SKS Hospitality To Cultivate Future Hospitality Leaders Via DRIVE Initiative
BUSINESSTODAY
23 April 2025
HOTEL
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SKS Hospitality has unveiled a bold new initiative to shape the next generation of hospitality leaders through its DRIVE Programme.
According to SKS Hospitality Head Meera Raj, the programme addresses the urgent need for hospitality professionals who can lead with intent, adapt to evolving industry landscapes and serve with heart.
“This programme is designed to fast-track fresh graduates and internal team members into supervisory roles, underlining the group’s commitment to nurturing talent rooted in values, resilience, and a people-first mindset.
“The future of hospitality belongs to those who lead not just with knowledge, but with kindness, clarity and courage. Through DRIVE, we are creating a path for individuals to discover their strengths, steer their career success, and uplift others along the way,” Meera said.
She added that the DRIVE Programme also champions a new leadership ethos that balances operational expertise with integrity, empathy and purpose.
Meera highlighted that the programme begins with a six-month commitment to growth, starting with an immersive, ground-level experience across SKS Hospitality’s Essentials brands, Fives and AmanSari.
“Participants will select a pathway in either Rooms or Food & Beverage (open to both fresh graduates and internal talents) or take on the Administration track (exclusive to current team members) and rotate through operational areas tailored to their interests.
“This hands-on phase is followed by a more advanced placement, where participants assume real responsibilities in a different hotel. Guided by departmental mentors, they will learn to lead with confidence, make decisions that matter, and build cross-functional expertise,” Meera said, adding that in their final month, participants will take the reins by operating independently and undergoing a full leadership assessment.
Upon completing the programme, successful participants will be directly appointed to confirmed supervisory positions without probation and inducted into SKS Hospitality’s Leadership Talent Pool, a curated bench of future leaders poised for greater responsibilities, Meera said.
Meera said the programme is open for application now and it is open to graduates with a Diploma or Degree in Hotel Management or a related discipline (completed within the past two years), applicants of all backgrounds and nationalities who embody resilience and leadership drive, and internal team members nominated via the Talent Succession Programme for their proven commitment and potential.
“DRIVE is not just a programme, it’s a call to rise, to lead, and to shape the future of hospitality with intention,” Meera stressed.
