Gyan Manohar Khurana Asst VP Dusit Hotels & Resorts interviewed by Dorothy Dowling

Gyan Manohar Khurana’s leadership journey began with a conversation that changed the direction of his career. Encouraged by an early mentor who recognized his communication skills and commercial aptitude, he discovered that hospitality extended far beyond guest service into strategy, sales, and business performance. Since then, his career has been shaped by continuous learning, adaptability, and a willingness to embrace rapid technological change. As hospitality has become increasingly data-driven, he has learned that effective leaders remain humble, accept they cannot know everything, and build teams that bring diverse perspectives to every challenge.

Transcript

Dorothy Dowling 0:05

Jan, welcome to It's Personal Stories. I'm so pleased to have you here. At It's Personal Stories, we focus on the human side of leadership, the experiences, choices, inflection points, and personal disciplines that shape how leaders grow, adapt, and show up over time. Your career brings so many of these themes that are especially relevant to hospitality leaders today: commercial strategy, data-driven decision-making, technology, guest engagement, and the continued importance of human hospitality. What I'm especially looking forward to today is going a layer deeper. I love to understand the personal journey behind your professional accomplishments, the experiences that shaped your worldview, how your leadership has evolved, and how you think about building teams and organizations through this period of rapid change. So with this as our backdrop, Jan, let's start with your journey. I'm hoping when you look back you can share with us what first drew you into hospitality, and when did you realize this could become a long-term career for you?

Gyan Manohar Khurana 1:04

Oh, thank you, Dorothy, for that question, and thank you for having me for this session. I remember coming out of high school and like many young school high school graduates in India, trying to decide on whether I go with something which is, very typical such as engineering or medical college, or look at something which is different. And I remember having a conversation with a family member who was from the industry and was one of my early mentors, and he called out two things to me, and he said that, "Jan, you seem to have great communication skills, and you seem to be somebody who will do well in sales. So have you ever considered hospitality and hotel sales?" So that got me thinking that hotels is much beyond, somebody opening the door for you and welcoming you and somebody serving you a dish, and there's actually, a commercial side to it. And that was, one fortunate conversation, Dorothy, that really got me to where I am today after 15 years.

Dorothy Dowling 2:08

That's a beautiful way to start our story today, Jan, because I do think, many people don't understand the breadth and dep- the depth of the career options within the hospitality industry. So th- that's a great starting point. I'm wondering if we can talk a little bit about how you really lead, and particularly leading now through change, because we're just in this enormous stage of transform- transformation, particularly the last several years, where digital acceleration and changing guest expectations are really shaping our go-to-market strategies, the technologies that we deploy, and really the complex commercial models. I'm just wondering if you can share with our audience how your leadership has evolved through this period, and what has become important to you as a leader?

Gyan Manohar Khurana 2:56

Yep. No, and I think one big factor in all of this is also that our workforce has also changed. So- Yes I don't, mean to sound like too old a gentleman, but there is a younger workforce generation, the Gen Z's who have entered, as the, available labor for most of our hotels, restaurants, around the globe. So Dorothy, what's really important for me as a leader is to really have a, my ears to the ground on what's changing in technology. Because the time span of a new technology change in hospela- hospitality has reduced from a decade to a few years, to now six months or even lesser. And I believe we're at that cusp where, every six months we'll have something new with AI, with new products and so much, so much opportunity for disruption, as they say, right? It took Booking and Expedia, a decade to establish themselves as disruptors, but the next disruptor of 2027 may be very different. So definitely that led me to, think about how nimble I have to be, and in the last few roles, really accept that I don't know everything, and I definitely will not know everything about commercial strategy. I think that was one of... one thing that really became very important as a leader. And why I spoke about Gen Zs is because a leader can't do everything by themselves, right? You really are there to manage teams. Whether you're a director of revenue, or you're a sales leader or, marketing professional You need to get work done. So it also became very important for me to start thinking like a Gen Z and really start to hear out on what they believe is the right way to achieve success in the hotel. And I believe that really, added up in everything that we did as a team and what I was able to deliver as a leader in my last few roles.

