[ AWARDS JURY MEET [

Credible, transparent selection of Spiritz awardees

ight from the first edition hailing from diverse fields like hospitality, Jolly Bhargava. of the companies who did not (2014) of the Spiritz Awards, management, think tank, media, and the Soon the jury started the assessment submit visual presentations and R maintaining credibility and industry to constitute the Awards Jury. of each nomination for every award relevant documents/data to support transparency of the winner selection Spiritz was represented by me. The category to select the award winners. their claims. I hope next year, the process has been our top priority. As task of leading the 12-member jury was All nominations were discussed in detail, companies will be more diligent in Spiritz Awards honour high performers entrusted to the industry veteran Jolly and related presentations, videos and their submissions. and pioneers of the and spirits Bhargava. products were seen on a large screen. The final tally of votes threw industry, we are duty-bound to have an For the jury meeting on October 27, The jury members analyzed in depth some surprises. There were quite a impartial system in place for deciding we got a nice and quiet hall at Hotel Leela whatever was presented to them to few keenly contested awards. Some the truly deserving awardees from the Ambience, Gurgaon, thanks to the hotel give their reasoned opinions on the nominations were declared joint received nominations. management. The jury meeting began nominations. The jury broke for the winners, while a few could not make It goes without saying that for with presentation to each jury member lunch and re-assembled to finish the it to the coveted list barely by a few a credible and transparent winner of the dossiers of the nominations task at hand. Each member gave marks marks. selection process, objectivity and received for all the 18 award categories. to each nomination on the basis of set The results are sealed. Surely, impartiality of the Awards Jury members Then Shalini and I briefly explained the parameters and signed on the sheets. there is curiosity in the industry about are of utmost importance. Keeping this criteria for awards selection, and the It is pertinent to note that the jury the winners, and it will be satisfied with in mind, we zeroed in on 11 wise men floor was handed over to Jury Chairman members were not happy with some the opening of the sealed envelopes

