Hospitality consultancy Hotelivate launches Indonesia practice
Delhi-based hospitality consultancy Hotelivate has expanded its network across Asia with the establishment of an office in Jakarta, Indonesia. Satria Wei – who has over three decades of experience in the hospitality sector – has been tapped as Managing Director of the Indonesia office.
The new locale allows Hotelivate to expand its operations across Asia, building on its current base in Delhi, Mumbai and Singapore. The firm was established early last year after a team of more than 40 members left global hospitality consultancy HVS to form a new organisation under the leadership of Manav Thadani.
Thadani was previously a majority owner at HVS India, but decided to launch his own practice to better serve the needs of the contemporary hospitality sector. Where HVS’ services were concentrated in five domains, Hotelivate sought to develop a more multidimensional approach to hospitality consulting.
Hotelivate’s service offerings focus on innovation, and include propositions such as development & management services, debt syndication, learning & development, and project management, among others. Growth at the firm has been strong and steady, and a pan-Asia-Pacific operation has been on the cards right from the start.
This scenario is now being realised, through offices in Singapore and Indonesia. The new Indonesia office will be run by Satria Wei, who has been in the hospitality sector throughout the course of his career. He holds a diploma in Hotel Administration, and has been the General Manager at the InterContinental Hotels Group as well as Managing Director at PHM Hospitality.
Commenting on the new practice, Thadani said, “Our teams have been monitoring and working in various Indonesian markets for over six years. While during much of this time the hospitality market cycle was on a decline, we as Hotelivate ran five editions of our THINC conferences in Bali and Jakarta. We now observe a clear upswing in performance and more importantly in market sentiments. With the recent re-election of the government, we see a continuation of strong sentiments and feel this is an appropriate time for Hotelivate to set up an office in Jakarta. In Satria Wei – we have found someone who knows the local market and with his strong knowledge of revenue, he will help us grow practices such as revenue management, asset management, and feasibilities.”
Leadership change in Singapore
In addition to opening an Indonesia presence, the firm has also made a change to the senior leadership in its Singapore practice. Puneet Mahindroo – who is a graduate from the University of Huddersfield and holds certification from the Massachusetts Institute of technology – will now take over as Managing Director of Hotelivate in Singapore. He holds more than a decade of professional experience in the hospitality sector, and has held a number of senior positions, including Corporated Director at Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces. Most recently, he was engaged in an entrepreneurial venture, having founded Rev-Mantra in Singapore last year.
On Mahindroo’s appointment, Thadani said, “Additionally, in Singapore, we are delighted to have Puneet onboard. He brings a great amalgamation of entrepreneurship and professional experience which is in line with the ethos of our current leadership and the firm at large.”
