THE INTERVIEW : PRIYA PAUL
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The founder of India ’ s lifestyle segment has definite ideas about The Park ’ s future — and its pending offspring . by JEFF WEINSTEIN , EDITOR IN CHIEF
While Priya Paul firmly believes in team building and flatter management structures in an industry notorious for its hierarchies , the chairman of India ’ s only homegrown lifestyle brand , The Park , also freely admits she doesn ’ t believe much in customer research and might simply and stubbornly make decisions based on what she thinks is best . So far , this philosophy from a woman with a flare for design , a penchant for fine art and recently referred to as the “ high priestess of Indian hospitality ” appears to be working just fine . Even through India ’ s rough economic patch of the past 18 months , parent company Apeeja Surrendra Group and Park Hotels continues to grow .
Perhaps it was Paul ’ s trial-under-fire circumstances that helped shape her style as her father , the late Surrendra Paul , was murdered some 20 years ago by militants of the United Liberation Front of Assam , thrusting her from marketing manager at one of three company hotels in New Delhi into the leadership role at the ripe age of 22 .
Over the past 20 years , she has remade the company and The Park brand into an Indian hotel icon . And she is far from finished . Paul plans to grow The Park brand from eight hotels today , with another three under development , to 20 hotels by 2020 . At the same time , she is just now introducing a new brand called Zone by The Park , drawing from The Park ’ s design spirit , but in the more affordable 4-star-plus category . She says five deals for Zone are signed , and she expects to reach 20 or 30 within five to seven years . All of these plans are expected to lead to an IPO within the next 18 months .
HOTELS recently talked to Paul about her thoughts on the hotel industry at large , design , the importance of great F & B and more . HOTELS : What do you enjoy about the hotel business ? Priya Paul : It has given me a chance to be creative and express the business in a new manner . I enjoy marrying business and creativity to develop a new breed of hotels in India . Also , the people part is great . I enjoy throwing a good party and entertaining , and that is part of being a generous host , which is what hospitality in a traditional since has been . The business is constantly changing and responds quickly to what is happening in the environment . It is not one of those slow-moving businesses , and there is always a lot to learn . H : What ’ s on your mind right now ? PP : The economic slowdown caught up with
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