Chekitan Dev

Chekitan S. Dev is professor of marketing at Cornell University''s School of Hotel Administration in the SC Johnson College of Business. Since 1986, Professor Dev has taught over 15,000 students and executives both on campus and throughout the world. He is internationally recognized for his teaching and course development and has received multiple awards for teaching excellence from undergraduate students, graduate students, and Ernst & Young. In 2019 he received the Overall Winner (Best Case Study) Award from The Case Center at Cranfield University, UK.

A globally renowned thought leader with over 125 publications to his credit, Professor Dev is recognized as the leading expert on hospitality marketing and branding. He has published his work in some of the highest quality peer-reviewed journals including the Journal of Marketing and Journal of Marketing Research, Harvard Business Review, MIT Sloan Management Review, and Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, and is the author of Hospitality Branding (Cornell University Press). His work has been presented at the world’s best business schools including Harvard, Wharton, Chicago, Oxford, ESSEC, Indian Business School and National University of Singapore. In 2018 he was a finalist for the 2017 Best Service Research Paper of the Year Award from the American Marketing Association.

An active consultant, expert witness, keynote speaker, and workshop leader, Professor Dev has served corporate, government, education, advisory, legal, and private equity organizations in over 40 countries. These include Accor France, Bain Spain, Breeden Capital Partners, Crystal Cruise Lines, Deloitte Jordan, Disney, Dolce Canada, Expedia, ExpoGourmand Chile, Four Seasons New York, Fortress, Hilton, Holiday Inn, HOTUSA Spain, Horwath Austria, Hyatt, IBM, Jampro Jamaica, Jones Day, JP Morgan Chase, Jumeirah Dubai, Landor, Leading Hotels of the World, Lexus, Marriott, McDonald’s, MGM Resorts, NHV Japan, Oberoi India, One&Only UK, Peninsula Hong Kong, Priceline, Ritz Paris, Ritz-Carlton Bali, Rosewood, Sands China, Skadden Arps, Starwood, Tishman, Westin, Wyndham, YUM Brands, Zatisi Czech Republic, and others. In 2010 he was selected as one of the "Top 25 Most Extraordinary Minds in Hospitality, Travel and Tourism Sales and Marketing" by Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International.

A sought after commentator on hospitality and travel trends, Professor Dev has been interviewed by the Economist, TIME, Newsweek, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Washington Post, USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, BusinessWeek, the International Herald Tribune, People, Indian Express, National Public Radio, and NBC Nightly News.

A regular contributor to his university, profession and local community, Professor Dev has served on some of the most important governance committees at Cornell including the Faculty Senate, Faculty Advisory Committee on Tenure Appointments, Committee on Academic Freedom and Professional Status of Faculty, and the Faculty Policy and Admissions Committees of the Hotel School where he has chaired several search, tenure, promotion and reappointment committees and industry roundtables. He served the American Hotel and Lodging Association Chairman’s Marketing Task Force and Tompkins Tourism Marketing Committee, serves as a reviewer for refereed publications, advises hospitality-related startups, and has conducted pro bono workshops for non-profit groups including Finger Lakes Tourism and Entrepreneurship Boot Camp for Veterans.

Selected Publications

• Dev, Chekitan. "Hospitality Branding". Cornell University Press. (2012): 179 pages
• Tsai, Yi-Lin; Dev, Chekitan; Chintagunta, Pradeep. "What’s in a Brand Name? Assessing the Impact of Rebranding in the Hospitality Industry" Journal of Marketing Research. 52.6 (2015): 865-878
• Hamilton, Rebecca; Rust, Roland; Wedel, Michel; Dev, Chekitan. "Return on Service Amenities" Journal of Marketing Research. 54.1 (2017): 96-110
• Avery, Jill; Dev, Chekitan; Stroock, Laure. "The Marriott-Starwood Merger: Navigating Brand Portfolio Strategy and Brand Architecture" Harvard Business School Case 518-081. (2018)
• Dev, Chekitan. "Prune the Brand Portfolio?" Harvard Business Review. 96.2 (2018): 167-171

Awards and Honors

• Dean''s Academic Excellence Award (2016) School of Hotel Administration, Cornell University
• CHR Industry Relevance Award (2016) Cornell University, School of Hotel Administration
• Highly Commended Paper Award (2015) IJCM Editors - Emerald Publishing
• Hospitality Research in Practice Award, Honorable Mention (2010) Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CCHR)
• Cornell Hospitality Quarterly Best Article Award, Runner Up (2010) Cornell Center for Hospitality Research (CCHR)

Recent Courses

• HADM 4480/HADM 6480 - Brand Management
• HADM 2430 - Marketing Management for Services

Academic Degrees

• PhD Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1988
• Master Ecole Superieure des Sciences Economiques et Commerciale (ESSEC), 1985
• Post-Graduate Diploma Oberoi School of Hotel Management, 1981
• BA University of Delhi, 1979

In the news

• September 28, 2018It’s Hip to Be Cheap as Hotels Democratize Design
• August 15, 2018In the Hospitality Game, New Players With Familiar Names
• March 27, 2017Whats The Deal with These New Hotel Brands and Their Quirky Names?