Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt Ltd has announced the elevation of Mayank Bhatt to the position of CEO. The move comes after IndiaRF recently announced an investment of ₹550 crore in Impresario Entertainment and Hospitality Private Limited. The transaction is the largest single private equity deal in the Indian CDR segment.
Bhatt has been a pillar in SOCIAL’s growth story for the past seven years as the Chief Executive Officer of SOCIAL. Now he will focus his experience on Impresario which includes other well-known brands such as Smoke House Deli, Salt Water Cafe, Mocha, BOSS Burger and Slink & Bardot.
Bhatt’s natural ability to tap into youth culture has played a vital role in taking SOCIAL from a single outpost in Bengaluru to a pan-Indian giant of 35 outlets that has become one of the most beloved homegrown brands in the country. He was also instrumental in establishing antiSOCIAL, one of Mumbai’s only live performance venues comparable to many global counterparts. He will oversee and manage the company’s overall operations and brand building while delivering solid profitability.
Commenting on his elevation, Bhatt said, “I’ve been leading the charge at SOCIAL for years, but it still feels like day one. Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt Ltd (IEHPL) has revolutionized the coffee culture in the country by creating spaces (such as Mocha, Smoke House Deli and Salt Water Grill) that enable the community to come together. We have created the perfect product market fit to capture India’s evolving demographic dividend. We have also unlocked the potential of co-working spaces very early, making our cafes the perfect place to visit at any time of the day.By channeling our expertise and looking to the future, IEHPL is poised to become an INR 1,000 Cr company in the next 3 years with 140 SOCIAL outposts and Smoke House Deli leading the charge and a solid 25% contribution to revenue from our delivery business. I look forward to bringing these numbers to life and charting the next two decades of IEHPL” .
Riyaaz Amlani, founder and chief executive officer of Impresario, said, “Mayank (Bhatt) has proven her mettle as a leader encompassing brands, people and culture; something that is an integral part of the Impresario wrist. SOCIAL’s trajectory under his leadership is something that goes into the books as a true success story. I couldn’t have asked for anyone better to take the reins for Impresario and its suite of brands. I am eager to see the course she takes with the utmost confidence in her judgments and decisions of him.
An alumni of the University of West London, Bhatt started his career 18 years ago, at ITC Hotels in Mumbai. His work experience includes brands in the UK and India, both in the hospitality and spirits & beverage industries. He has been responsible for the growth of two widely recognized hospitality brands from India: SOCIAL and blueFrog as well as led the Western luxury portfolio for large alcohol company Diageo in India. Bhatt joined Impresario as business head for SOCIAL, where he led several verticals such as operations, programming and events, including their brands beverage portfolio.