Shankar Manapragada

Strategic operatiosn Learning & Development leader with 30+ years of experience driving workforce transformation, operational experience, leadership development, talent management, and organizational effectiveness across hospitality, facilities management, retail, education, and technology sectors. Proven track record in building high-performance cultures through enterprise learning strategies, competency frameworks, succession planning, performance management, and digital learning initiatives that align talent capabilities with business objectives and deliver measurable results.

Technical Project Manager at VFourTech Inc. (2025-04 – Present)

• Led SDLC projects, aligning technology solutions with business objectives.
• Drove project governance, stakeholder engagement, risk management, and team performance.
• Applied Agile methodologies to enhance project delivery.

Director – Talent Management & OD at Knight Frank India Pvt. Ltd. (2011-10 – 2025-03)

• Managed Hospitality and Retail operations for major clients
• Led enterprise-wide Learning & Development strategy for a geographically dispersed workforce.
• Designed and implemented leadership, management, and capability development programs.
• Established performance management frameworks aligned with business objectives
• Developed competency models, career pathways, and succession planning frameworks.
• Partnered with senior leadership to identify talent gaps and build leadership pipelines.
• Drove employee engagement and organizational effectiveness initiatives.
• Managed learning budgets, vendor partnerships, and training effectiveness metrics.
• Led change management and transformation initiatives supporting business growth.

AGM – Training & Development at Sodexo India Ltd. (2008-09 – 2011-10)

• Directed Learning & Development initiatives across multiple business locations.
• Designed training programs for operational excellence, customer service, leadership, and compliance.
• Implemented training metrics and evaluation frameworks to measure business impact.
• Supported talent development and workforce capability-building initiatives.

Chief Manager – Talent Transformation at Reliance Retail (2006-09 – 2008-09)

NSO (new Store Operations) – People, Process, Technology and CRM

• Led talent transformation initiatives to support rapid business expansion.
• Designed onboarding, leadership development, and capability-building programs.
• Implemented talent assessment and performance improvement frameworks.
• Partnered with business leaders to align workforce capabilities with strategic objectives.

Principal at Munnar Catering College (2004-09 – 2006-09)

Royal Group

• Led academic operations, faculty development, curriculum enhancement, and student outcomes.
• Established industry partnerships to improve employability and practical learning.

Vice Principal at MGR Institute of Hotel Management & CT (1994-11 – 2004-09)

• Managed academic administration, faculty development, student engagement, and institutional quality initiatives.
• Developed industry-oriented learning programs and training methodologies.

Hotel Operations Management Trainee at Taj Connemara (1993-06 – 1994-11)

Taj Group

• Completed management training program focused on hospitality operations, customer service excellence, and leadership fundamentals.

Master of Arts in Public Administration – Annamalai University

Bachelor of Business Administration – Newport University

Diploma in Hotel Management, Catering Technology & Applied Nutrition – IHM Hyderabad