CEO, TGI Fridays

Rohan has gained experience across a diverse range of fields in international organisations which is what makes him truly well rounded. His interface with professionals of different cultures and work cultures and pressures helps him today in managing diversity within TGIF India.

He has well rounded experiences in research, sales, audit and consumer & brands across global organisations – all of which helps him today as he manages a multi-functional roles at Friday’s.

Brand TGIF had a loyal and aspirational following across India with the youth aware of it as an iconic American brand. America was in, BPO’s and IT was in .TGIF was in. With an aggressive expansion mode, Rohan leveraged the assets and experiences of Friday’s in India and moved into larger urban India. Today, spread across several cities, it is the largest fine dining international American chain in India.

This is just the beginning. With strategic plans to be present in all up-scale malls in urban India and in mid-sized towns like Chandigarh and Goa, Rohan’s pan – India vision is well on its way to realisation.

But the vision is not limited to ‘number of outlets’ alone. With Rohan at the helm, he has taken several initiatives which have made Friday’s more responsive to the environment it exists in. To widen the consumer base, he has introduced aggressive price points and dynamic menu changes to invigorate the TGIF brand experience. Constant marketing promotions, aggressive use of new media like e-marketing, loyalty clubs, interest groups (kitty parties) are all aiding brand loyalty and helping Friday’s retain it premium image while being more affordable to many more.

Rohan has also ensured that Friday’s remains committed as a responsible corporate citizen with several initiatives aimed at assisting various NGO’s across cities.

But at the core, Rohan realises that it all comes down to Friday’s employees and management. Several management initiatives and constant training sessions have ensured that Rohan’s colleagues at Fridays are highly motivated and entrepreneual in their approach to brand ownership. His band of dedicated stakeholders is what keeps Rohan on his toes. This is also why Friday’s enjoys one of the lowest employee attrition rates within the hospitality industry.

The vision Rohan has set out for Fridays and himself tells its own tale – ‘ To ensure that Friday’s is seen as the destination of choice by Indian’s with Global aspirations and they go back richer with the experience, time after time’.