Dorothy Dowling 4:56

There's a few things that you've said, Jaan, that I think are particularly impactful. One is this demographic cliff, and you talk about talent and us really being focused on next generation thought leadership and embedding ourselves in terms of the way our audiences may be thinking, and that's our employee base as well as our customer base. So I think that's a really important message that you delivered. And I also think this element of the speed of disruption being in very short cycles and the ear to the ground and the piece that you said with humility about recognizing all the things that you don't know and embracing the learning that you have to invest, but also that you aren't going to always be the expert in the room. I think those are really important messages. I'm wondering if you could share a little bit more about how you stay grounded while you're leading through all this uncertainty change, because it can be very challenging on a day-to-day and a week-to-week basis.

Gyan Manohar Khurana 5:56

It definitely is, and as a leader, you often realize that your job becomes But you have to get things unstuck, Dorothy, right? To say it very simply. You're not the one who's facing, the challenge that is, now shaping the industry. It's probably a hotel that's in your purview, or it's somebody who's maybe not even reporting to you directly, but two levels below. So I always try to, be a guide and a teacher where I can because when you're trying to help somebody understand what they're going through and you're really stepping into the shoes of a team member, you really understand what is the challenge that they're facing. And whilst, many of these disruptions are very new, I found this process to really help me understand, and think at my, on my feet, which becomes very important because the beautiful, part of our industry is not every challenge is the same and not every day is, similar. So this is one process that really helps me out. When there is a challenge, Dorothy, I also try to step into the shoes of the team member, right? And also try to step into the shoes of mentors who have really guided my journey. So something that I learned in an organization that I worked in till very recently was that you always have to think one up and one down, which means you need to think like your boss and you need to l- think like somebody who reports to you directly. But as a great leader, you actually need to think two up and two down because that has to be the range in which you have to really let your, brain and your your problem-solving capabilities function. So I think that switchover really helps me understand the change and, make sure that I don't get overwhelmed which is very important for the leader as well

Dorothy Dowling 7:57

I love that concept of thinking two up and two down, Jan, 'cause I do think walking in other people's shoes and understanding about the mentorship journey for the teams- Yep that you're responsible for, but then also really understanding your leadership and how do you support them in terms of making them successful. But I've never heard anyone frame it quite that way, so I really think that's a important learning that we can all take from you. I'm wondering if I can de- dig a little deeper in terms of how commercial leadership is continuing to evolve, because the last three to five years for me have been a journey of transformation across revenue management, distribution, marketing, digital, commerce, loyalty, everything that we touch on guest engagement, and they're all becoming connected. Before they used to be much more siloed. So I'm wondering how you see in terms of the organization that you serve today, how do you see that commercial strategy becoming much more integrated and evolving? And what do you... what would be the advice that you would offer to those minus two leaders to you in terms of what do they have to think about in terms of preparing themselves for their career journey?

Gyan Manohar Khurana 9:13

Yeah. And very interesting Dorothy, that whilst until a few years ago we spoke about sales, revenue, marketing, and distribution as very distinct functions. What's really changed now, especially in the last two years, is that everything becomes connected to performance management. And, that is really a change that I see, not just in the organization I work in, which is, mid-scale and not a large scale company. So we're also, working with a, with flexible rubber walls, and we're really able to bend the ways that our teams function. But when we do bend those walls, we really come back to realize that there are a few key goals that still remain very important. So we make everybody responsible for the performance management, but the commercial strategy really does pivot around a few, a few KPIs which are still market share and GOP/NPR, right? So that really becomes the core goal and function of the business around which everything evolves. But having said that the way that the hotels now need to think about today and the way that they need to think about very soon in the future, is that they really need to be up to pace, with the changes and the evolution that's happening. Particularly with distribution and how our, how digital marketing is evolving. I am a, Lord of the Rings fan, and I have framed this phrase in my mind, and I'm sure Lord of the Ring fans will understand. But, the age of the revenue manager is over, and the age of the dig- the digital marketing manager has begun. So one change that will really happen is that we'll all be fighting for eyeballs from the customer, and the price will be important, but you can't be priced and not be on the display window, right? Sure. So I think the display window is becoming the, big part of the business.

