Board of Directors

Arnaud Lagesse is the Group CEO of IBL Ltd. He is one of the Mauritian private sector’s most prominent leaders and is known to drive IBL Group with innovative and challenging undertakings. In 2016, he initiated the merger of GML Investissement Ltée and Ireland Blyth Limited and created the new entity IBL Ltd which thus became the n°1 group in Mauritius and 2nd largest group in the region excluding South Africa. 

Qualifications :

• Breakthrough Executive Program – Egon Zehnder-Mobius, Portugal
• Advanced Management Program (AMP180) – Harvard Business School, United States
• Executive Education Program – INSEAD, France
• Graduated from the Institut Supérieur de Gestion – Paris, France
• Masters in Management – Université d’Aix-Marseille II, France

External appointments in both listed and non-listed companies:

Chairman

• Alteo Limited
• Bloomage Ltd
• Camp Investment Limited
• Fondation Joseph Lagesse
• Phoenix Beverages Limited
• Phoenix Investment Company Limited
• The Lux Collective Limited

Member of the Board of Directors

• IBL Ltd
• Seafood Hub Limited
• Pick and Buy Limited
• Other non-listed Mauritian Companies

 Core competencies

• Business & Finance, Deal Structuring, Strategic Business Development.

With more than 4 decades of  international hotel management experience, Paul Jones joined LUX* in 2010, where he quickly established his mark as a charismatic leader with a unique and passionate approach to hospitality management, centered around People, Culture and Service.

Paul Jones’ rich career covers various key leadership positions, having served for almost 20 years as Managing Director of the Sun Resorts Group, and later, as President of One&Only Resorts & Hotels, where he was instrumental in successfully launching and growing the brand on a global basis.

Recognized as a leading figure in the establishment and development of the hotel and tourism industry in Mauritius, Paul Jones was conferred the Dignity of Companion of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George by her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. He was also awarded one of the highest honours by the President of the Comores, the Chevalier de L’Etoile d’Anjouan, for his significant contribution to the growth and development of the hotel and tourism sector in the Comores.

Paul Jones directly overseas the Company’s overall strategic direction, spearheading the Group’s global development plans. He is personally involved in every aspect of the business ensuring that the concept development of each new property not only respects the ethos of the four brands: LUX*, Tamassa, SALT and Socio, but is also innovative and differentiated.

He successfully completed the Final Membership of the HCIMA at ‘Courtfield’, part of Blackpool Technical College and holds an MBA with distinction from the University of Surrey. He followed the Program for Management Development (PMD) at Harvard Business School.

He is a Fellow of the Institute of Hospitality in the UK.

He was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the Group on 1st October 2010. Following the separation of the Management Company, The Lux Collective Ltd, from the real estate and property holding company, Lux Island Resorts Ltd, in January 2019, Mr Paul Jones remained the Chief Executive Officer of the Management Company, The Lux Collective Ltd.

Directorship in Mauritian listed companies: None

Born in 1962, Dev Poolovadoo is a highly experienced and accomplished finance professional with over 30 years of expertise in the hospitality industry. He holds a diploma in management from the United Kingdom and is a qualified accountant and an Associate of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA).

Dev is one of the longest serving team member of the group and throughout his career, he has demonstrated his ability to drive financial growth and success in various roles, ranging from Chief Accountant to Senior Vice President of Finance. He has a proven track record of participating in and leading complex financial operations, including raising finance from various stakeholders.

One of Dev's notable achievements is his role in the acquisition of Merville Beach Hotel and Le Grand Gaube Hotel (the Illovo Deal) in 2001. As a financial leader, he was instrumental in finalizing the deal by liaising with the seller and banks. In his current role as Senior Vice President of Finance, Dev continues to bring analytical skills and broad knowledge of corporate regulations, audit and regulatory reporting, and investment banking to the table. He supervises the finances, information technology and treasury of the group as well as operational responsibilities.

In addition to his financial acumen, Dev has also been actively involved in project development, and has a deep understanding of the construction and renovation of hotels. He is well-versed in interacting with stakeholders, including investment bankers, fund managers, insurance carriers, and has extensive experience in addressing issues across the organization.

Dev's commitment to the hospitality industry is reflected in his membership on the board of the Association of Hoteliers and Restaurants in Mauritius (AHRIM) and his past role as Treasurer of the association President of the Economic Commission. He also served on the board of governors of a private school for 14 years, playing key roles as Treasurer and Chairperson.

Dev's extensive experience and proven track record make him a highly qualified and effective finance professional who is well-equipped to bring value to the board of The Lux Collective Ltd.

Born in 1953, Jean de Fondaumière is a chartered Accountant of Scotland. He worked in Australia for eleven years and subsequently in Mauritius for fifteen years until he retired as the CEO of the Swan Group at the end of 2006.

He is a past Chairman of The Stock Exchange of Mauritius and his former directorships include companies operating in the African, Indian Ocean and Asia Pacific regions. Jean holds a portfolio of directorships in Mauritius for companies operating in commerce, finance, power generation, sugar and tourism.

He was appointed as director of the Company in January 2019, at which time he was also appointed as Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee, and member of the Remuneration Committee.

Directorship in Mauritian listed companies: Constance La Gaieté Company Ltd.

Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration-Accounting from Louisiana State University, USA. He started his career in auditing with De Chazal Du Mee, then occupied managerial position in the industrial sector and participated in setting up the first BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) company in Mauritius where he was Managing Director.

He joined Grays & Co in 1992 and currently holds the position of Managing Director. He is an Executive Director of Terra Mauricia. He also serves as Director of Rehm Grinnaker Construction Co Ltd, Terragri and Grays Distilling amongst others.

He was appointed as Director of Lux Island Resorts Ltd and as Chairman of the Audit Committee in April 2004, then as Chairman of the Corporate Governance Committee in April 2005. He resigned from the Board of Lux Island Resorts Ltd and its Audit and Corporate Governance Committees in November 2015 to be appointed on the Board of its Management Company, The Lux Collective Ltd, where he actually sits as Director.

He was also appointed as member of the Remuneration Committee, the Corporate Governance Committee, and the Audit and Risk Committee in January 2019.

Directorship in Mauritian listed companies: Terra Mauricia Limited, United Docks Ltd.

German, born in 1952, Hans Olbertz graduated with a diploma as Hotel Economist from the school of Hotel Administration of Business Management Hotel Industry, Berlin, Germany.

He also holds a diploma in Hotel Management from the Hotel school Bad Reichenhall, Germany. Hans Olbertz is a very experienced international hotelier for over 40 years. He joined Intercontinental Hotels in 1973 after his apprenticeship and worked in Germany, England, Thailand, China, Egypt, Jordan, Greece, Austria, Korea and the United Arab Emirates.

He was holding several Senior Executive and Area President positions with Intercontinental hotels in the 34 years with the group.

In 2008 Hans Olbertz joined the Kempinski Hotel Group and he was managing the prestigious Emirates Palace for over 3 years before he moved to Vienna to open the new Kempinski Hotel in 2013.

Hans Olbertz is holding since 2013 several board positions in hotel companies and in the hospitality industry around the world and is actually acting as Director on the Board of The Lux Collective Ltd, since December 2015.

He was also appointed as member of the Audit and Risk Committee in January 2019. 

Directorship in Mauritian listed companies: None

Scott J. Woroch has been active in the luxury lodging sector for over 25 years, working for hotel brands, hotel owners and developers, hotel advisors, and as well as a transactional lawyer. He has worked and been based in Asia, Europe and North America.

Currently as Partner and Managing Director of Kadenwood Partners in London, Woroch advises clients on a variety of capital and strategic advisory assignments, for hotel brands, and for hotel real estate owners. Prior to forming Kadenwood Partners in Spring, 2015, he was with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts for nearly 15 years. He served as Executive Vice President, Worldwide Development for Four Seasons, overseeing global development for eight years.

Woroch joined Four Seasons in 2000 as Vice President Business Development, Asia Pacific, after a 10-year career in hotel development, representing both hotel companies and real estate owners. Prior to entering the hospitality industry, he had a successful career practicing real estate law in Washington, D.C. He has an A.B., cum laude, from Cornell University, majoring in Political Science, and a Law degree from the George Washington University National Law Center.

He was appointed as director of the Company in January 2019.

Directorship in Mauritian listed companies: None

David Amsellem is a French Native and graduate from the French Engineering University of Centrale-Supelec. David has over 20 years of Leadership experience  across a variety of industries and markets (Power & Utilities, B2B & digital).

David is an active investor and supporter in digital and consumer services with several well-known European start-ups. Experienced in operating at board level across various sectors (hospitality, law firm, logistics, tech, B2B), he excels at mentoring teams with an ingrained passion for excellence and innovation.

After graduating from the French engineering university Centrale Supélec in 2001, David began his career as a founding shareholder of Poweo. In 2008, David founded a start-up in the field of digital concierge services, John Paul, a technology enabled B2B service player, which then became the worldwide leader in premium loyalty . Since its inception, John Paul has been characterized by forward thinking and technological advancement. David sought to define John Paul’s role not only as the bridge between private concierge services and businesses, but as an active revolutionizer of the industry, reinventing concierge know-how with the tools of today’s Digital Age. This vision has not ceased to fascinate and attract the biggest companies to drive long-term loyalty and advocacy with their clients. In 2016 the business was acquired by Accor.

Directorship in Mauritian listed companies: None

Diya Nababsing-Jetshan is the Head of Technology and Digital Transformation of IBL Ltd. She joined IBL in 2018 to drive the digital transformation programme initially composed of 450+ initiatives. She later took over the technology mandate and setup the IT governance framework for IBL in 2021. She drives the IBL Group’s IT Committee, sub-committee of the Audit and Risk Committee. She is reinforcing technology infrastructure, information security and data capabilities along with new ways of working with agile and design thinking methodologies across IBL Group. She holds a master’s degree in information systems Engineering from Imperial College, London and began her career as software developer in a startup company in Mauritius in 2001. She then joined Mauritius Telecom where she spearheaded several innovative projects. She spent over 10 years in software delivery, operations and outsourcing strategy for large European clients at Accenture and AXA Insurance based out of Mauritius. During her career, she setup her own consulting company providing IT advisory and project management services. Prior to joining IBL, she spent 4 years at Cim Group initially heading projects, developing management KPIs and monitoring the execution of the Group strategic plan. She later moved on to drive the digital transformation of Cim Finance and the development of a fintech business in Kenya.