R.S. Dharmendra

COO,
Icon Hotels, Bhagini Hospitality Pvt. Ltd.

R S Dharmendra is a seasoned hospitality professional with extensive experience in restaurant operations, business growth, customer experience, and large-format hospitality management. With a strong track record in scaling brands, operational excellence, and driving profitability, he is currently associated with Gigu Hospitality Private Limited, leading strategic growth initiatives across multiple formats and brands.

Over the years, Dharmendra has built expertise in:

Multi-unit restaurant and bar operations
Business turnaround and profitability enhancement
Concept creation and F&B innovation
Team leadership and people development
Customer experience and retail-style hospitality execution
Brand positioning and operational scalability

Known for his practical leadership philosophy — “Retail is detail, and hospitality is retail driven by service and food” — he strongly believes that consistency, speed, and guest engagement are the key pillars of sustainable hospitality businesses.

He has actively participated as a:

Speaker
Moderator
Industry Panelist

across several leading hospitality and retail forums in India.

Speaker & Industry Forums

FCIC (West, South & National Editions)
Restaurant India Convention
World of Hospitality Expo
India Food Forum
TiE Food Summit
AHPWI Events & Leadership Forums

Awards & Recognitions

ET Hospitality – Best GM Award
AHPWI – Best GM
30 Best GMs of India Award
FCIC South India – Best GM
AHPWI – Best Senior Vice President South India Award

Dharmendra is also actively involved in:

Hospitality consulting
Menu engineering
Restaurant concept development
Business strategy for cafés, bars, breweries, and experiential dining formats
Industry mentoring and leadership discussions

His vision focuses on creating scalable hospitality brands that combine operational discipline, guest-centric innovation, and strong financial sustainability.

Core Strengths