Dorothy Dowling 11:14

Yeah.

Gyan Manohar Khurana 11:14

Another change, really to speak about is that we have a talent pool that is not growing as fast as the industry is growing. So I also see commercial teams really having to change the way that they work and become more efficient because I think now we need to incorporate the tech, we need to incorporate AI and really have more output on the same headcount. So- You know, work in progress for most companies that I know about, but, interesting changes that I'm sure everybody's trying to navigate through.

Dorothy Dowling 11:46

Yeah. So I really do love about the way you structured the conversation around the performance being the driver of how all of the different parts of the commercial team are integrated. And I do agree with you that this being on the shelf and really learning how to be visible on all of the new shelves that are emerging is really where a lot of this transformation is now focused on. When you think about... And I also... Sorry I also agree about this whole e- element about productivity for teammates, because I do think that the headcount issues are going to become more complex because we just don't have the same talent pool as you indicated. But what would you advise to the individuals that are a little early in their journey? How can they really set themselves up for success? What would be some of the advice that you would give them today?

Gyan Manohar Khurana 12:40

Yeah. So any individual who's really trying to get into the industry and, grow within the hospitality realm, as I like to call it really has to think about what is the learning curve here, right? And the learning curve becomes very important, Dorothy, because- With the evolution and the change in technology in hospitality, alongside with the industry being still a service-oriented industry, I think more and more it's required that your commercial leader of the future who wants to be successful knows how to adopt the right balance, right? So on one part you really have to retain the humanity in the business, right? And you really have to think about how you're servicing the guest because nobody's coming to a resort in Maldives to speak to a machine, right? They're coming because they want a butler, and they want the experience of, h- knowing that their dollar is well spent. But on the other side, you also want to keep the hospitality and the technology environment very relevant, right? So you have to automate what's menial, and you have to really personalize what the experience has to be for the guest. So this is a big learning curve that, most of the hotels or brands or even the teams are going through. And I think somebody who really has to come into the industry has to realize that there will be that changing goalpost because you'll always have n- new tech, but you'll always have the core purpose of the industry which is people want to travel, and they want to meet new people, and they want to have new experiences, which is a human connection. But alongside with that, you'll have the disruptors that we spoke about a few minutes ago which will really make it very interesting for somebody entering the industry to try and navigate, what success looks like. For me, Kirti, it really feels that the goalpost changes every year, and very soon the goalpost changes Will happen less, less than a year apart. So-

Dorothy Dowling 14:53

Yeah

Gyan Manohar Khurana 14:53

one has to be very nimble for success-

Dorothy Dowling 14:57

Yeah in the industry moving forward. Yeah. Yeah, I agree with you. I think that's why many companies do their strategic planning now quarterly as opposed to annually, for all the reasons that you just- Yes surfaced, Jan. And I do think that int- intersectionality of what we can automate and what we do have to keep in terms of the whole personal journey for different audiences is that's a really challenging part of our business, which I think keeps us all engaged. So thank you for articulating that. I'm wondering if we can talk a little bit more about some of the technology and, how it's evolving search and guest discovery to how we forecast our business and the elements of maybe some of this menial elements of what we can pull into leveraging what we want to do on the personalized from a human's perspec- perspective, but keep some of what we can do on an automated perspective. I'm wondering if you can share with us the kinds of developments that are exciting you the most in the industry today

Gyan Manohar Khurana 15:57

Oh the first thing that comes to my mind is how your AI app is becoming a digital personification of yourself. So I think that will be very exciting because we will actually have guests who very soon in the near future will leave the decision of deciding where they have to stay and what they have to do on a holiday to an AI algorithm, right? So- I think that will be something that will be very revolutionary, and I believe that to be the next stage of disruption, where you actually have to sell to a AI model, right? And you really have to customize your message for that, unique guest profile now. Because the AI model will go four level deepers than, the human mind does. Because the human mind in its, journey of trying to decide its next destination and itinerary will have fatigue, right? And the human mind doesn't do very well to make decisions very quickly. That is why we do spend a lot of time searching for where we want to go and what we want to do and, then we all rush through finalizing. But all of this gets automated and, to think about it, the entire process will, flip over on its back. And now you really have to be, first in market as a successful hotel brand to be appeasing to that AI model.

