Raymond Bickson
MD, Indian Hotels Company Ltd

He looks like an Indian, talks with an American twang and has a transnational experience in the hospitality industry. That's Raymond Bickson.

The 48-year-old Hawaiian polyglot who speaks an eye-popping 30 languages fluently and is all set to take over as managing director of Indian Hotels Company, which runs the Taj group of hotels. He replaces R K Krishna Kumar, who relinquishes his position with effect from July 19.

Also, it is for the first time that the Tatas have inducted an expatriate to head a group company. "It comes as no surprise that Bickson will be nominated as managing director," said a Taj group executive.

Kumar is believed to have considered a host of people before zeroing in on Bickson. Speculation had been rife that Zubin Dubash, executive director, finance, Indian Hotels, was tipped to succeed him.

Bickson's appointment comes at a time when the company is focusing on a global presence. The anointing of Bickson, say Taj executives, was obvious in the positions he held in the hospitality company.

Bickson had been brought in strategically as chief operating officer of Taj luxury hotels. He was also given a place on the board of directors.

Having joined India's largest hospitality company in early January this year, Bickson replaced Subir Bhowmick, the then chief operating officer of the luxury hotels division, who superannuated.

This move itself, say Taj executives, spoke volumes because the luxury hotels division accounts for 75 per cent of the company’s Rs 591 crore turnover.

Now, what makes Bickson the ideal choice to head the Taj group? "You don't have to groom Bickson as he knows the industry like the back of his hand," says a Taj official.

He brings 30 years of hoteliering experience to Indian Hotels.

An alumni of L'Ecole Hoteliere Lausanne in Switzerland and Harvard Business School, he earned his stripes in the kitchens of the Berlin Hilton three decades ago. After that, he spent time at exotic luxury hotels in Europe, North America, Australia and Asia.

That he picked up awards on the way is another story. Bickson was voted one of the top 10 best hotel managers by Leaders magazine, a hospitality publication, from 1997-2002. He was also adjudged the best hotelier in the world by the Gallivanter's Guide in 2002.

With so much behind him, his main task is to leverage the Taj brand globally. Says Kumar, "The global expansion of the hotel chain is something I could not finish during my tenure. Bickson has built new hotels and repositioned landmark hotels in the US, China and other countries."

On his new role, Bickson said: "These are exciting times at the company. We have set ourselves the task of taking the Taj to new international markets to emerge as a truly global hotel group."

But coming to terms with the Tata culture will be a different ballgame for him. And will he feel at home in India? With a penchant for languages, picking up Hindi will be a cakewalk.