Mondi Mecja

Mondi Mecja was appointed Country General Manager for Ascott Malaysia in September 2019, where he is responsible for enhancing Ascott’s presence and driving greater results for the brand in the country.

Prior to this role, he served as Area General Manager overseeing four properties within the Berjaya Group portfolio, including hotels in Kuala Lumpur and London and a resort in Tioman. Earlier in his career he held senior executive positions at Le Méridien Kuala Lumpur and Sunway Resort Hotel & Spa Kuala Lumpur, managing business development, operations, sales, marketing, revenue management, and asset management functions.

Mondi holds a Bachelor of Human Sciences degree and brings over 22 years of hospitality management experience. He serves as Vice President of the Malaysian Association of Hotels Kuala Lumpur Chapter and received the Leadership Personality Award (Most Outstanding) at the Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards 2018–2020.

Clement Paul

Clement Paul brings over 33 years of experience in hotel management to his role. He progressed from entry-level Front Office positions through various roles including Director of Rooms and Executive Assistant Manager, gaining exposure to both major hotel brands and independent properties.

Currently overseeing a 355-room resort, he focuses on optimal guest satisfaction and a good working environment to achieve all set objectives. His contributions to the hospitality sector earned him recognition as one of Malaysia’s Best General Managers at the CMO Asia Awards 2019 in Kuala Lumpur.

Praba G Menon

A seasoned, well-travelled hospitality professional who started as a housekeeping attendant at the poolside, progressing through a role as a restaurant busboy before becoming Director of Food & Beverage for the Regent Kuala Lumpur. His career took him to Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Mauritius, the Seychelles, South Africa, and Mali in various General Manager positions.

He later returned to Malaysia to serve as Chief Operating Officer of a local hospitality group in Borneo. Most recently he held a corporate position as Group Managing Director of PestBusters Pte Ltd in Singapore, overseeing operations across five countries with expansion planned throughout the Asia Pacific region. He has since retired to Malaysia.

Menon attributes his professional success to the hospitality industry’s development opportunities and is passionately committed to training and developing young talent, emphasising the importance of allowing emerging professionals to learn from mistakes and grow in their roles.

Kathy Khoo S.L.

Kathy brings over three decades of hospitality experience spanning multiple continents. She graduated from Middlesex Polytechnic (now Middlesex University) and launched her career in London across various hospitality institutions.

Drawn to Asian hospitality, she relocated to Malaysia and progressed through several roles, ultimately becoming Hotel Manager at Savv Hotel Penang — a property situated within Georgetown’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. She emphasises that sustainable development ensures long-term viability and believes the pandemic has revealed critical gaps in traditional business models.

Throughout her career in Rooms and Housekeeping, Kathy has mentored numerous associates who advanced within the industry. She advocates for structured training and development programmes, viewing them as essential pathways that make career progression more accessible in hospitality.

Derrick Felix

Derrick Felix is a seasoned hospitality leader with over 29 years of experience across international and local hotel properties. Currently serving as General Manager within Marriott International, his career has spanned multiple senior leadership roles reflecting a consistent track record of operational excellence and financial delivery across diverse property types and market segments. His rise through the ranks is a compelling example of industry-grown leadership — shaped entirely through hands-on experience, on-the-job progression, and structured professional development, proving that talent and dedication are the most powerful qualifications of all.

A specialist in hotel pre-openings, Derrick has successfully led the launch of multiple properties, with several achieving GOP and EBITDA targets within months of opening. His early career grounding in Food & Beverage and banquet management gives him a strong end-to-end understanding of hotel operations that continues to inform his general management approach today.

As an Industry Advisor with Asianhotelier.Org, Derrick brings a practical, results-driven perspective shaped by nearly three decades on the frontlines of hotel leadership. His passion for developing leaders, empowering teams, and building commercially sound yet people-focused operations makes him a valuable voice in guiding the next generation of hospitality professionals across the region.

Shanmugam Thangavelu

Shanmugam Thangavelu is a seasoned hospitality executive with over 25 years of experience managing high-end resorts and hotels across Malaysia, Singapore, and the Seychelles. His career reflects a deliberate and steady progression through the full spectrum of hotel operations from Guest Service Manager and Director of Housekeeping to Director of Rooms, Executive Assistant Manager, Director of Operations, and ultimately General Manager a journey built within some of the world’s most respected luxury and international brands including Four Seasons, Raffles, Westin, and Marriott International.

In senior operational leadership at The Westin Langkawi, Shanmugam navigated the resort through the pandemic while driving consistent improvements in guest satisfaction and revenue. His subsequent track record as General Manager  delivering strong financial results alongside a high Associate Engagement Index  reflects an ability to balance commercial performance with people leadership, meeting the expectations of owners, guests, and teams in equal measure.

A holder of a Degree in Economics from Universiti Utara Malaysia, Shanmugam brings to his role as Industry Advisor with Asianhotelier.Org a wealth of cross-brand, cross-market experience and a deep commitment to people development and operational excellence.

Rizki Triananda

Rizki Triananda is a results-driven hospitality executive with over 20 years of progressive leadership across luxury and upscale international hotel brands, spanning ASEAN and North American markets. His career reflects deep expertise in multi-property operations, with particular strength in Rooms Division leadership, front office management.

Rizki’s experience encompasses a notable track record in hotel pre-opening leadership, having played key operational roles in the launch of several properties across Indonesia and Malaysia, where he developed standard operating procedures, training manuals, and service frameworks from the ground up. His leadership style is grounded in a hands-on, front-line presence, paired with strong financial and budget management discipline across rooms and front office operations.

Rizki’s breadth of experience, from luxury pre-opening teams to multi-property operational leadership, reflects the kind of industry-grown expertise that strengthens hospitality standards across the region. His insights support Asianhotelier.Org’s mission of developing the next generation of hospitality professionals across Asia.

Rajaram Nagoo

Rajaram Nagoo is a seasoned hospitality executive with over three decades of progressive leadership culminating in extensive General Manager experience across luxury and upscale hotels in Malaysia, China, and Singapore. His career reflects a rare depth of expertise in hotel pre-opening and reopening leadership, having directed the launch of numerous properties from the ground up, as well as leading the strategic revitalisation.

His leadership spans both general management and earlier specialisation in food and beverage operations, giving him a well-rounded command of commercial strategy, financial governance, and operational execution. He has also built a strong track record in talent development, having mentored and grown teams across multiple properties and markets throughout his career.

Rajaram’s breadth of experience, from food and beverage leadership to full hotel general management across pre-opening, turnaround, and stabilisation contexts, reflects the kind of industry-grown expertise that strengthens hospitality leadership standards across the region. His insights support Asianhotelier.Org’s mission of developing the next generation of hospitality professionals across Asia.