Sustainability expert Juliet Kinsman is an editor, journalist, speaker and consultant, who shares stories to inspire impact. As founding editor of Mr & Mrs Smith, as a broadcaster and author of many guidebooks, such as The Green Edit: Travel — Easy Tips for the Eco-Friendly Traveller (Ebury) and The Bucket List: Eco Experiences (Rizzoli), Juliet has shifted the narrative in boutique travel and sustainable luxury. Her purpose-led non-profit consultancy, Bouteco, works to amplify the impact of boutique eco-hotels and sustainable luxury brands, ensuring their efforts are celebrated authentically and free of greenwashing through ‘edutaining’ impact reports and solutions-led content. In 2020, Juliet became the first Sustainability Editor for Condé Nast Traveller. She created a dedicated sustainable travel channel for The Standard, hosting two award-winning evergreen podcast series which impart inspiring, accessible impact-led travel advice as well as her own climate podcast series, Funny Old World. Juliet’s values-driven approach to articulating genuine sustainability efforts makes her a much-valued and trustworthy voice in our industry helping to close the gap between awareness and action. Follow her on LinkedIn and Instagram for sustainable travel insights.

Gemma Lim brings a unique blend of investment acumen and brand strategy to the panel. She began her career in investment advisory at LJ Partnership, a global multi-family office managing over $15 billion in assets, before pursuing an MBA at Columbia Business School specialising in brand strategy, real estate and hospitality. This pivotal experience deepened her understanding of global hospitality trends and market dynamics, preparing her for leadership roles in the industry. Upon returning to Asia, she joined SCDA Architects in a Business Development role for hospitality brand Soori, working personally with principal Soo K.Chan to look at new global development projects.

Currently, Gemma serves as the Brand Director at Ormond Group, where she oversees the strategic direction and growth of the group’s brands: MoMo’s, Tune Hotels, and Ormond Hotels. Her role encompasses brand positioning, partnerships, and marketing strategy as the company scales its portfolio across new properties in Asia and beyond. As the hospitality landscape evolves, Gemma remains focused on ensuring that Ormond Group’s brands deliver exceptional value for modern travellers, while driving sustainable growth and maintaining the group’s unique brand identities.

Patrick began his architectural and interior design career over 25 years ago in America; his experience covered from masterplan to construction administration in commercial retail, corporate office, theme park, hotel design. His notable projects and international clienteles included Disney, Legoland, Marriott, and Starwood.

In the last decade to 15 years, Patrick has expanded and focused his expertise in hospitality in Asia with AccorHotels in luxury, lifestyle brands as well as midscale market segmentation. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture with a minor in Interior Design, and also an accreditation of LEED AP v2.0 in the United States of America.

Ho Kwon Ping is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Banyan Tree Holdings and Laguna Resorts and Hotels, and Executive Chairman of Thai Wah Public Company. All three family-owned companies are listed in Singapore and Thailand.

He was the founding Chairman of Singapore Management University (SMU), and has chaired

Singapore Power and MediaCorp Singapore.   He has served on the boards of Standard Chartered Bank, Diageo, Singapore Airlines, and GIC.

Among various awards, Mr Ho has received the London Business School Entrepreneurship Award;

CEO of the Year at the Singapore Corporate Awards; CNBC Travel Business Leader Award;

Distinguished Alumnus Award from the National University of Singapore and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the American Creativity Association, China Hotel Investment Summit, Australia Hotel Investment Summit and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Honoured for his contributions and accomplishments in the hotel industry in the Asia Pacific region and globally, Mr Ho is the only two-time recipient of Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific – HICAP’s Innovation Award (2003) and Lifetime Achievement Award (2019) in its 30-year establishment.

For his services to the country, he has been decorated with the Meritorious Service Medal and

Distinguished Service Order by the Singapore Government. Mr Ho has also been conferred honorary doctorates from Johnson & Wales University, Hong Kong Poly University, and Singapore Management University.

Architecturally trained in the US and licensed in Singapore, Colin Seah honed his sensibilities working for the likes of Rem Koolhaas and Daniel Libeskind. He also spent 4 years at the National University of Singapore’s Department of Architecture researching design pedagogy and serving as design critic.

As MOD’s Founder and Director of Design, Colin has won the “Luminary Award” at INDE awards (Indesign, Australia) 2024, their highest accolade recognising excellence in design, in a designer’s body of work. In addition, he has been named Designer of the Year by International Design Awards USA 2010, and is a two-time recipient of Singapore’s highest design accolade, the President’s Design Award. He is also a three-time Grand Prize Winner of the Gold Key Award, the highest international hospitality accolade, named Hong Kong Perspective’s ’40 under 40 architects’ and Marcus Corporation Foundation Prize 2007 ‘emerging architect with potential for greatness’ and recognized as ”Rising Star in Architecture” by Monocle.

