Gaurav Sinha

CEO
Insignia Worldwide

Born and raised in India, Gaurav moved to Dubai in 1993 and started his career in the advertising industry. He joined Hilton Hotels in 1997 as Head of Marketing for the Arabian Gulf and in 2003 he established Insignia Worldwide, a branding, design and communications firm that specialises in luxury hospitality, travel, tourism and destination brands. Insignia is ranked amongst the Top 100 SMEs by Dubai Government. A vibrant thought leader, Gaurav is renowned for his expertise in brand strategy and reputed for being a creative protagonist in his field. As an anthropologist, author and activist, he works at the intersections of strategy and storytelling, curating cultures and creating destination brands that resonate with distinction. Through his career, he has worked with over 200 hotels across 20 countries, numerous leisure, entertainment and retail destinations as well as national and regional tourism boards. His passion is to make the whole world worthy of travel by defining and deploying brand strategies that are enriching, engaging and equitable. He is also the founder of Quillon Hospitality, a boutique development advisory, asset management, sales representation and third-party operations company. With a focus on GCC, India & UK source markets, the company currently offers its services to over 20 properties. Gaurav is an active philanthropist along with his wife Lucy Bruce, and co-founded Harmony House, a day-shelter for over 500 destitute children in India. He is ranked 11th amongst the 50 Most Powerful Indians in the UAE and 47th amongst the 100 Most Influential Indians in the GCC by Arabian Business magazine. Gaurav is actively involved in the tourism and hospitality industry and on the advisory board of numerous associations and conferences as well as a strategic partner of the Hotel Asset Managers Association. The perennial protagonist, Gaurav is passionate about place-making, strategy & storytelling. His philosophical views are shaped by the principles of Buddhism and as a destination and brand strategist he has authored the narrative for some of the world’s most revered international brands within the real estate, hospitality, travel and tourism industry. Gaurav Sinha is also the author of the book titled Compassion Inc. published by Ebury Press, an imprint of Penguin Randomhouse UK. His book sits at the intersection of life philosophy and business strategy, providing insights about unleashing the power of empathy in life and business.