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Surinder Arora is an English billionaire hotelier of Indian heritage. Hard work is in his blood like his parents. His main concern was to open restaurants and provide rooms near airports for airline crew members. Also, he was in touch with British Airways and has a great interest in aviation. How his hard work pays off? That must be the question right, then read the whole article to know his full story.
Early Days of Surinder Arora
Surinder Arora innate in September 1958, was born near the border of India/Pakistan in Punjab, Fazilka. His parents left him in India with his uncle and aunt, they treated him as their child. After he was 13 and a half years old in 1972 he joined his parents in the UK. He mentioned in some interviews, his mother was was very ambitious for him.
When he came to the UK, he was unaware of Alphabet and don’t know the word in English. All levels of struggle were very difficult for him. At that point in time, he was very scared that how will he adjust and stay in the UK & don’t know what to do in his life.
One of his uncles came to his home, asked him to become a pilot, and took him to Elstree. After going there he was able to see himself as a pilot. Then he got a job with British Airways as a junior clerk member. His salary was 34 pounds a week. After a couple of weeks, he joined a job as a waiter at one of the airport hotels. Then in 1982, he joined the financial services company called Abbey life as a financial advisor.
How did he become a billionaire hotelier?
After this, he started doing shift work. First early morning he went to college then abbey life then he goes home for 15 to 20 minutes for dinner then again back to work somewhere else. In the early ’90s, he also started dabbing in the property. Then he wanted to buy land opposite the crew center as he got the idea of the crew hotel.
Next in 1993, he left his job at Abbey life, to build B&B i.e bed and breakfast at Heathrow Airport especially for serving Airlines Staff. In 2004, he got the license of Accor Sofitel and after this, he finally purchased the 500-room Le Meridien London Gatwick hotel. Then he renamed it the Sofitel London Gatwick. In the same year, he opened the Sofitel London Heathrow for £180 million with 600-rooms sister. Surinder Arora now has more than 5500 rooms, that involve Hilton and Holiday Inn Franchises.
In a private meeting of Priti Patel, the Home Secretary with Arora and the president of BA was blamed for disobeying the Ministerial Code in September 2021, it was disclosed when she had arranged a lobbying deal in private with them.
Some Important things to mention about him
Surinder Arora always treats each employee as a member of his family. And known as the person who always does long-term business.
Arora was a vocal backer of Tony Blair’s Labour Party, despite his opposition to the 2003 Iraq War. He presently serves on the New Enterprise Council, a group of business owners who counsel the Conservative Party on business strategy. He also serves on the London Skills and Employment Board and is the vice-head of Wentworth Golf Club. Arora is married to Sunita Arora and has three children. He resides in Wentworth, England.
Achievements
- In 2009, his net worth was £140 million, and among the richest people in the UK, he was ranked 388 in The Times.
- The estimated income was worth £356 million expressed by The Sunday Times Rich List in 2013.
- After the revaluation of his hotel his net worth rose from £780 million to £1.129 billion which is a great achievement for him and his family for sure.
Last Words
Surinder Arora is a great man full of dreams, and he still thinks to more and more expand his business. We can learn a lot of things from him that will help us in the future. His parents came to the UK in 1965 only and worked so hard there & after them, their child make them proud.