Dorothy Dowling 17:27

Yeah.

Gyan Manohar Khurana 17:28

But on the other side, it's also going to be very interesting when, how the industry really navigates through the entire conversation around guest privacy. I think the more developed these models are, and the mo- the more personalized they become or, the more of a personalized persona of the guest they become, I think the more important it becomes that, the industry really looks at how privacy and authenticity will remain intact.

Dorothy Dowling 18:00

I do agree with you, Gian. I do think this whole element of how we're going to structure our whole go-to-market framing on dealing with the agentic side versus the human side, really structuring a lot of our schema and what our content management systems are gonna look like, and then also this whole element of privacy, 'cause I do think it's going to become a bigger responsibility and conversation that leadership has to plan for. Thank you for sharing that, 'cause I really love the way you articulated that. I'm wondering if we can talk a little bit about team building, because you already identified your plus two and minus two in terms of really thinking about how you support the individuals on your team. I'm just wondering if there's other elements you could share about your leadership philosophy, and what do you really look for in teammates when you're identifying the future leaders where you wanna make a investment in their careers?

Gyan Manohar Khurana 19:03

Thank you for that question because as a leader, I believe it's very important that you really cultivate the next brand of leaders, right? And that's the continuity and the success of the organization. So for me, Dorothy, it really comes down to, very basic fundamentals. The first is that the leader must be humble because arrogance leads to agitation, right? And it is exactly opposite to what the leader has to do. So that would be the first trait that I really look at in a future leader. The second trait, which is as important, is that the leader must be very honest because the integrity starts from the top, and it really trickles down. What the leader really allows to happen, right? And they may be honest in their own dealing, but if they're not being honest or fair in how other leaders or other teams are interacting with their team or how their immediate direct reports are interacting with the larger team and, interacting with the functionality of the team, et cetera, et cetera, that really sets the opportunity for, discord and really disrupts the entire way that a high-functioning team must perform. So I think humility and honesty are, the two core basic I think the two core basic natures, that I think should resonate with a successful leader of tomorrow.

Dorothy Dowling 20:40

I agree with you, and I like- Yeah the way you speak about those things in terms of really qualifying your teammates, in terms of the bets that you will take on them. What about in terms of building culture in your organization, Jan, in terms of the innovation that you wanna see, the collaboration that you spoke about across the different teams, and then really driving that performance management in terms of making everyone accountable for success? How do you really create that culture in the organization that you lead today?

Gyan Manohar Khurana 21:12

Very difficult when all the departments are starting to get merged under performance management, right? So I think the biggest challenge that we have is that every organization is now thinking about the same question, that which department is in the driver's seat? And we have some organizations, Dorothy, where revenue is king, and we have some organizations where it's a commercial director. And, I spoke earlier about how I believe all of that will be replaced with digital marketing, and there are already so many conversations happening with the power of, loyalty programs. So really, I think for us as leaders, it actually boils down to engaging every team and really having a shared purpose and a shared goal, right? So when I spoke about market share and GOP/NPI, there are different ways that the same goal, is presented to different teams as... And they are given a roadmap as to how they can contribute to that goal. So everybody pitches in and, it's all building blocks of the same Lego, right? Which is coming towards, the evolution of the goal being achieved Collaboration also works very well when goals are uncomfortable, but they're still realistic. And what I believe truly helps teams is that they should have goals that move the needle. And- There are, a few instances where senior leadership may believe that, it's time for revolution and, we can go from completely black to completely white. Whereas, there may be an opportunity to, really transform the strategy through different shades of gray. So- I think that becomes very important because when you speak about goals as a journey rather than a destination, because they help the teams understand that, it's an evolution process, then it really gets them to buy into the purpose of the goal. And, when you have purpose, then the leader really doesn't have to drive collaboration and accountability, because then all of that happens when the leader is not in the room, right? And that is really what success, is defined as.

