Kuldeep Sharma, President & CEO of Crown Group of Hotels, migrated to Canada in 2002 in the business category. Acquired his first hotel in Canada after detaching from Indian operations in January 2013 by name of Quality Hotel Burlington and the second hotel Courtyard by Marriott Brampton was acquired in 2014. In 2016, just 3 years into Canadian hospitality, Crown Group of Hotels employs over 300 associates and has added 3 additional hotels to its portfolio, and owns internationally recognized flagged hotels with the names: Marriott, Hilton, Intercontinental Hotel Group, Best Western& Choice Hotels across Ontario. He represents the new generation of Indians that have migrated to the business category to contribute to the economic growth of Canada.
A simple boy born in Jalandhar turned out to be a business visionary across two nations. Not just once, but he has proved his mettle twice by making his life from scratch. With a broad smile on his face, he states, “I am fortunate to call myself the son of Major Ram Kumar Sharma, a World War II veteran. My three siblings and I grew up in Army cantonments. Hence, discipline became a way of life. Whatever I am today is because my father steered me in the right direction and shortcuts were always frowned upon! My mother, Vidya, was a rather simple lady yet strong-headed. She has an immense contribution in setting me on a growth trajectory.”
Kuldeep completed his schooling in various cities like Lucknow, Ambala, Pune, Srinagar, etc. – wherever his father was posted. He completed his college at Gandhi Memorial National College in Ambala. He graduated in 1978, around when his father retired. They built up a house in Faridabad, Haryana, and started a small security company as it did not require much finance. This security company later employed over 10,000 employees at its peak on a pan-India basis. Despite a successful business and lifestyle, he left his Indian operations to permanently settle in Canadian business. Today, Crown Group of Hotel’s portfolio is over $200 million with perpetual plans of expansion that exceed over a billion dollars.
Kuldeep is an avid traveler and visits multiple countries every year. Learning from global experiences and incorporating new ideas into his company has won his company hotels many awards over the years. With a fresh approach to hospitality and a key focus on guest satisfaction, the sales and performance of his company exceed the norms of the Canadian industry.
In 2017, Mr. Kuldeep Sharma was recognized and awarded the prestigious “Royal Bank of Canada Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award”.
Apart from his hotels, Sharma’s group is also in the process of building over 2,000apartment units in Ottawa as part of their $800-million project.
His extraordinary growth comes from his rich experience of managing the struggles all Canadian Immigrants face positively and creatively, channeling the opportunities available for the successful growth of his company and those around him.
Kuldeep Sharma is a frequent sponsor and supporter of Chamber of Commerce, Board of Trade, Film Festivals, Beauty Pageants, City Tourism, Youth Internship Programs from Colleges/Universities, multiple non-for-profit organizations, Health foundations, and many more community organizations. His presence can be felt in all the cities Crown Group of Hotels operates& has operated in: Ottawa, Brampton, Mississauga, Barrie, Burlington, Brantford & Sarnia. He has been recognized by organizations for giving back to the community and mentoring. He is the past-President of ‘Indo-Canada Harmony Forum’&‘Haryana Association of North America’, organizations that aim to unite the Indian diaspora in Canada; as well as a past advisor to organizations such as the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce, National Alliance of India-Canada, Panorama India, etc. He is also a Board of Directors with the Canada India Foundation which helps unite and grow bilateral trade between India & Canada.
