalization. It is listed on the BSE and NSE.

Please visit: IHCL; Taj; SeleQtions; Vivanta; Gateway; Ginger

Rakhee Lalvani
+91 22 6137 1909
IHCL