Suman Shrestha

Suman Shrestha is the Director of Sales and Marketing for Hyatt Regency Kathmandu. He completed his Master’s degree in Business Administration from Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane. He has been associated with the hotel for the past 16 years, starting his career as a public relations officer, moving on to handle revenue and then to his current position. Dedicated and highly motivated, Shrestha shares that the tourism industry in Nepal has seen its ups and downs with the various changes faced by the country, saying, “It has been a challenging and at the same time an interesting period as tourism is one of the first to be affected due to any negative impact”. He believes in leading by example and is a team player since it is collective effort that supports the achieving of goals for an organization. Being in the hospitality business, Shrestha’s believes in addressing the needs of the people – guests, colleagues and community members as the key to success. The accolades received by the hotel are: Nepal’s Leading Hotel by World Travel Awards for the years of 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013 and 2016; Traveller’s Choice Award and Certificate of Excellence by Trip Advisor; Gold Circle Award by Agoda; Guest Review Award by Booking.com; being named the highest foreign currency income generator in the hotel segment for 2014-15 and one of the highest tax payers in the hotel segment for 2015-16 are all testaments of the efforts the hotel has put into becoming one of the most preferred hotels in the country. Shrestha states that career is very much an integral part of one’s life and shares the five influences that have impacted his work and life.

FIVE THINGS THAT HAVE IMPACTED MY WORK AND LIFE

Family Family has always been my support system. From my early days as a child with my mother’s care to my father being an inspiration for me. My father had a very simple thought process. He used to say, ‘do your best and the rest will follow’. I have always held that as my mantra. Despite the challenges faced, as an individual you should give your best. The support I have received from my parents, extended family and my wife are very important aspects of my life today. Education I owe a lot of my upbringing to the educational institutions and my teachers who moulded me into who I am today. My early schooling was from St. Joseph College, Darjeeling and later I graduated from Christ College, Bangalore and finally did my Masters from Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane. I think my early years in school in Darjeeling played an important role in the development of my personality and my outlook to life. Friends As a child growing up in a boarding school and having completed most of my education outside of Nepal, my friends have always been an extension of the family or support system back home. Such friendship built on trust and memories creates a bond which I cherish and rely on. Even though some of my friends live in different countries, we are still connected and it does take many by surprise when we reminiscence when we meet – sometimes to ridicule when we start to call each other our nicknames! Working for Hyatt Regency Kathmandu The purpose of Hyatt where we say “We care for people so that they can be their best” in itself epitomizes my career with this company. I believe I have been allowed to grow personally and develop the skill and knowledge to give my best – not just for the company but also to those who matter to me. The company, I believe, has given me the opportunity to be the professional I am today and has instilled in me the value system of respect, integrity, humility, empathy, creativity and fun. Work Life Balance I have come to realise, maybe with age and increased responsibilities, that a work-life balance is a very important aspect of one’s life. Recently I lost my father and there is always this guilt which pinches me “Could I have spent more time with him?” I now would like to ensure that I can be part of the joy and happiness with my family, friends and colleagues and on those special occasions that matter to me. Part of having work life balance is also being able to say “No” while maintaining a healthy lifestyle with proper diet, rest and time at your disposal.