November 2022: Impresario today announced the elevation of Mayank Bhatt to the position of Chief Executive Officer. The move comes after IndiaRF recently announced an INR 550 Crores investment in Impresario Entertainment and Hospitality Private Limited, the brand that pioneered cafe culture in India. The transaction is the largest single private-equity deal size in the Indian CDR segment.

Mayank has been a pillar in the SOCIAL growth story over the past seven years as the Business Head of SOCIAL. He will now focus his expertise on Impresario which includes other celebrated brands like Smoke House Deli, Salt Water Cafe, Mocha, BOSS Burger and Slink & Bardot. 

Mayank’s natural ability to tap into youth culture has played a pivotal role in taking SOCIAL from a single outpost in Bengaluru to a 35-outlet pan-Indian giant that has become one of the most loved homegrown brands of the country. He was also instrumental in creating antiSOCIAL, one of Mumbai’s only live performance venues comparable to many global counterparts. Mayank will oversee and manage the company’s overall operations and brand-building while ensuring a strong bottom line. 

Commenting on his elevation, Mayank Bhatt says, “I’ve been leading the charge at SOCIAL for years now, but it still feels like Day 1. Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt Ltd (IEHPL) has revolutionized the cafe culture in the country by creating spaces (like Mocha, Smoke House Deli, and Salt Water Grill) that allow the community to come together. We have created the perfect product-market fit to capture India’s changing demographic dividend. We’ve also unlocked the potential for co-working spaces early on, making our cafes the perfect place for people to visit any time of the day. Channelling our expertise and looking to the future, IEHPL is poised to be an INR 1,000 Cr company in the next 3 years with 140 SOCIAL and Smoke House Deli outposts leading the charge and a robust 25% contribution to revenue from our delivery business. I look forward to bringing these numbers to life and charting out the next two decades of IEHPL.”

Riyaaz Amlani, Founder & Managing Director, Impresario says, “Mayank has proven his mettle as a leader who understands brands, people and culture; something that’s integral to the pulse of Impresario. SOCIAL’s trajectory under his leadership is something that goes down in the books as a true success story. I couldn’t have asked for anyone better to take over the reins of Impresario and its suite of brands. I am eager to see the course that he takes with utmost faith in his judgements and decisions.”

An alum of the University of West London, Mayank started his career 18 years ago, at ITC Hotels in Mumbai. His work experience includes brands from the UK and India, both in hospitality and alcohol & beverage. He has been responsible for the growth of two widely renowned hospitality brands from India- SOCIAL and blueFROG- and led the luxury portfolio in the West for the alcoholic major company, Diageo in India. Mayank joined Impresario as the Business Head for SOCIAL where he headed several verticals like operations, programming and events, including the beverage portfolio of their brands.

About Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt LTD

Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt LTD was founded in 2001 with its maiden venture Mocha – Coffees and Conversations. Today, Impresario boasts of a network of over 60 + restaurants across 17 Indian cities.  Its umbrella of brands includes scaled brands such as SOCIAL, Smoke House Deli, and Mocha, as well as boutique brands such as Salt Water Café and Slink & Bardot. It also owns and operates dark kitchen brands like BOSS Burger, Lucknowee, and HungLi. The company’s core strength lies in understanding the changing dining habits of young India and delivering quality experiences tailored to delight its patrons.

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