Power List 2024: Ajay Bakaya

Managing Director, Sarovar Hotels; and Director, Louvre Hotels India

A trailblazer in Indian hospitality, Ajay K Bakaya is an experienced hotelier with 45 years of work in India, Africa, Australia, France and the UK. He has contributed significantly to the phenomenal growth story of Sarovar since its early inception, beginning from a shared office table to over 100 hotels today.
Bakaya was Director, Rooms, at Australia’s largest hotel, now the 878-room Hyatt Regency, Sydney. He was a GM with Oberoi Hotels at the age of 31 years. An MBA alumni of IMHI (Cornell – ESSEC, France), he is a graduate of the Oberoi School, and a Bachelor of Science. A leader with entrepreneurial zeal, he has been awarded ‘Hall of Fame’, ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ and ‘CEO of the Year’ in India.
His global experience includes extensive work across India, Australia, Africa, France and Scotland.
An avid cyclist, he completed the 1,000 km Tour of Nilgiris in 2017.