The Man on the Move

Sharad Puri

Cluster General Manager
Sheraton Grand & Aloft Bengaluru

This travelling manager has been across the country, behind the success of leading properties under the Oberoi and Marriott banners. Most significantly, Sharad Puri has been an inspiration wherever he led

Interviewed by LYLE MICHAEL

Born and brought up in Delhi, educated in Ahmedabad, worked in Bombay, Calcutta, Madras, Hyderabad – and currently based in Bangalore – Sharad Puri is truly the hotelier who’s been everywhere and done it all. To add to his “diverse portfolio”, he tells us his wife, Anju, is from Calcutta, his daughter, Anushka, was born in Bombay and his son, Arjun,  in Madras. When there’s an Indian Premier League (IPL) cricketing match on, one can only imagine the mayhem in the Puri household!
The Puris are a very close-knit family and have adapted to their surroundings well, making the hotel presented before them, due to dad’s vocation, their home. The very profession that has spanned 25 plus years with two giant hospitality groups – Oberoi and Marriott – and experiences that have helped shape the man before us today – mild-mannered, genteel, tied to his roots, erudite and distinguished in the industry; a family man, a mentor, and a firm believer in the power of resilience. Sharad Puri is a go-getter and a motivational leader above all.  
“It’s in the upbringing,” smiles Sharad as he gives thanks to his parents for raising him to never back down and always stay humble. “It was these qualities that kept me strong through the pandemic and helped me lead my team with stability, adaptability and an encouraging attitude. It was a time of gratitude above all.” Sharad was grateful to have his family with him, to be able to support and guide his associates through the unknown and to work with a wondrous organisation as Marriott. Moreover, his workplace was his home! “I did not work from home a single day, I was in the midst of it all, supporting the associates and using the invaluable time given to us through the lockdown by teaching English to the staff.” The man knows how to use his moxie to the max and stay calm through a storm. Traits of an exemplary GM, as we know it!
It’s little wonder Sharad is where he is, leading the operations of two avant-garde Marriott properties in Bangalore – Sheraton Grand and Aloft. He’s learnt from the best and continues to foster the inspiration he was fortunate to earn from greats, one being Vikram Oberoi – of the founding family of The Oberoi Group – himself. He has likewise served as an inspiration to so many along the way who will attest to his positivity in leadership. What else can he feel but blessed? “It’s been the best professional upbringing!” exclaims Sharad. “Working with Oberoi right from 1995 to 2017 gave me such wonderful leaders and invaluable interactions. I will never forget Mr Vikram Oberoi himself coming to Hyderabad from Delhi for my farewell. The Oberoi Group has a very strong culture. And so much of it is made up of its guests who really have more of a right upon the hotel than we do.”
An example helps illustrate his point poignantly. He relates the story of a guest at Oberoi Grand in Calcutta who owned a big tea business and would stay at the hotel as a teenager. He continued to stay right till his 70s making the hotel his home. How does a manager who spends a few years at a hotel compete with that? He doesn’t, simply takes pride in such an accomplishment on behalf of the hotel group he represents.
Today, as he makes the most of his time in the Garden City, he looks back on the trajectory and smiles. To think the impressionable IHM, Ahmedabad graduate started off at the prestigious Oberoi Centre of Learning & Development (OCLD) from ’93-95 and went on to work at managerial levels at several properties such as Oberoi Towers in Bombay – where he was in charge of residence when President Clinton came a knocking and Oberoi Grand in Calcutta – where he met his beloved, and fell in love with the food and culture as well. “I have to say people in Calcutta have such a passion for food, unlike any other place!” Back to Bombay, he led the rechristened Hilton Towers, then on to Hilton in Madras where he had the privilege of working with EVP, Rattan Keswani. Hyderabad was another fabulous achievement when he worked on the opening of Trident with Mr Oberoi and a self-built team. “Such a stunning hotel, such a high!” Sharad reminiscences.
With that, the travelling GM made his way back to where it all began, good old Bombay, only this time opening a whole new chapter in his professional life. 2017 and JW Marriott Mumbai Juhu ushers in Sharad Puri as the GM! He shares, “That hotel was such a great start to my Marriott journey; so glamorous, and 2019 was actually a fabulous year in terms of revenue. We had a great team and worked hard on adapting to the pandemic with initiatives like Marriott on Wheels and emphasising contactless systems of operation.” With their own employees in place, Marriott delivers meals in sustainable equipment and microwave-proof packaging to folks to enjoy in the comfort of their homes. Safety is the new luxury, Sharad reiterates, of both guests and associates. So you have mobile keys for rooms at Sheraton and Aloft and contactless systems in billing as well. QR codes, no paper or plastics, maximising limited resources to offer the best… this is the way forward and the GM is optimistic.
For now, it’s staying resilient and positive. And uncovering Bangalore as a family! “We have so much to explore here, and around, in this lovely weather,” Sharad mentions. He’s also got football tactics to learn from his son and books to read with his daughter, and when the time comes again, trips to plan with his wife, where nature and wildlife sanctuaries are top of the list.