Colin Seah has been a juror for the Inaugural Dezeen Awards, a Global Advisor for leading surfaces manufacturer Cosentino and invited by the Singapore Tourism Board to redefine Singapore as a destination for 2020 and beyond.

Architecture-trained Justin Chen is fascinated with how design and business come together to create unique experiences and concepts for the way we live today. With his human-centric approach to design, the deputy CEO of Arcc Holdings has transformed his family’s traditional real-estate business into a fast-growing, hospitality-oriented company focusing on creative spaces and neighborhoods.

Having spent over a decade in real estate development and hospitality, he currently also leads Arcc Spaces – a collection of shared workspace brands that work with corporates to transform the way they work and drive innovation across a network of over 20 locations across Asia, including Kuala Lumpur.

For Chen, businesses have an equal responsibility to their employees and the communities they serve. This lesson impressed him when he saw his father in action. Chen spent six years of his childhood in Mali, Africa, where his family has continued to operate a factory inherited from his grandfather.

Embodying a mantra of ‘Globally Connected, Locally Rooted’, his passion is in helping to showcase and invigorate local communities across the region. “There is so much opportunity to do something that is meaningful and that gives back to the local community.”

Irshad Mobarak is the Chief Advisor of The Datai Pledge, and a leading naturalist, conservationist and educator with over 30 years of experience in the field.

Throughout his career, Irshad has appeared in and contributed to many nature documentaries and insights for Discovery Channel, National Geographic as well as the BBC and TED Talks. He has authored a nature guide as well as hosted a mini documentary series, both titled ‘Discovering Langkawi with Irshad Mobarak’. Irshad also owns a nature excursions company, JungleWalla.

Acting as guardian of Langkawi’s natural heritage, Irshad is active in his conservation, preservation and education initiatives and regularly provides lectures on sustainable tourism. His contribution to the preservation of Langkawi was honoured in 2007 with the ‘Amazing Malaysian Award’ and he was also recently reappointed as Ambassador of Langkawi UNESCO Global Geopark (LUGGp) by Langkawi Development Authority (LADA) for the years 2024 to 2027.

Irshad conceptualised The Datai Pledge, and has been its Chief Adviser since its inception continuing to provide valuable insights on conservation matters. He reviews the approaches The Datai Pledge takes in local communities, rainforest protection and wildlife conservation.

In 2023, Irshad was actively involved in promoting the Wildlife Corridor Project with the local authorities and other stakeholders. He also collaborated with SC Shekar, the acclaimed photographer on the exhibition ‘The Grandeur of Monochrome Malaysia’ for The Datai Langkawi’s 30th anniversary celebrations, narrating interactive videos.

“The hospitality industry is a people’s business, and I believe that it is the human touch that creates memorable experiences for our guests.”

Arnaud Girodon, CEO of Datai Hotels and Resorts (DHR) and former General Manager of The Datai Langkawi, brings with him more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, launching, renovating and managing luxury hotels in the Middle East and Asia with international companies or private owners.

Arnaud joined The Datai Langkawi in 2014 and spearheaded its largest renovation programme and relaunch, elevating the resort to market leader in Langkawi. In 2018, he initiated The Datai Pledge, further establishing the resort’s reputation in the field of sustainable luxury. Prior to joining The Datai, Arnaud held various General Manager roles for hotel openings at InterContinental hotels and resorts in Vietnam and Thailand, as well as at an independent luxury property in Phuket, and Rotana Hotels & Suites in Dubai. Arnaud is a graduate from the Hotel & Catering University of St Quentin-en-Yvelines near Paris.

“After my 20 years in this field, managing luxury hotels in countries including Dubai, Thailand, and Vietnam, I am convinced that investing in employees is the key to success. It is very much visible at The Datai Langkawi, that when employees are empowered, fulfilled and happy, it translates to unforgettable experiences for guests”, he states.

At DHR, Arnaud aims to expand The Datai brand into the world and create a portfolio of brands and properties that delight the conscious traveller with uncommon experiences embodying sustainable luxury. Brands under DHR will set benchmarks in hospitality, combining exceptional savoir-faire with genuine human kinship.

When not working on the expansion of The Datai brand, Arnaud enjoys being with his family, is an avid reader of historical literature and enjoys team sports and an active outdoor lifestyle.

Gonçalo Menezes, aged 44 is a passionate surfer with a background in architecture and business communication.

He has been with Inspire Capital since 2016, where he is now Creative Art Director and was heavily involved in the launch of Hotel Immerso in Ericeira, opened in 2022 along with his aunt and uncle. Inspire Capital in an investment firm with a diverse portfolio of interests spanning hospitality, rental accommodation, agriculture and sea farming.

Gonçalo also has his own surfboard brand, Guzo Surfboards, launched in 2010, for which he handcrafts and decorates bespoke surfboards.

Read more about Immerso here