The Leela Appoints Pradeep Kandari to Lead Gandhinagar & MMCEC
The seasoned hotelier steps into the General Manager role as Gujarat’s luxury hospitality, MICE and destination events landscape continues to expand.
By SOH Edit Team
The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts has appointed Pradeep Kandari as General Manager of The Leela Gandhinagar and Mahatma Mandir Exhibition and Convention Centre (MMCEC), bringing more than two decades of hospitality experience to one of the brand’s key integrated hotel and convention destinations.
Kandari’s appointment comes at a significant time for Gujarat’s hospitality sector, as the state continues to see growing demand across business travel, conventions, large-format events, weddings and leisure.
In his new role, he will lead the hotel and convention centre with a focus on guest experience, operational excellence and business growth.
A Leadership Journey
Kandari has been associated with The Leela since January 2023 and has held progressive leadership responsibilities across the brand’s Bengaluru portfolio. Prior to his move to Gandhinagar, he served as Hotel Manager at The Leela Palace Bengaluru, one of the group’s flagship luxury properties.
His leadership philosophy places particular emphasis on personalised service, attention to detail and building meaningful guest connections, elements that remain increasingly important as luxury hospitality moves towards more intuitive and experience-led service.
Over the course of his career, Kandari has worked with several prominent hospitality brands in India and internationally. Before joining The Leela, his professional journey included leadership roles and assignments with The St. Regis Mumbai, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Le Royal Méridien, Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces, and Manchester Marriott.
The breadth of this experience has given him exposure to different facets of luxury hospitality, from high-touch guest service and hotel operations to evolving traveller expectations and international service standards.
Gandhinagar’s Hospitality Opportunity
The combination of The Leela Gandhinagar and MMCEC creates a distinctive hospitality proposition, bringing luxury accommodation and large-scale convention infrastructure together within the same destination.
For Kandari, the opportunity lies in strengthening this positioning while responding to the increasing importance of Gujarat within India’s MICE, wedding, corporate and leisure travel landscape.
Speaking on his appointment, Pradeep Kandari said: “Gujarat is witnessing an exciting evolution in luxury hospitality, driven by the growth of convention, MICE, wedding, and leisure travel across the region. With The Leela Gandhinagar and the Mahatma Mandir Exhibition and Convention Centre together offering a distinctive proposition for discerning travellers and large-scale events, our focus will be on creating experiences that are warm, intuitive, and memorable, while continuing to uphold the values of Indian hospitality, rooted in the timeless philosophy of Atithi Devo Bhava, that define The Leela.”
As General Manager, Kandari will oversee a destination that operates at the intersection of luxury hospitality and large-scale events. His mandate will centre on strengthening guest experiences, driving operational performance and reinforcing the complex’s position within Gujarat’s growing hospitality and convention ecosystem.
His appointment also marks the next chapter in a career shaped by luxury hotel operations, international exposure and a service philosophy centred on personalisation at a time when both Gujarat and India’s wider hospitality sector are seeing significant evolution.
