Summer Questions: Sudima Hotels boss Sudesh Jhunjhnuwala on business and spiritual enlightenment

Sudesh Jhunjhnuwala is hoping for a more stable geopolitical environment in 2024. Photo / Michael Craig

Sudesh Jhunjhnuwala is the founder of the Sudima Hotel chain, which stretches to eight hotels in New Zealand as well as several restaurants, bars and boutique spas. He talks about challenges, opportunities and the best book to read for spiritual enlightenment.

What are your hopes for the new government?

I have great hopes that the new government will bring more business-friendly policies. I would also like to see the Government move to more of a centre-right position rather than move too far to the right.

How would you describe 2023 for your business?

It was one of the most challenging years, with rising input costs, interest rates going up, and a lot of pressure on the bottom line. At the same time, I know how much it hurts at the till, so we can’t pass too much of those increases on to the customers.

What will be your biggest business challenges in 2024?

I hope the challenge will be trying to find rooms for the large number of tourists who will be flocking to New Zealand! But in reality, it will continue to be the cost pressures and how we manage the expectations of our stakeholders, guests, and employees.

What opportunities do you see in 2024?

Digitisation and automation to support our team to keep delivering world-class guest services. We will continue with our sustainability initiatives. Apart from that we are always on the lookout for more hotels to expand the Sudima Group.

What was the most interesting news story of 2023?

As an Indian it was a very proud moment for me to see Chandrayan-3, India’s rocket landing on the dark side of the moon. They did that at a cost of US$75 million, which is cheaper than the budget of the movie Interstellar, which was on the same subject. What I found funny was some of the Western media still thinking with their colonial mindset and questioning why it was necessary for India to ‘waste money’ and send a rocket to the moon.

What are your predictions for 2024?

I believe the climate will continue to throw curve balls at us. Those once-in-a-century events will become more frequent. I think local rates may increase drastically, as most councils are facing budget blowouts. Apart from that, I pray for a more stable geopolitical environment.

What’s the worst mistake you have made in business?

Lost opportunities are the ones which always gnaw at you. We lost out on buying a few hotels over the years because we were too conservative. But you take the learnings and move forward.

What would you rate as your greatest success?

Building the Sudima Group as a well-respected, ethically run business which has stayed ahead of the curve by taking the lead on sustainability and community initiatives along with our employee engagement initiatives.

Where and how are you holidaying this summer?

My grandkids are coming to New Zealand, so our house is going to be our happy place for the summer.

What would you recommend as a good book to read over summer?

For anyone looking for self-development, the Bhagavad Gita is a great one to read. Part of an ancient Indian script, it is widely considered to be the single most important text to emerge from India. The Bhagavad Gita emphasises the importance of self-realisation and the pursuit of knowledge as a means to attain spiritual enlightenment. It teaches that true wisdom lies in understanding the impermanence of the material world and recognising the eternal nature of the soul.