Grand Mercure Bangalore has appointed Geena George as Associate Director of People & Culture, strengthening its leadership team as the hotel continues to focus on its people-first approach to hospitality.

Geena brings more than 15 years of hospitality human resources experience across India and the Middle East. Her areas of experience include talent acquisition, learning and development, organisational development, employee engagement and performance management.

Over the course of her career, she has worked with hospitality brands including Radisson Hotel Group, Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi, The Raviz Hotels & Resorts and Accor, where she has been involved in developing teams, nurturing talent and building workplace cultures.

Before joining Grand Mercure Bangalore, Geena was People & Culture Manager at Grand Mercure Ahmedabad GIFT City. In the role, she led learning and development programmes, employee engagement initiatives and retention strategies aimed at supporting workforce stability.

Her earlier experience includes roles at Novotel Chennai Chamiers Road, Radisson Blu Atria Bengaluru and Yas Viceroy Abu Dhabi, where she worked across areas such as HR transformation, leadership development, CSR and employee recognition.

Commenting on the appointment, Parag Shah, General Manager, Grand Mercure Bangalore, said, "Hospitality has always been a people-led business. While guests experience the warmth of our service, it is our associates who make those moments possible every single day. Geena brings a thoughtful approach to developing talent, strengthening engagement and creating an environment where our teams feel supported to do their best work. We are delighted to welcome her to Grand Mercure Bangalore and look forward to the value her leadership will bring to our people and the hotel."

Speaking on her new role, Geena George said, "What has always drawn me to hospitality is the opportunity to work closely with people and create workplaces where they feel valued, heard and encouraged to grow. I'm excited to join Grand Mercure Bangalore and contribute towards building an environment that invests in continuous learning, meaningful engagement and leadership development, while supporting our associates in delivering exceptional guest experiences."

Her appointment underlines Grand Mercure Bangalore's focus on talent development, internal leadership growth and creating a workplace where its teams can perform and grow while continuing to deliver the hospitality experience associated with the brand.

Rajnish Sharma has joined ITC Hotels as Food & Beverage Manager for the pre-opening of Welcomhotel By ITC Hotels, Mohali Chandigarh.

The new role marks Rajnish Sharma’s second appointment as a Food & Beverage Manager, adding another milestone to his journey in the hospitality industry. His appointment comes as the hotel prepares for its pre-opening phase.

Speaking about the new opportunity, Rajnish Sharma shared that it is a privilege to be associated with a brand known for its excellence, rich legacy and commitment to delivering exceptional guest experiences.

The appointment adds to his professional journey while giving him an opportunity to contribute to the opening and operations of the upcoming Welcomhotel By ITC Hotels property in Mohali Chandigarh.

Arun Vasu, President of the Surfing Federation of India (SFI), has been elected as the new President of the Asian Surfing Federation (ASF). The election was held this morning through a vote by ASF's member National Federations and was supervised by the International Surfing Association (ISA).

A lifetime windsurfer and surfer, Vasu has led SFI as President since 2021. During his tenure, India qualified its first surfers for the Asian Games, secured its first medal at an Asian Surfing Championship, hosted its first ASF continental championship and staged the country's first World Surfing League event.

Alongside his work in surfing, Vasu is Chairman and Managing Director of the TT Group and serves as Honorary Consul for Sweden in South India. Vasu succeeds Atsushi Sakai of Japan, who served as ASF President since 2011. During his tenure, the Federation continued to grow while supporting the development of surfing's Olympic pathway across Asia.

Following the election result, Vasu said, “I want to begin by acknowledging Japan's leadership over these many years, and everything built under it. That legacy is real, and this Federation stands on it,” said Arun Vasu following the result. “What comes next is ours to build together. ASF's future has to belong equally to every part of Asia, and both surfing and SUP deserve a real stage. That work starts now.”

Vasu's immediate focus will include the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya. He has also outlined plans to expand competitive Stand-Up Paddle (SUP) across the region and strengthen ASF's presence among National Federations that remain underrepresented within the Federation. The election was conducted under the oversight of the International Surfing Association, following ASF's constitution and electoral procedures.

The Surfing Federation of India was recognised by the International Surfing Association (ISA) in 2011 and has been an ASF Member Federation since.