Kemp Fort Group
Retail Expansion
TBC
R. S. Dharmendra
BuildingHospitalityBusinessesThatScale
Hospitality Leader | Business Consultant | Hotel Operations Expert | Restaurant Growth Strategist
About
ACareerBuiltAcrossThreeIndustries
With over 25 years of leadership experience across hospitality, restaurants, retail, entertainment, food & beverage, sales, business development, and multi-unit operations, R. S. Dharmendra has built a career defined by growth, innovation, operational excellence, and customer-centric leadership.
Currently serving as Chief Operating Officer of Icon Hotels India by Bhagini Group, he oversees a growing portfolio of 8 hotels, 10 restaurants, banquet facilities, convention venues, and hospitality ventures — driving strategic growth, operational excellence, revenue performance, guest experience, and organizational development.
His professional journey is unique in spanning three major industries — Retail, Entertainment, and Hospitality — giving him a holistic understanding of consumer behavior, brand building, customer engagement, and business scalability.
Years of Leadership
Industries Led
Hotels Currently Overseen
Restaurants Currently Overseen
The Journey
25+ Years, Three Industries, One Track Record
Retail
Entertainment
Amoeba · HM Group
Hospitality
HM Group
Restaurants, Entertainment & Retail
17 years (TBC)
Gilly's Hospitality
Bengaluru Nightlife & Resto-Bar Leadership
2018–
Present
Icon Hotels India by Bhagini Group
Chief Operating Officer
Present
Retail
Kemp Fort Group
Retail Expansion
TBC
Nearly four years contributing to organized retail growth. Played a key role in the launch and expansion of 35 Toys Kemp stores across India — building expertise in retail operations, merchandising, customer experience, and inventory management.
Hospitality
HM Group
Restaurants, Entertainment & Retail
17 years (TBC)
17 years leading restaurant, entertainment, and retail formats.
- Led operations for Bengaluru's most iconic restaurant brands: Three Quarter Chinese, 20 Feet High, Subz, and Chutney Chang.
- Served as Management Representative for Three Quarter Chinese's ISO Certification — India's first standalone restaurant to achieve it.
- Scaled Amoeba Family Entertainment Centres into a national brand, including Bollywood-partnered celebrity events and film promotions.
- Managed international sourcing across China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong for games, merchandise, and entertainment products.
Hospitality
Gilly's Hospitality
Bengaluru Nightlife & Resto-Bar Leadership
2018–
Expanded the brand to 14 outlets, launched multiple hospitality concepts, and strengthened F&B programs, revenue, and brand visibility across Bengaluru's nightlife scene.
HospitalityPresent
Icon Hotels India by Bhagini Group
Chief Operating Officer
Present
Leads operations and strategic growth across 8 hotels, 10 restaurants, convention centres, and banquet operations.
Cross-Industry Expertise
Retail.Entertainment.Hospitality.
Retail
Organized retail expansion, merchandising, multi-store rollout (Kemp Fort / Toys Kemp)
Entertainment
Family entertainment centres, experiential marketing, brand partnerships (Amoeba)
Hospitality
Restaurants, nightlife, hotels, banquets, convention operations (HM Group, Gilly's, Icon Hotels)
Signature Achievements
Signature Achievements
Management Representative for Three Quarter Chinese's ISO Certification — India's first standalone restaurant to receive it
Scaled Amoeba Family Entertainment Centres into a national brand with major Bollywood partnerships
Grew Gilly's Hospitality from launch to 14 outlets across Bengaluru
Built award-winning buffet concepts (Subz, Chutney Chang) recognized across the industry
Led the 35-store national rollout of Toys Kemp
Currently oversees an 8-hotel, 10-restaurant portfolio as COO, Icon Hotels India
Work Cases
LeadershipinActionAcrossHotels,Restaurants&Hospitality
A visual record of operations, events, property launches, and industry leadership — spanning 25+ years across hospitality and F&B.
How I Can Help
ConsultingforHotels,Restaurants&HospitalityInvestors
Hospitality & Hotel Operations Advisory
Restaurant & F&B Growth Strategy
Business Development & Multi-Unit Expansion
Brand & Guest Experience Design
Leadership & Team Development
Business Transformation & Turnaround
Industries Served
Industries Served
Hotels & ResortsRestaurants & QSRRetail ChainsFamily Entertainment CentresHospitality Investors & DevelopersNightlife & Resto-Bar Brands
How I Work
AFrameworkBuilton25YearsofOperatingExperience
Operational Audit
Detail-level diagnostic of operations, guest experience, and financial performance
Strategic Roadmap
Growth strategy tailored to brand positioning, market, and scale ambitions
Systems & Standards
Implementing quality systems, SOPs, and training (drawing on his ISO certification experience)
Scale & Sustain
Multi-unit expansion support and long-term profitability enhancement
Awards & Recognition
IndustryRecognition&ProfessionalHonours
ET Hospitality Best General Manager Award
AHPWI Best General Manager Award
30 Best General Managers of India
GFSTIIA Emerging Leader of the Year — Mumbai
2024
FCIC South India Best General Manager Award
2022
AHPWI Best Senior Vice President – South India Award
Recognition in Pictures
Award ceremonies, industry forums, and hospitality leadership moments.
Speaker · Moderator · Industry Voice
Shaping the Conversation on Hospitality's Future
Recognized industry voice, invited to speak and moderate at: FCIC, World of Hospitality, Restaurant India Convention, India Food Forum, TiE Food Summit, AHPWI Conferences, and Hospitality Leadership Forums. Topics: hospitality growth, restaurant innovation, customer experience, sales excellence, leadership, and the future of the industry.
