Novotel Hyderabad Airport has announced the appointment of Jitendra Singh as Director of Food & Beverage, strengthening its leadership team as the hotel continues to enhance its culinary offerings and destination dining experiences.

In his new role, Singh will oversee the hotel’s food and beverage operations across its signature restaurants, bar, in-room dining, and banqueting services. His focus will include elevating guest experiences, introducing innovative culinary concepts, improving commercial performance, and developing high-performing teams.

With over 18 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Jitendra Singh brings extensive expertise in food and beverage operations, revenue optimisation, guest experience enhancement, and business growth initiatives. He has held leadership positions with renowned hospitality brands including Marriott International, The Corinthians Resort & Club, Golden Tulip, and Holiday Inn.

Prior to joining Novotel Hyderabad Airport, Singh served as Assistant Director of Food & Beverage at Renaissance Ahmedabad, where he managed multi-outlet operations, large-scale banqueting, and revenue-driven F&B strategies. Throughout his career, he has contributed to operational excellence, successful pre-openings, and strengthening guest satisfaction across hospitality properties.

Commenting on the appointment, Sukhbir Singh, General Manager, Novotel Hyderabad Airport, said that Jitendra’s experience across high-volume and multi-outlet F&B operations makes him a valuable addition to the leadership team. He added that Singh’s expertise will support the hotel’s efforts to strengthen culinary offerings and create memorable dining experiences.

Speaking about his new role, Jitendra Singh said he looks forward to building on Novotel Hyderabad Airport’s strong food and beverage foundation by introducing fresh culinary perspectives, thoughtfully curated menus, and innovative concepts that combine creativity, quality, and warm hospitality.

With signature dining venues including Food Exchange, Gourmet Bar, and its popular Sunday brunch experiences, Novotel Hyderabad Airport continues to focus on creating engaging culinary offerings through seasonal menus, curated concepts, and innovative beverage programmes for both hotel guests and Hyderabad’s food enthusiasts.

About Novotel

Novotel Hotels, Suites & Resorts offers high-quality hotels designed as comfortable and energising spaces where guests can achieve balance while travelling for work, leisure, or a combination of both. The brand operates over 590 locations across more than 60 countries and is part of Accor, a leading hospitality group with over 5,700 properties worldwide. Novotel is also part of ALL – Accor Live Limitless, Accor’s lifestyle loyalty programme.

Brigade Hospitality has announced the rebranding of its MLR Convention Centre Whitefield as MLR Cultural Centre, marking the venue’s transformation into an emerging destination for arts, culture, and creative expression in Bengaluru.

The rebranding includes a refreshed logo and updated visual identity, reflecting the venue’s evolving role as a platform for cultural engagement. Over recent years, MLR Cultural Centre has expanded beyond traditional conferences and corporate events to host a diverse range of artistic experiences, including music, theatre, dance, literature, and performing arts.

The new identity recognises this journey and reinforces the venue’s commitment to creating meaningful cultural experiences by bringing together artists, audiences, and creative communities.

The nomenclature and visual identity of Brigade Hospitality’s MLR Convention Centre in JP Nagar will remain unchanged.

Commenting on the rebranding, Gurmeet Singh, Assistant Vice President, Brigade Hospitality, said that the identity change reflects the transition the venue has undergone, with cultural activities becoming a stronger focus while continuing to accommodate conferences and corporate events.

He added that the vision is to establish MLR Cultural Centre as a space where artists, audiences, and ideas come together to celebrate India’s vibrant cultural fabric and create memorable experiences.

The rebranding marks a new chapter for MLR Cultural Centre as it strengthens its position as a leading destination for art, music, and cultural performances in Bengaluru and beyond.

Air India has announced a new codeshare partnership with Azerbaijan Airlines, expanding its international network and offering passengers more convenient travel options between India and Baku. The agreement is expected to strengthen business, tourism and cultural ties between the two countries while improving connectivity across both airlines' networks.

As part of the partnership, Air India will place its 'AI' designator code on Azerbaijan Airlines-operated flights between Delhi and Baku and Mumbai and Baku. The arrangement introduces Baku as a new destination for Air India customers, a route that is not currently served by the airline's own aircraft.

Passengers travelling from Delhi, Mumbai and other Indian cities can now book their journey to Baku on a single Air India ticket, with the flight carrying an Air India flight number while being operated by Azerbaijan Airlines.

The codeshare builds on the existing interline agreement between the two carriers, enabling travellers to book seamless journeys on a single itinerary across both airline networks. For example, a passenger travelling from Bangkok can fly with Air India to Delhi and then connect to Baku on an Azerbaijan Airlines flight under one booking.

Commenting on the partnership, Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India, said:

"At Air India, we believe every corner of the world should be within reach of our customers. Partnerships like this one with Azerbaijan Airlines are central to that vision; they allow us to extend our network beyond the destinations we fly to ourselves. Through this codeshare, our customers travelling to Baku will enjoy convenience and reliability from booking their ticket to check-in and touchdown. This is part of a broader effort to keep strengthening connectivity between India and the rest of the world."

Jamil Manizade, Chief Commercial Officer, Azerbaijan Airlines, added:

"India is one of the world's fastest-growing aviation markets and an increasingly important destination for both business and leisure travel. Our partnership with Air India is an important step in expanding Azerbaijan Airlines' international connectivity through strategic partnerships. By bringing together the strengths of our networks, we are offering passengers greater choice, enhanced connectivity and a more seamless travel experience between Azerbaijan, India and beyond."

Since its privatisation in 2022, Air India has significantly expanded its global partnership network. The airline now has 26 codeshare partnerships and more than 120 interline agreements with leading global carriers, providing customers with seamless access to over 1,000 destinations worldwide.