A hotel management and economics graduate with over three decades of luxury international hotel & resort experience, Valsan was most recently with Banyan Tree Hotels & Resorts, managing uber-luxe properties in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. In 12 years with the company, his initial focus was on building highly profitable F&B operations and then leading precision-driven pre-opening and operating teams, successes that led to his nomination for Banyan Tree Management Academy’s Development Program for selected high-potential managers and directors and also for the LEAF program for self-development.

Gourmet, oenophile & certified sommelier, Distinguished Toastmaster and member of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, Valsan is also a certified HACCP, FSMS and ISO 9001:2000 auditor. Co-Founding Partner & Director of Sage Educational Consultants in the UAE (specialising in educational research, capacity building programs & assessment services, working closely with the Knowledge and Human Development Authority, Dubai; the Ministry of Education, UAE and over 100 UAE schools), Valsan has also completed courses on Strategic Control Systems in the Hospitality Industry (e-Cornell), Advanced Hospitality Revenue Management (e-Cornell) and Hotel Industry Analytics (CHIA), while still finding time for motivational speaking, professional training, cooking exotic dishes, playing the drums and travelling.