RAJESH GOPALAKRISHNAN APPOINTED GM OF THE LEELA HYDERABAD
- E2 Correspondent
- 6 days ago
- 1 min read
A hospitality veteran takes the reins at one of Hyderabad’s most storied luxury hotels
The Leela Hyderabad has a new captain at its helm. Rajesh Gopalakrishnan, whose career spans three decades at some of the world’s most esteemed hospitality brands, steps into the role of general manager, tasked with steering the property into its next chapter.
Gopalakrishnan’s appointment is a coup for the hotel. His CV reads like a who’s who of luxury hospitality: leadership stints at Radisson Hotel Group, Novotel Visakhapatnam, and Grand Mercure Vadodara, alongside senior roles with Accor and Greenpark Hotels & Resorts. But it’s his time at marquee properties—The Leela Mumbai, Grand Hyatt Mumbai, Taj Coromandel Chennai—that sharpened his instinct for the alchemy of true five-star service.
A graduate of Switzerland’s Glion Institute of Higher Education, with an MBA in International Hospitality Management, Gopalakrishnan is no stranger to high expectations.
His training—including Accor Academy Asia’s rigorous programme in Thailand—armed him with a global perspective, though his approach remains rooted in the particulars of Indian luxury.
“I am honoured to join The Leela Hyderabad,” he says, “and contribute to its legacy of world-class hospitality.”
The challenge ahead? To refine an already polished gem. The Leela Hyderabad has long been a byword for opulence, but in an era where guests crave both tradition and innovation, Gopalakrishnan’s blend of operational rigour and creative vision may prove pivotal.
If his track record is anything to go by, the hotel’s next era will be one to watch.