Dorothy Dowling 23:33

Yeah. I think there's some really important messages that you offered there. I love the metaphor of using the Lego blocks, because I do think everyone understanding how their block contributes and, how we build on each other's capabilities to really drive performance is a really interesting way to think about things. And I do think this element of realism is critically important today, Kyan, because I just think with the kind of change that's going on, we all have to be realistic about the humans that we're leading and making sure that they can actually manage the kind of work volumes and the expectations that we have, as well as all of the broader disruptions that everyone is dealing on a day-to-day basis. So I think that's really wise ideas that you have shared with our audience, so thank you for that. Yes I'm just wondering there's one more question I'd like to ask in this space because it's really about the encouragement of teammates in terms of their curiosity and their learning journey. And, that's that balance of how much time you build in terms of their growth and their development plans versus the kind of business delivery that they're responsible for. How do you balance that with your team and really help them make some good decisions about their personal growth and their leadership growth, as well as obviously the kinds of things that you expect them to deliver on?

Gyan Manohar Khurana 24:56

Very important, right? Because a leader in waiting really, truly emerges, Dorothy, when they're encouraged and, they're given space to grow. So for me, the encouragement comes from stimulating ideas. Because if a leader is very heavy with their top-down approach and there's a lot of one-sided direction, then you're really trying to preach to people and, convert them to your way of thinking. But I think it becomes very important for a leader to keep that individuality of each, team member alive and stimulate ideas through brainstorms But there's also a balance when the ideation has to happen. On one side, the core business functionality still need to remain, so the leader always has to talk about the basics, right? And I remember, in one of my roles handling multiple hotels as a revenue leader for a market, I still had to talk about the ABCs that I learned, in my first job. But on the other side, you have to talk about what can be different as a way of functioning and managing the business three months, six months, or one year down the line, and you really have to connect those two, right? So you have to show the way, but also keep the team slightly grounded to what are the non-negotiables and the way that the business has to operate. So interesting, but yes, I think that's the fun part of being a leader because then you learn how to navigate through these conversations and how do you guide your team through the journey.

Dorothy Dowling 26:43

There's a few things that you said there. I really like the idea of not being a top-down leader and hopefully being able to extract a lot of the leadership that your teammates can bring to the equation. What I also liked what I heard about your approach, Gian, is it is that wisdom. It is some of the AD- ABC foundations that many people need to be able to be successful. So it is balancing some of that foundational knowledge, but also being open to some of the innovation and the change that you're speaking about. So I love Chip Conley because he always talks about wisdom workers and the kind of foundational frameworks that they often bring to leaders- earlier in their journey, and I do think that's an important element. The other piece I loved is when you talked about the encouragement of young leaders in terms of optimizing and getting the best out of everyone, because I do think everyone needs someone in their corner that helps them in terms of really realizing their potential. So I'd like to move on a little bit more because one of the things that we love to do in these interviews, Gian is really find out a little bit more about you as a person more than your executive kind of role responsibilities. And what I'd love to ask you more now is you have a very demanding job being in Asia, as we talked about. It's often you're balancing a lot of very challenging time zones. How do you stay recharged and balanced amid your very demanding career?

Gyan Manohar Khurana 28:15

Oh you really have to strive for the work-life balance, right? And I believe that's something that everybody talks about and everybody wants to achieve, but it really becomes very demanding, with the jobs that we have and, the merger of time zones and working hours when, you're in roles that encompass different regions and different countries. But for me, Dorothy, one non-negotiable really is spending time with family, and I am fortunate that I have, in an organization where weekends are sacrosanct. So that really does help me, hit reset and really take the weekend off to rejuvenate and come back, fully energized on a Monday. But separately also, I d- I like to recharge on the side, and I am a bit of a gaming geek, so I do sneak off some time on my PlayStation, when my true boss, the wife, allows it. You know- I have some connection to my own passion, right? Because it's very important also to really fuel yourself with something that really is, relaxing and of the utmost enjoyment to you as an individual. Because then you're also taking that energy back not just to work, but also to your family and, keeping it as a, consistent energy level throughout the weekend and the weekday. So I think those are my, two pillars of, or my two secrets of the peace and nirvana that I try to achieve in my little world, so to say.

