MANAGEMENT TEAM
Alaa Afifi
Senior Vice President,
Hotel Operations
Alaa has 18 years of hotel operations experience primarily with Accor International based in Egypt, India, and Thailand. He has held operational leadership roles with responsibility for multiple hotels as well as corporate positions supporting finance and operational excellence. Alaa holds a bachelor of commerce and business administration degree from Helwan University in Egypt.
Senior Advisors
Gary Murray
Senior Advisor
The founder and CEO of Destination Resorts Co. LTD, with 30 years of hotel development, operations, and ownership experience. Gary has managed the company’s growth into one of Asia’s largest hospitality companies. Gary has an MBA from Dalhousie University and a BA from University of Western Ontario, Canada. He has developed 4 and 5 star resorts overseas and in Thailand under the Hilton, Starwood, Swissotel and Novotel brands; and now is expanding Hooters across Asia.
Ross McClellan
Senior Advisor
Trained as a lawyer, Ross had an extensive commercial real estate legal practice in Canada before beginning his business career in real estate investment in Canada, USA, UK and Europe. Ross has lived in Thailand for 18 years as a permanent resident and is functionally fluent in Thai.
Regional Partners
Gary Murray
Founder & CEO | Singapore
The founder and CEO of Destination Resorts Co. LTD, with 30 years of hotel development, operations, and ownership experience. Gary has managed the company’s growth into one of Asia’s largest hospitality companies. Gary has an MBA from Dalhousie University and a BA from University of Western Ontario, Canada. He has developed 4 and 5 star resorts overseas and in Thailand under the Hilton, Starwood, Swissotel and Novotel brands; and now is expanding Hooters across Asia.
Christophe Forsinetti
Regional Partner | Cambodia
Christophe is the Managing Director of Strategic Hospitality REIT, a South East Asia Hospitality fund listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. He is also the Founder and Chairman of OBOR Management, an SECC (Cambodia) licensed Asset Management company focused on South East Asian Developing Markets.
Leonides Virata
Regional Partner | Philippines
Leonides Virata is the Managing Director of Exchange Properties Resources Corporation, which invests and develops hospitality properties in the Philippines, and also MTV Investment Corporation, which owns and develops mixed-use properties in the Philippines with a focus on Eco-tourism.
Agung Prianta
Regional Partner | Indonesia
Born and raised in Bali, Agung has over 20 years of extensive experience in real estate & property development in Indonesia. He is the co-founder and head of Green Building Council Indonesia-Bali Chapter. In his role as the CEO of PT Jimbaran Hijau, he works with international JV partners such as Kajima Intl. to develop hospitality and commercial projects, including the newly open Raffles Bali.
Lawrence Lee
Regional Partner | Maldives
Lawrence Lee is the principal shareholder and managing director of Laureat Hotel Investments Ltd., a closely held hotel real estate investment and asset management company established 25 years ago. Laureat It takes a contrarian approach to investments preferably acquiring and/or developing upscale hotels in the Pacific Rim and the Indian Ocean region with a particularly successful track record investing in the Maldives.
SUPPORT TEAM
Senee Doungsuwan
Executive Vice President, Construction
Senee has 20 years' experience in construction primarily with the Destination Group. He is a special instructor at Ratchaburi Technical College for construction and MRT projects and has extensive experience leading hotel construction and renovation projects.
Cherie Co
Associate Director, Hotel Investments
Cherie is a graduate of Lausanne Hotel school who has enjoyed a professional career in Asia working in hotel feasibility and investment analysis. In addidtion to English, Cherie is fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese and has a working knowledge of Korean and Thai languages.
Tanun Rungwiwattanakool
Director, Legal Affairs
Tanun’s practice covers a broad range of real estate and financing transactions on a regional and international basis. Tanun specializes in investment and joint venture, as well as over 15 years of legal experience with four international law firms and two public companies in Thailand, of handling entities acquiring and developing mid- to large-size of business entities including some hotels projects
Itipat Charoenkan
Site Acquisition Manager
Itipat holds a degree in International Business from Sussex University, England. He has worked in the real estate services industry in Thailand for the past six years starting off with Harrison Public Company Limited, one of the largest real estate agents in Thailand. He specializes in commercial and hospitality property acquisition and disposal and is skilled in land registration matters.
Thanatorn Tangsomboon
Senior Site Acquisition Manager
Thanatorn received his degree in hospitality & tourism from Dhurakij Pundit University and has eight years of real estate experience focusing on land acquisition and disposal during his service with Shell and CBRE. His experience of working with developers, government agencies and financial institutions, and deep market knowledge across Thailand, puts Thanatorn at the font end of most acquisition negotiations.
Jourdan Perez
Director of People
With over 16 years of experience in the restaurant industry internationally in Operations, Training, and HR. Jourdan leads and manages the full scope of the HR and Training program.
