About Priya Paul
She is the chairperson of Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels, a subsidiary of the Apeejay Surrendra Group. They are part of the hotel chain, Park Hotels.
Priya Paul Biography
Born in India, she was the daughter of the chairman of the Apeejay Surrendra Group, Surrendra Paul. Her education included schooling in India as well as college in the United States, where she gained degrees from Wellesley College, Harvard Business School and INSEAD.
After the death of her father in 1990, Priya faced the running of three hotels. Rising to the challenge as a general manager, she soon had appointment as the director of the Apeejay Surrendra Group and chair of Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels.
At a young age, gaining trust, Priya had to prove herself in a senior position. She had to work hard to prove herself. People respected her, however, because she was the owner of the company. Rather than following a guidebook on how to run hotels, she believed in following her heart. This led to her success in a field in which she did not really have the experience.
In 2004, she married Sethu Vaidyanathan. He is also an entrepreneur.
She is active in many organizations, including the National Council of Science Museums and National Tourism Advisory Council. Priya is also chair of the South Asia Women’s Fund. A member of the India Advisory Board of the Harvard Business School, Paul is also the vice chair of the World Travel and Tourism Council – Indian Initiative Trustee. She also serves as trustee of the (IFA) India Foundation of Arts.
She believes in being flexible, taking risks and investing in a strong workforce. Looking inward, she evaluated the identity of her role as well as that of the company. She suggests you ask yourself what you are doing, why you are doing it and keep examining where the business is, and whether it is still relevant.
Priya also listens to her employees’ opinions as well as diverse voices, when it comes to her business. With this in mind, Paul feels that the employees have great insights and ideas for their departments as well as for the business.
News on Priya Paul
She helped open three new hotels: THE Park Mumbai, The Denmark Tavern in Serampore and Zone Palace by The Park in Jaipur.
Priya helped launch the new brand, Zone by THE Park. Its purpose is to accommodate the rising number of domestic travelers in India’s main cities. Projections are that the new portfolio will grow to 17 properties within the next three years.
Priya is part owner, along with her family, of the Apeejay Surrendra Group, one of India’s oldest and largest business conglomerates. It employs more than 43,000 people, owns THE Park Hotels and has holdings in the shipping, real estate, retail and finance sectors. The group also owns Typhoo Tea, a well-known brand.
She is ex-president of the Hotel Association of India and has a ranking by Forbes Magazine as one of Asia’s 50 most powerful businesswomen.
FAQ
In 2004, she married Sethu Vaidyanathan, who is an animal rights activist as well as a serial entrepreneur.
She was born in India in 1967 and was the daughter of the chairman of the Apeejay Surrendra Group, Surrendra Paul.
Her net worth has an estimate of $1.5 Million.
At the age of 21 in 1988, Priya Paul started her career under her father as a marketing manager of THE Park in New Delhi.