FCIC
World of Hospitality
Restaurant India Convention
India Food Forum
TiE Food Summit
AHPWI Conferences
Hospitality Leadership Forums
Client Insights
Client Insights
Client insights coming soon.
Testimonials from hospitality partners and leaders will appear here as they are collected.
Insights
PerspectivesonHospitality,Growth&Leadership
Perspectives on hospitality leadership — publishing soon.
Articles and insights will be managed in Sanity Studio as they are ready to share.
Press & Media
PressReleases&IndustryCoverage
Press Release
6thBCAIArmWrestlingNationalChampionship2026DrawsRecordParticipationandEnthusiasticCrowdsatNexusShantiniketan
Bengaluru, June 13, 2026
The 6th BCAI Arm Wrestling National Championship 2026 was successfully held at Nexus Shantiniketan Mall, Bengaluru, bringing together some of the country's finest arm wrestlers in a spectacular display of strength, skill, and sportsmanship.
The championship witnessed an overwhelming response, with more than 400 athletes from across India registering and competing in various weight and age categories. The event attracted large crowds throughout the day, with enthusiastic spectators cheering for their favorite athletes and creating an electrifying atmosphere.
A significant highlight of this year's championship was the participation of over 60 female arm wrestlers, marking the highest-ever women's participation in an arm wrestling national championship in India. This milestone reflects the growing popularity of the sport among women and the increasing inclusivity of competitive arm wrestling in the country.
The event was organized by the BCAI (Bodybuilding and Arm Wrestling Federation of India) in association with O3 Events, continuing their successful partnership for the sixth consecutive year. The championship was conducted with great grandeur and professionalism, receiving tremendous support from visitors and patrons of Nexus Shantiniketan Mall.
The championship was graced by several distinguished guests and dignitaries, including:
- Ms. Manjula S. Limbaavali, MLA, Mahadevapura Constituency
- Ms. Ragini Dwivedi, Renowned Actress
- Mr. Dharmendra R. S., COO, Icon Hotels
- Mr. Tushar, Marketing Head, Aster Hospitals
- Mr. Tauseef, Head, Nexus Shantiniketan Mall
- Mr. Zareer, Marketing & Communications, Hercules House of Khodays
- Mr. Ronnie Sehgal, President, BCAI
- Mr. Srinivas Rao, Partner, KSAA
The presence of these esteemed personalities added prestige to the championship and highlighted the growing recognition of arm wrestling as a competitive sport in India.
Speaking on the occasion, the organizers expressed their gratitude to the participants, sponsors, dignitaries, and the enthusiastic audience whose support contributed to the event's resounding success. With record participation and increasing public interest, the championship further strengthened Bengaluru's position as a major destination for national sporting events.
The 6th BCAI Arm Wrestling National Championship concluded on a high note, celebrating athletic excellence, sportsmanship, and the continued growth of arm wrestling across India.
“Dharmendra R. S., COO of Icon Hotels, confirmed that they are thrilled to be supporting the sport as Hospitality Partner and wish to support more such sporting events.”
Press Release
InsidetheEngineRoom:TheRetailCXOPlaybook—PhygitalRetailConvention2026,Mumbai
Mumbai, May 21, 2026
R. S. Dharmendra shared the stage at the Phygital Retail Convention 2026 in Mumbai for an insightful panel on “Inside the Engine Room: The Retail CXO Playbook,” moderated by Rohit Bhatiani.
The session brought together diverse perspectives from retail, fashion, hospitality, experiential brands, and consumer businesses — exploring how leaders are navigating India's fast-paced marketplace where scale, speed, consumer expectations, technology, and execution constantly redefine the rules of the game.
Each perspective reinforced one reality: India is no longer just a market; it is a dynamic, living bazaar where brands must continuously adapt, innovate, and execute with precision.
The discussion highlighted how retail powers hospitality through sourcing, supply chains, technology, infrastructure, fashion, equipment, and consumer products — while hospitality, in return, fuels the larger ecosystem through employment, demand generation, tourism, entertainment, and consumption.
On artificial intelligence, Dharmendra shared that in hospitality, AI should stand for Actionable Adaptive Intelligence — because data alone means nothing unless it is acted upon at the fastest possible speed. In today's business environment, speed of decision-making is what protects the bottom line.
Fellow panelists on the session included:
- Abhishek Raj — Lacoste
- Gopa Kumar — Bhima Jewels
- Lakhbir Singh — Killer
- Lavish Soni — Rare Rabbit
- Mohit Dhanjal — Metro Brands
- Sumit Suneja — 91Brands
- Tarandeep Singh Sekhon — KidZania
Hospitality and retail are no longer separate industries — they are interconnected experiences driven by consumer behaviour, technology, and operational agility.
“Retail is nothing but detail.”
Focus Feature
Tamil Actress Dharsha Gupta Stays at Icon Premier, Bellandur
Icon Hotels welcomed celebrated Tamil actress Dharsha Gupta at Icon Premier, Bellandur — reinforcing the brand's premium hospitality across East Bengaluru. COO R. S. Dharmendra and General Manager Ram hosted the celebrity guest, highlighting Icon Hotels' commitment to memorable guest experiences.
Bengaluru, 2026
Let's Talk About Your Next Stage of Growth
For consulting inquiries, speaking invitations, or media requests, reach out directly.
R. S. Dharmendra
Chief Operating Officer, Icon Hotels India by Bhagini Group
rsdharam@gmail.com+91 81971 65533