James KaplanThe American national joined the group from Fairmont Raffles Hotel International, where he was SVP development for Asia Pacific and India. Kaplan brings extensive experience to the role with his legal background and more than 25 years within the development area of the hospitality industry. During the 1990s, Kaplan owned and operated Kaplan Consulting Group in Hong Kong. The company represented financial institutions, hotel management companies, land owners and governments and was sold to a real estate advisory firm in 1998. Kaplan then joined Marriott International Inc. in Hong Kong as VP lodging development, and in 2002 moved to Kerzner International as VP development Asia Pacific & Middle East. Kaplan was then promoted to SVP global business development for Kerzner and relocated to London. While in London, Kaplan served as VP business development & planning EMEA for InterContinental Hotels & Resorts, and in 2007 he assumed his role at FRHI as SVP development EMEA. In 2011 Kaplan relocated back to Asia in his most recent position at FRHI. Bangkok-based Minor Hotels Group operates more than 100 hotels, resorts and serviced suites in 14 countries across Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, and the Indian Ocean.