Dorothy Dowling 29:51

I really... What I loved what you said there was about the organization that you work with and how the fit in terms of how it allows you to find balance is a very important part of your success as well as your emotional wellbeing. And I also loved your vulnerability in terms of having some things that give you personal joy, Jan, and finding time for that. I have a husband who also loves gaming, so I truly understand some of that. So I'm glad that you and your wife allow for all of that in terms of how you spend your time. I'm wondering if we can move a little bit more back to leaderships of tomorrow and I, I'd like to ask you what excites you most about the future of hospitality and, again, if there's anything from your own journey that you would offer back to people that are earlier in their career on something that you think would be helpful to them

Gyan Manohar Khurana 30:47

What's really exciting about the industry now, Dorothy, is the growth. Yes. And it's phenomenal, right? I believe the milestones that the industry is hitting every five years and now every two years with growth all across the globe, but particularly in Asia. As we know with both chains that started in Asia, but also, larger chains that started elsewhere in Europe and in the US who are now growing more rapidly in Asia. That is just phenomenal. Another exciting part about the industry also is that the way the love for travel also changes. So part of my family is also my furry child, which is my dog, and now there's a sudden evolution in pet-friendly travel, right? So it really shows how the love for travel still remains as, a core wish for all of us as humans. But, the way that we seek that, whether it was adventure travel earlier and backpacking to now moving to, traveling with your new age family or to new destinations, it all, keeps changing. And the industry keeps, growing with flexibility and with the rubber walls that I spoke about. Organizations large or small are really adapting to it. It also means that, the leaders have to really think about the adaptability in the business and really start to learn to lead by example, which I spoke about earlier If somebody really has to join and, be both successful and, still have a meaningful career that matters to them personally the advice that I would give them, Dorothy, is that in this industry you can't stop learning. And I do know about the, curiosity quotient being more important now than the intelligence quotient, the IQ or the EQ, right? And I think that becomes very important in our industry, but it also becomes very important for young and coming leaders to stop comparing themselves to others. One downside to the industry is that it is very competitive and it is very transparent. I sincerely believe that this industry works, with the rule of two degrees of separation, that if you spend a decade then, you're connected to everybody else in the industry who spent a similar amount of time through two connections. And that becomes challenging, when young leaders try to really want-to-be leaders try to really measure their success against their peers. And they forget that, what somebody accomplishes in two years matters much lesser, but what somebody really learns and accomplishes in a decade will matter more. So- That's something that really guided me, and I hope guides future leaders in their careers.

Dorothy Dowling 33:45

There's three things that you said there, John that I relate to in a very deep way. One is the element of thinking about your career in decades, 'cause I do think you need a meaningful amount of time to really put a plan together and- continue to evolve your thinking. I also love that HBR article that talks about IQ, EQ, and CQ being the dominant play now that we all need to invest in, which is really investing in curiosity and learning. So I love that message. And I also loved the story of growth because I do think the hospitality industry is an industry that is very stable in so many ways because, as you talked about, the experience economy is here for a very long time because people want that as part of their human experiences. But I also think we are poised on an immers- emerging, an amazing journey of growth, so it's an exciting industry to be involved with. So thank you for articulating those three things in such a eloquent way, 'cause I do believe all of those things are important for our audience to consider and plan for. So if I may, Jan I'd just like to thank you so much for your very thoughtful participation today. I really appreciated your perspective not too long ago when I had the chance to meet you in person, and I just think the way you connect the human journey and the business journey is very special. So I'm just very grateful that you took the time to spend it with me today and share it with our audience. You bring such a thoughtful lens, and I know I have learned quite a bit from you today, and I'm sure those that are listening have as well. I want to thank you, and I also want to thank our audience for joining us. And if today's conversation resonated with you, I hope you will explore our other interviews with other leaders like Jan at itspersonalstories.com, where we share their stories from across the industry, leaders who are building meaningful careers, shaping the future of hospitality, and reminding us that leadership is, at its core, deeply personal. We hope you'll join us again soon, and thank you.