20 Spiritz Nov 2016 Nov 2016 Spiritz 21 [ AWARDS JURY MEET [ [ AWARDS JURY MEET [ at the Awards Ceremony on November 26 evening at Hotel leadership and sales training. Leela Ambience. Amarjit Singh Ahuja, Director – Procurement, distribution chain for Coca-Cola in major markets in India. And, Till then, palpable suspense hangs in the air…. Pradeep Gidwani, Founder – Pint Room Hotel Le Meridien, Delhi at 29 he was one of the youngest GMs in Coca-Cola in India. Serial entrepreneur and start-up After completing commerce graduation Starting his alcobev industry career in 2001, he served , JURY FOR SPIRITZ AWARDS 2016 specialist, Pradeep Gidwani was ranked and apprenticeship in Maurya Sheraton, Shaw Wallace and Inbev India in positions of authority. From by Business Today as one of India’s Amarjit Singh Ahuja has been part of the 2010 onward, he assisted companies like Bajaj Hindusthan Jury Chairman – Jolly Bhargava, Hottest Young Executives in its first- hospitality industry for the last three and and Hindustan Power Projects, taking care of Business Liquor Industry Veteran ever listing of 25 of India Inc’s rising half decades having worked with Maurya Development & Government Affairs as a key member of the Jolly Bhargava is remembered for his stars. Pradeep successfully steered Sheraton, Welcome Hotel Asia Jammu, executive management committee. Currently, Raja ​​advises remarkable contribution in the launch Carlsberg’s India operations as its Siddharth, Hyatt, and Le Meridien. He is Thales, a 20 mn euro French company, and is an honorary of many brands which went on Managing Director and established its one of the most respected figures in the adviser to the Chamber of Commerce Industry France India to sell millions of cases. Whether it was strong foundation in India. Thereafter, hospitality sector. (CCIFI). the naming of the brand or its packaging ‘51 years young’ Pradeep moved out to chase his dream or its blending, Jolly’s say counted a lot. of creating “Starbucks of ”. He realized the dream by Harsh Vardhan, Former MD, Vayudoot Ankur Chawla, Director of Beverages, Some of the brands with which he was launching a new chain of beer cafes under the brand name – Harsh Vardhan heads Starair JW Marriott New Delhi Aerocity associated are: Officer’s Choice, Whisky and The Pint Room. Consulting. He is a well-known aviation As Director of Beverages and Manager Rum. expert with outstanding academic and for Akira Back & JW Lounge at JW Ravindra Kumar, GM – Corporate Food & Beverages, professional achievements. Following Marriott New Delhi Aerocity, Ankur Jury Members The Lalit, New Delhi his appointment as Chief Executive of Chawla is responsible for selecting Ravindra Kumar has rich experience of Vayudoot, a government-owned feeder and building extensive wine and spirits Shobhan Roy, Director General, AIBA four decades in F&B management and airline, Harsh achieved the distinction portfolio at the hotel and training staff Director General of the All India Brewers leadership management, gained from of being the youngest chief executive of through tasting sessions. Starting his career with Taj Mahal Association, Shobhan Roy, a chemical his association with leading 5-star hotels/ any public sector enterprise in India. He has comprehensive Palace and Tower, Mumbai in June 2008, Ankur later on engineer from IIT, has over 40 years restaurants. Currently, as General experience of setting up and running large airlines in the moved to Wasabi by Morimoto, Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi. In of experience in the complex alcoholic Manager Food & Beverage (Corporate) country. He was the first project consultant to Sahara Airlines recognition of his experience and his “WSET Level 3” academic beverage industry. Shobhan has served with The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group, and was also President of Jagson Airlines. training, he was also given the additional responsibility as as Head/President/CEO in various Ravindra heads all the F&B operations the Wine Director and Sommelier at Taj Mahal Hotel, New liquor companies. He is also credited and management throughout the group for 79 outlets. He also Dr Satish Misra, Sr. Research Fellow, Delhi. Apart from his past association with the Taj Group of with getting the first successful Scotch brand ‘Teachers’ looks after the banqueting and operations in 11 hotels, resorts Observer Research Foundation Hotels, Ankur was also associated with the launch of stand- bottled in India (1994). He also revamped the packaging of and palaces. Winner of various awards, Ravindra is respected Dr Satish Misra is a veteran journalist alone restaurants such as Masala Library by Jiggs Karla and Aristocrat Premium blend. Shobhan is a co-founder member as a leader in the hospitality industry. His approach to business with expertise in editorial writing, political Made in Punjab. He is also a member of Marriott’s Asia Pacific of the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies is based on a foundation of participative management, coupled analysis, and backgrounders. Dr Satish Beverage Advisory Board. (CIABC). Well-versed with excise, trade and food laws, with excellent strategic, financial, technical, operational and has done PhD from Humboldt University, Shobhan successfully led the alcobev industry as CIABC service skills. Berlin, Germany in International Affairs. Bishan Kumar, Group Editor, Spiritz Director. He has also directed and led a team for framing the He has worked with various English Bishan Kumar has spent 34 years in top Model Excise Policy for the Ministry of Food. He was an active Michel Koopman – GM, The Leela Ambience Gurgaon newspapers and magazines and has media companies including The Indian member of ISWAI. He was conferred the Industry Stalwart Thirty years of hotel management produced documentaries. Express, BBC, IBN7, Deccan Herald, Award for the Alcobev Industry in May 2008. experience in upscale luxury hotels in Sahara, Bhaskar Group, UNI, and India Asia, Europe, Australia and the Middle Raja Mukherji, Adviser – Thales News. He has covered several Prime Mukesh Khetrapal, Founder – Indus Corporation East have made Michel Koopman a well- Starting his career with Blow Plast Ministers including Indira Gandhi, Rajiv An alumnus of IIT Delhi & XLRI rounded leader with proven capability 27 years ago, Raja Mukherji got the Gandhi and V.P. Singh and reported from Jamshedpur, Mukesh has strong FMCG in delivering positive outcomes. This opportunity to run the Pepsi distribution volatile situations in Kashmir, Gujarat and experience having worked for renowned result-oriented executive commenced business in India as a young man of Ayodhya. Bishan along with his wife Shalini Kumar launched corporate houses such as Tata Steel, his career with Hilton in Amsterdam, 25. Within three years, the market Spiritz magazine seven and half years back and ably led it to Brooke Bond India Ltd, the UB Group and The Netherlands, gradually growing in share of Pepsi jumped from 2% to 37%. become India’s largest selling and most admired magazine on RPG Enterprises. His last assignment ranks and responsibilities in different hotels in different parts Then Raja went on to setting up the and spirits. was as Senior Vice President of Shaw of the world. He has worked in Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Wallace Ltd. He is the founder of Indus China and the Middle East. Michel’s present role as the General Corporation. This 18-year-old training Manager of The Leela Ambience Gurgaon Hotel & Residences company conducts a variety of soft skill training initiatives has brought him to incredible India. The hotel under his across India. Mukesh is India’s acknowledged sales trainer leadership continues to be the largest GOP hotel in India in a and has personally conducted 1000 plus programmes for very competitive market.

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