LEADERSHIP INTERVIEW & CONVERSATION

Prashanth Kumar, Co-founder and COO of Infinity Experiences, shares practical insights on building inclusive, high-performing cultures in people-first businesses.

Few careers offer a view of global hospitality as broad as Prashanth Kumar’s. His journey began at the front desk of Denver’s Brown Palace and, over 26 years, took him from hotel operations to senior leadership in international markets. Along the way, he helped shape ibis’s brand standards in India, built Sobha’s hospitality business in Dubai, and spent 11 years with Accor Plus, overseeing operations in India and Malaysia while supporting the expansion of new markets throughout Asia Pacific.

As Chief Operating Officer at TLC DigiTech, he led a 750-person operation. Now, as Co-founder and COO of Infinity Experiences, Prashanth draws on this wealth of experience managing complex operations and international teams. In conversation with our founder, Kristina, he explores how leaders can move beyond representation to create genuinely inclusive workplaces where people feel respected, safe, and have the opportunity to do their best work.

Diversity and inclusion are often spoken about together. What is the difference between the two, and why does it matter?

I began to understand the distinction more clearly when I was studying in Switzerland. We often assume that because a country or organisation is diverse, it is automatically inclusive. But that is not necessarily the case.

India, for example, has enormous diversity in language, culture, religion, and background. Yet diversity alone does not guarantee that everyone feels accepted or has an equal opportunity to participate.

For me, inclusion is about recognising that we are all part of a larger whole. Nature offers a useful analogy: different elements coexist and contribute to the same ecosystem. People are different, but we also share many fundamental needs, hopes, and aspirations.

The challenge is to move beyond simply acknowledging our differences and create environments in which people feel they belong, are respected, and can contribute meaningfully.

What mindset shifts are needed for leaders to create more inclusive workplaces?

One of the biggest challenges is that organisations can become overly focused on numbers, targets, and transactions. Those things matter, of course, but they cannot be the only measures of success.

Diversity metrics can help us understand representation, but they do not tell us whether people feel included or whether they have the same opportunities to grow and succeed.

Leaders need to examine their own assumptions and biases. They must be conscious of how they make decisions, how they respond to people, and whether they are judging someone based on a label rather than their abilities, actions, or potential.

Most importantly, leaders need to model the behaviour they expect from others. Culture is not shaped by policies alone; it is shaped by what leaders consistently do, what they encourage, and what they allow to happen.

Inclusion does not mean accepting every behaviour. People should be respected regardless of their background, but harmful conduct must still be addressed. A genuinely inclusive culture combines respect with accountability.

What practical steps can organisations take to make inclusion part of everyday working life?

Inclusion needs to begin well before someone joins an organisation. It should influence how we recruit, how we introduce people to the workplace, how we develop teams, and how we respond when problems arise.

People need opportunities to understand one another, challenge assumptions, and have honest conversations. This requires a culture in which transparency is encouraged, and difficult issues are not brushed aside simply because they are uncomfortable.

The way an organisation responds to harassment, discrimination or inappropriate behaviour is particularly important. If a concern is ignored, people notice. If it is handled fairly and decisively, that also sends a message.

Every response helps establish what the organisation truly stands for. Employees pay attention not just to what leaders say, but to what happens when values are tested.

Ultimately, inclusion becomes real through everyday decisions and interactions. It is not a one-time initiative or a policy that can simply be ticked off a list.

Psychological safety is increasingly recognised as essential to high-performing teams. How can leaders build it?

People need to feel that they can speak honestly, raise concerns, ask questions, and admit mistakes without fearing humiliation or retaliation.

That sense of safety cannot be created through a statement on a wall. It develops through experience. Employees observe how their managers respond when someone disagrees, challenges a decision, or brings forward an uncomfortable truth.

Leaders need to listen actively and create regular opportunities for feedback. Exit interviews, team conversations, and other feedback mechanisms can help organisations understand what people are experiencing, but gathering feedback is only the beginning.

The important question is what happens next. Are concerns taken seriously? Are patterns identified? Do people see meaningful action?

When employees repeatedly speak up and nothing changes, they eventually stop speaking. When they see that their voices matter, trust begins to grow.

Psychological safety does not mean avoiding difficult conversations or lowering standards, but enabling people to raise issues and learn from mistakes while remaining accountable for their actions.

When discrimination or unhealthy behaviour occurs, how should leaders respond?

The immediate issue must be addressed, but leaders should also examine the conditions that allowed it to happen.

It is important to understand the root cause. Was the behaviour enabled by a lack of clear expectations, poor management, existing power dynamics, or a culture in which people did not feel safe raising concerns? Are there systems or practices that need to change?

An organisation is an ecosystem. Individual behaviour matters, but so do the structures, incentives, and the leadership responses surrounding it.

That does not remove personal responsibility. People must be held accountable for their actions. However, addressing one incident without examining the wider environment may mean the same problem occurs again.

Leaders need to listen, learn, and make changes where necessary. The objective should not simply be to close a complaint or resolve an isolated incident. It should be to build an environment in which people are treated fairly and similar problems are less likely to recur.

You have moved from traditional hospitality operations into technology-enabled guest experiences. What has that transition taught you about people and service?

Technology changes how we work and how we deliver experiences, but the underlying purpose of hospitality remains the same: looking after people and understanding what they need.

Technology can help organisations become more efficient, consistent, and responsive. It can also allow us to deliver experiences at a greater scale. But technology is an enabler; it cannot replace the human judgement, empathy, and care that make an experience meaningful.

The same principle applies to leadership. We can introduce new systems, tools, and processes, but they will not create an inclusive culture on their own. That depends on the people using them, the decisions leaders make, and the behaviours the organisation encourages.

Whether we are managing a hotel, leading a large operational team, or developing technology-enabled experiences, we need to keep people at the centre of the decisions we make.

The Signature Question

Every interview in Leadership & Business concludes with one signature question, inviting each leader to share their perspective on the qualities and capabilities that will shape the future generation of leaders.

As organisations navigate rapid technological change, evolving workforce expectations and increasing global complexity, what qualities and capabilities do you believe the next generation of leaders must cultivate? 

I believe the most important quality is the ability to put others first. Leadership is not simply about personal achievement, having all the answers or being the most knowledgeable person in the room. It is about helping others succeed.

Coaching is a good example. A coach does not necessarily need to be more technically skilled than the person they are coaching. Their role is to help that individual recognise their potential, navigate challenges, and become better at what they do. That takes humility, commitment, and a genuine interest in other people's growth.

I also believe leaders need to understand the difference between ego and self-respect. You can be confident in your abilities without needing to prove that you are better than someone else. In diverse teams, that distinction matters. Leaders must be willing to listen to different perspectives, make space for others, and recognise strengths that may be different from their own.

As technology continues to reshape business, adaptability and the ability to keep learning will also be essential. Tools and technical capabilities alone will not build successful organisations. Leaders must create environments where people feel respected, can contribute their ideas, and are encouraged to develop. That means combining business discipline with empathy, accountability, and a commitment to the success of the wider team.

Leadership should be measured not only by the results achieved, but also by the people developed along the way. If people become more confident, capable, and equipped to succeed because they have worked with you, then you have made a meaningful contribution.

For me, that is the responsibility of the next generation of leaders: to help people and organisations move forward while leaving the world better than we found it.