Accor’s Satish Kumar on Resilience, Inclusion and Innovation in Hospitality’s New Era

In a candid leadership conversation, Satish Kumar, Senior Director of People & Culture for Accor India & South Asia, shared insights on how the hospitality sector is navigating a new era defined by resilience, inclusion and innovation.

Kumar, who leads people strategy for more than 12,000 employees across the region, emphasised that internal culture and workforce agility are now core to organisational strength. He highlighted that the pandemic and shifting market expectations have made adaptability and continuous learning essential components of high-performing hospitality companies.

One of the defining themes of his perspective is resilience — not just as crisis response, but as a long-term mindset embedded in talent development, leadership growth and operational flexibility. Leaders, he noted, must empower teams with both purpose and psychological safety while aligning them to evolving business priorities.

Inclusion emerged as another fundamental pillar. Kumar discussed the importance of fostering diverse teams, integrating gender equality practices, and creating environments where varied perspectives fuel creativity and performance. Such efforts, he observed, contribute to stronger organisational cultures and better decision-making.

Innovation, in the context of people and culture, was framed around redefining traditional workforce models. Kumar spoke about the shift toward agile workforce planning, reskilling programmes and career pathways that transcend conventional hospitality roles. By integrating inclusive hiring practices and robust learning ecosystems, Accor is positioning its talent base to thrive amid changing guest expectations and industry dynamics.

Hospitality, as he explained, is no longer just about delivering service — it is about creating experiences rooted in people empowerment, cultural empathy and continuous innovation. This people-centric approach, he believes, will drive sustainable organisational growth and help hotels adapt more rapidly to future trends.

Kumar’s insights reflect broader shifts in the global hospitality landscape, where resilience is measured not only in financial terms but also in a company’s ability to nurture talent, champion diversity and embrace new ways of working.