Team
Experienced Executive Team
Gary Murray
CEO
Gary is the founder and CEO of Destination Group Co. LTD, with 30 years of hotel development, operations, and ownership experience. He 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 & owns and operates lifestyle F&B brands.
Alaa Afifi
President
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.
Rajesh Aggarwal
Chief Financial Officer
Rajesh has over 30 years of hotel finance experience with leading regional & international hotel brands based in India, the Middle East, and Thailand. He has held finance leadership roles with responsibility for multiple hotels as well as corporate positions. Rajesh holds a bachelor of commerce degree from Delhi University in India.
Alessio Carta
Vice President of Interior Design
Alessio has over 15 years’ experience in the interior design field within European, USA, Asian market. He has developed a wide range of completed projects in the retail, F&B and hospitality field, leading multidisciplinary and multicultural teams to the success. Alessio graduate as architect in Italy and own a master degree in Advanced architecture in Spain. He has leading teams in international architecture exhibition such us the Venice Biennale of Architecture and some of his projects has been published in European books and magazine.
Senee Doungsuwan
Executive VP - Construction
Senee has 20 years of 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.
Waewwan Chavanothai
Group Director of People
Waewwan has more than 15 years of experience in human resources, covering hotels, spas & wellness, restaurants, and fintech industries. She possesses well-rounded skills in the field, including human resources management, recruitment, compensation & benefits, and people & careers development and training. Waewwan received her master’s degree in public administration from Chulalongkorn University in Thailand.
Richard Rains
Group Project Director (International Projects)
Richard has more than 35 years of Quantity Surveying and Construction Management experience with leading local and international construction companies and consultants with experience in New Zealand, South Pacific Islands, Marianas Islands, Micronesia and South East Asia. Richard has held leadership roles with responsibility as Quantity Surveying and Commercial Manager and Project Director. Richard is currently completing a LLM at Robert Gordon University, Scotland and has just completed his International Arbitrators and Construction Adjudicators qualifications with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
Kwanchai
Group Director of Purchasing
I’d start my career in 2002 as Financial Officer-Data IT Superstore Co., Ltd. and also worked in numerous Hospitality Businesses such as Cost Controller Supervisor - Worabura Hua Hin Resort & Spa, Cost Controller Manager - Let’s Sea Hua Hin Al Fresco Resort, Purchasing Manager - Six Senses Hotel Resort & Spa @ Pacific City Club - Pre Opening Team, Purchasing Manager - Soneve Kiri Resort, Supply Chain Management-Hotel Group
Henk Sijtsma
Group Director of Marketing
Henk is a mission oriented commercial leader. With fifteen years of experience in the hospitality and hotel industry. He worked for top international and lifestyle brands, as well as boutique and stand-alone properties. He creates innovative marketing initiatives around the full customer journey. Henk holds a Bachelor Degree in Hotel Management from the Netherlands, is a certified Growth Hacker and Coach.
Diego Claros
Director of Operations, Thailand
Diego has over 12 years of hospitality experience, working and leading regional and international brands based in USA, Latin America and Thailand. He has held operational roles with responsibility for multiple hostels, resorts and high-end hotels. Diego holds a bachelor degree in Communications & Public Relations issued by Lima University - Peru, a post graduate degree in International Hospitality Administration issued by Les Roches International School of Hotel Management – Switzerland and a master degree in International Hospitality Administration issued by European University of Madrid – Spain.
Nelaka Ency
Director of Hostels Operatons, Srilanka
“Hospitality is a lifestyle, you love it, live it”
I am a swiss graduate, who worked in one of the best hotels in the world such as ritz carlton arizona and intercontinental davos. Later in my career i was a lecturer, teaching students on hote operations. I have experience operating my own hotel and now its time for my next challenge
Rounak Keshri
Real Estate Acquistions Manager
As Collective Hospitality Thailand’s Director of Acquisition, he oversees hotel and hostel acquisitions throughout Asia Pacific, team building, acquisition and investment, due diligence evaluation, and strategy planning. He worked as an Investment and Acquisition team at several Fortune 500 companies, including CBRE, JLL, Tata Group, and Mahindra & Mahindra Group, focusing on real estate investment and acquisition in the South Asian region. vFull-time Master of Science in Real Estate Advance Standing from the University of Washington in Seattle USA. Additionally, he was presented with the 2019 Young Achiever Award at the Thailand Brand Leadership Conference.
Gloy Netnapa
Legal Head
From one of the best law schools in Thailand; Thammasat University, Gloy is an experienced lawyer in Business and Corporate law. She also has a background in Litigation, Criminal, Labour, Immigration and Property law. She has held leadership roles in previous law firms, and had stepped up to run her own consulting company before joining our organisation. She now oversees all legal matters for Destination Group.
Kittitouch Sirirub
License Specialist
Kittitouch has 20 years of experience in real estate covering retail, express store, restaurant, hotel and hostel industries. His experience comes from the well-known property agency, developer and owner that make him to understand the best solution for managing, coordinating, negotiating and connecting with the government sectors. He is a part of the team who bought 4 hotels for the Destination Group. He had graduated Master’s degree of Marketing Management from College of Management Mahidol University and had completed in Financial and Cash Flow certification from Real Estate Chulalongkorn University.
Sunil Gophane
DIRECTOR OF ACQUISITION
Alumni of IIM Calcutta with 18 Years into Real estate as startup specialist, experience in Property Management, Real estate expansion & Sales Devising working on the P&L for commercially viable properties Support Business teams by providing creative real estate solutions in enhancing competitiveness and profitability. Handling multiple properties in terms of Property Management Client servicing. Coordination between Landlord’s & Tenant’s. Having an excellent understanding of rent / revenue market trends. Specialized in hardcore negotiations and Sales of Property. Well versed with Lease, Rental & Sales Agreements.
Advisory Board
James Kaplan
Senior Advisor
James is the founder and CEO of Destination Capital and has more than 30 years of global hotel and resort development and acquisition experience with a primary focus in the Asia Pacific region. After selling his Hong Kong hospitality consulting business in 1998, he held leadership positions at Marriott International, Kerzner International, Fairmont, Raffles and Minor International. James earned his BA degree in Asian Political Systems from UC Berkeley and his Juris Doctor Degree from Golden Gate University San Francisco.
Ross McClellan
Senior Advisor
Ross is fluent in Thai and has lived in Thailand for 18 years as a permanent resident. Trained as a Canadian lawyer, Ross has structured numerous real estate transactions and financing packages around the world and brings his extensive 50 years of commercial real estate experience to Destination Capital. He remains active as an advisor to a number of real estate companies who value his judgment and experience.