PANAJI: V. M. Salgaocar Institute of International Hospitality Education (VMSIIHE), Raia-Goa, recently hosted an online knowledge session with Ranju Alex, Market Vice-President West India, Marriott International, as part of the institute’s industry connect series.
The hour-long session had Ranju Alex, a proud recipient of the ’Women of the Decade in Business & Leadership’ award at the Women Economic Forum, UK in conversation with Ashrafali Nizari, Managing Director, Nizmar Hotels Pvt. Ltd., along with Melba Vaz, Principal, Mount Mary Higher Secondary School, where the duo had a candid conversation with Ranju on her journey from a student to the boardrooms of the Marriott Hotel Group, in an effort to inspire students of hospitality.
Taking centrestage, Ranju Alex went on to speak to students about challenges she faced in her youth with regards to her health, sensitivity towards her appearance and her overall journey to become the person that she is today. She laid emphasis on how she continued to work on personality, grooming standards and communication skills. She advised students that “personality is far more than your skin colour and the height that you carry or are born with.’’
She spoke about how little to none avenues existed before and how the industry has grown exponentially. She advised: ” Today the travel industry contributes to 6 percent of the GDP. Always join an industry which has the capacity to fuel your personal growth and this is the industry to do that right now’’.
While responding to a query she told students that the industry looks for attitude and values while hiring resources and that skills can be taught and enhanced. She explained, “Every company has different styles of operations and reports to generate. When we look to hire people the key factor is the individual’s attitude. If the attitude is positive we know that people will pick up the skills that the company is looking forward to.”
