Mahesh Kishor

Mahesh Kishor is a Learning & Development and Quality leader with over 14 years of experience across luxury and premium hospitality, airport hospitality, financial services, and education. Currently serving as Global Learning & Development Manager for Plaza Premium Group.

His expertise in learning design was shaped significantly during his tenure with Jumeirah Group, where he designed and implemented structured learning frameworks at both hotel and corporate levels. His Quality Assurance background has added a rigorous governance dimension to this work, having led audits, established quality committees. Having worked across the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and with additional experience in financial services at American Express and the education sector, Mahesh brings a genuinely cross-sector, globally informed perspective to his advisory work.

As an Industry Advisor with Asianhotelier.Org, he contributes deep expertise in learning design, quality assurance, and capability building areas that are central to raising professional standards and developing the next generation of hospitality talent across the region.

Ruth Abishegam Clark

Ruth serves as SVP of Learning & Development at Azimuth Centre of Excellence, an international company dedicated to creating customised training and Human Resources consultancy for corporate clients using disruptive methodologies.

She brings over 30 years of experience in the hospitality sector across the Asia Pacific region, having headed Human Resources departments and served as an HR and L&D consultant. Throughout her career she has worked across diverse organisational cultures and levels, focusing on building shared value for communities.

A key aspect of her professional legacy involves championing sustainability initiatives, leading organisational transformation toward environmental and community responsibility. Looking forward, Ruth aims to mentor emerging hoteliers by offering fresh perspectives to those who want to rise the ladder and have the drive and passion to be internationally recognised.

Susan Verghese

Susan Verghese is a leading educator and consultant who brings over 35 years of industry experience across hospitality establishments, academic institutions, and consultancies. She has collaborated with MAHTEC (the Malaysian Association of Hotels Training & Education Centre) and Aariana Hospitality International throughout her career.

Her professional credentials include CHT (Certified Hospitality Trainer) certification from the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute. She serves as the lead facilitator for CHT programmes and has conducted multiple certification sessions for Malaysia’s hospitality sector, with qualifications spanning Switzerland, America, India, Malaysia, and ASEAN-level certifications.

Throughout her career, Verghese has consistently earned strong evaluations from training participants and remains committed to advancing the hospitality industry through education and professional development initiatives.

Sunny Savinderjit Singh

Sunny is a seasoned professional bringing 27 years of leadership experience from four industries, including 16 years as a professional consultant trainer. His career spans the hospitality, petroleum and logistics, education, and training sectors.

In hospitality he held operational and strategic roles with major properties including The Holiday Inn, Penang Mutiara Beach Resort, and Sunway Hotel Georgetown and Penang, directing Front Office / Rooms Division while overseeing employee development, training, customer service initiatives, and operations planning, budgeting, and forecasting.

His distinctive capability is designing customised programmes addressing competency gaps or specific operational needs. He conducts training fluently in both English and Bahasa Malaysia, incorporating practical tools, role-plays, and real operational examples to enhance participant engagement across diverse sectors.

Ruth Abishegam Clark

Ruth serves as SVP of Learning & Development at Azimuth Centre of Excellence, an international company dedicated to creating customised training and Human Resources consultancy for corporate clients using disruptive methodologies.

She brings over 30 years of experience in the hospitality sector across the Asia Pacific region, having headed Human Resources departments and served as an HR and L&D consultant. Throughout her career she has worked across diverse organisational cultures and levels, focusing on building shared value for communities.

A key aspect of her professional legacy involves championing sustainability initiatives, leading organisational transformation toward environmental and community responsibility. Looking forward, Ruth aims to mentor emerging hoteliers by offering fresh perspectives to those who want to rise the ladder and have the drive and passion to be internationally recognised.