Arvind Kumar Kewalchand recently shared that he is stepping down from his role as Director – Marketing Communications at Hilton. He reflected on an important personal milestone that prompted the decision, and the realisation that some moments in life are too important to experience from the sidelines.
He announced the same via a LinkedIn post.
Sharing his thoughts candidly, he wrote, “Recently, I became a father. And like many people in fast-paced industries, I realised something uncomfortable. While I’ve spent years helping brands grow, building strategies and chasing ambitious targets, time with family is something that never comes back.”
He added that fatherhood shifted his priorities in a profound way. “My son will only be this little once. These early moments, the quiet mornings, the laughter, the small milestones, are not things I want to watch from the sidelines while living inside calendars and campaigns. So I’m choosing to take this time to be present. To spend time with my son and be with my family in a way my schedule never truly allowed before.”
Reflecting more broadly on the decision, he also addressed a wider cultural expectation around work and leadership. As he put it, “Men deserve pauses too. Not only when something breaks. Not only when burnout hits. But when life calls for presence.” He added that sustainable leadership requires energy and creativity, and sometimes, the most important investments people make are not in business, but in their families.
Before joining Hilton in February 2025, Arvind served as Marketing Communications Manager – Pre Opening (HOD) at Marriott International from December 2023 to February 2025, where he led brand and launch communications for new hospitality projects.
Prior to that, he worked as Marketing and Communication Manager at Royal Orchid Hotels from February 2023 to December 2023. Arvind also spent several years building his entrepreneurial venture as Co-Founder of Socialism Marketing Agency, a role he held from January 2017 to February 2023, focusing on marketing strategy and brand development for clients across sectors.
Earlier in his career, he worked as Marketing Manager at Royal Orchid Hospitality between January 2016 and February 2020, strengthening brand communication and marketing initiatives for the hospitality group. He then served as Marketing Manager at Al-Futtaim from April 2014 to January 2016, where he worked on marketing campaigns and brand engagement initiatives.
Before moving into marketing leadership roles, Arvind held customer-facing positions including Customer Service Team Lead at CWT from March 2012 to March 2014, and Guest Service Agent at Kingfisher Airlines from May 2009 to February 2012.
