HBI Staff | Hyderabad 
The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts continues to strengthen its commitment to nurturing future leaders in hospitality. As a learning-first organization, The Leela announced the commencement of the Leela Leadership Development Programme (LLDP) – Class of 2025. On May 19, a new cohort of candidates were welcomed at The Leela Ambience Gurugram Hotel and Residences. This esteemed program, in partnership with the Indian School of Hospitality (ISH) and in alliance with Les Roches, an institute of higher education focused on reimagining hospitality education, features a comprehensive curriculum designed to nurture future leaders in the hospitality industry. It offers a blend of boot camps, classroom training, online courses, and hands-on experience across various Leela properties.
Anuraag Bhatnagar, Chief Executive Officer at The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts said, “At The Leela, we are dedicated to developing future hospitality leaders through our various mentoring and learning initiatives, including the Leela Leadership Development Programme and the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity (DEI) initiative – Shefs at The Leela. We remain steadfast in our commitment to upskilling our team and young aspirants of hospitality industry with the tools and opportunities they need to grow and realize their full potential. Our vision is to raise dynamic leaders who will be pathbreakers in the hospitality industry, and we aim to build a legacy of excellence and redefine the standards of luxury hospitality for the future, guided by our philosophy – Atithi Devo Bhava.”
The Leela leadership Development Programme is a 15-month programme designed to identify and mentor industry talent through capstone projects, assessments, and comprehensive guidance at The Leela’s iconic properties. This programme is designed to identify, nurture, and groom the finest talent in the industry, shaping them into the luxury leaders of tomorrow. Additionally, it promotes employee development and accelerates their progression into managerial and future general manager roles within The Leela. Since its launch in May 2022, LLDP has successfully trained two batches of future-ready talent for the hospitality industry.
The Leela Palaces, Hotels, and Resorts have expanded their training initiatives to enhance gender diversity through the Shefs at The Leela programme. Launched in 2022, this initiative aims to attract and inspire female talent globally to pursue culinary careers. Committed to an equitable work environment, The Leela designed Shefs at The Leela to celebrate women’s achievements in hospitality and foster a supportive community. With its success, the platform evolved into a structured development programme this year to address the need for diverse talent in kitchens and to help aspiring lady chefs carve a niche in the industry.
