Our People

Launching his professional journey at the Walt Disney Company followed by a stint at an investment bank in Paris, Jean-Marc Merlin transitioned into the entrepreneurial realm alongside his brother Eric. The duo were co-founders of Exotissimo (now EXO Travel) in 1993 and, shortly thereafter, Appletree Group in 1994. Based in Singapore, Jean-Marc oversees the financing and M&A activities of the group.

A self-described ‘serial entrepreneur’, Eric is one of the earliest foreign investors in Vietnam. He was captivated by VIetnam during his first visit in 1990 and returned in 1993 to co-found what would later become EXO Travel and also launched AppleTree Group with his brother, a venture that transformed service-oriented businesses across Asia. Today, with 4500 employees, Eric’s impact on Asian entrepreneurship remains indelible.  

Olivier became captivated with Asia during his travels to the region in 1988. Five years later, he returned to co-found 'Exotissimo', laying the groundwork for what is now EXO Travel. During the early years of the company, Olivier was based in France, focusing on business development. He moved back to Asia in 2003 to manage EXO Vietnam before taking the helm as CEO in 2003 and then as Chairman in 2019.

Hamish has lived and worked in Asia since 1990, working as a tour leader before establishing his first travel business in Bangkok in 1995. He then spent several years starting and growing travel companies as well as leading, operations and creating ground-breaking tours covering every corner of Thailand, Indonesia and Indochina. In 2002, he joined EXO to launch Exotissimo Thailand and, in 2007, became Group Managing Director and partner in EXO Travel.

Su Su joined EXO as a joint venture partner back in 1995 while helping to establish EXO Myanmar as our second destination. Her leadership, guidance and entrepreneurial spirit has been crucial to the success of the company. Su Su also has upper-management roles in a number of other hospitality and tourism ventures, bringing experience and knowledge to EXO and significantly boosting Myanmar as a tourist destination.

Trisna's vision to have the best DMC in Indonesia led her to meet the founders of EXO in early 2009, who were then seeking a partner to expand operations into Indonesia with. Recognising the potential for growth and mutual benefits, Trisna merged her family travel business with EXO to give rise to EXO Indonesia. Since then she has worked tirelessly to achieve her vision.

Erik's introduction to the travel industry began in France back in 1991, then in Greece and the USA before moving to Jakarta, Indonesia. He joined EXO in 1999 as the general manager of Myanmar where he stayed until 2003. He then moved back to France to serve as Director of Sales at EXO Paris before launching EXO Indonesia in 2009.

Meng has more than 20 years of experience working in the travel industry. After gaining invaluable experience with his own travel company, Meng became part of the EXO family in 2000, as well as becoming the Chairman of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents (CATA) and Chairman of the regional travel body, ASEAN Tourism Association.  

Duangmala has been an integral partner of EXO Travel since our expansion to Laos in 2002. She has a deep passion for Laos development, having served as the Chairwoman for PATA Laos chapter, Vice-President of the Vientiane Chamber of Commerce and Board Member of Laos National Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Her multifaceted roles underscore her commitment to both EXO Travel's success and the advancement of the Lao tourism sector.

Hamish has lived and worked in Asia since 1990, working as a tour leader before establishing his first travel business in Bangkok in 1995. He then spent several years starting and growing travel companies as well as leading, operations and creating ground-breaking tours covering every corner of Thailand, Indonesia and Indochina. In 2002, he joined EXO to launch Exotissimo Thailand and, in 2007, became Group Managing Director and partner in EXO Travel.

George’s passion for travel in Asia took root after moving to Kuala Lumpur and then Borneo in 1996. After opening EXO Cambodia in 2000, he became the General Manager of EXO Laos, EXO Myanmar,and then, our biggest operation, EXO Vietnam where he remained from 2007 until 2014. He is now based in the Bangkok headquarters as the COO.

Thierry is responsible for the design, maintenance and future trajectory of all technological systems related to reservations, operations, accounting, and our proprietary database system.

Born in France, Alexandra first stepped foot in Asia in 2011 and soon fell in love with the region. Alexandra has professional expertise with social enterprises and non profit organisations working towards local development. Her deep passion for sustainability brought her to join EXO Hanoi, first as Vietnam's sustainability coordinator before rising up to her current position as EXO's lead in sustainability in 2018.

Originally from the UK, Mike has spent the last 20 years working outside the UK in Europe, the Middle East and now Asia. While in Dubai Mike found his true home in the Travel industry, leading Finance teams throughout the Middle East & Asia. 12 years later Mike joined EXO, bringing with him a wealth of international finance experience.

Rusell leads digital innovation across EXO. Bringing two decades of industry experience, he ensures we remain a leader in providing best-in-class travel technology to partners.

As our Chief Commercial Officer Nick leads EXO's commercial strategy and drives growth in key areas including sales, marketing and product innovation. Before joining EXO he spent 10 years working for a top UK tour operator. Starting as our UK Sales Director in 2016, Nick moved to Bangkok in 2018 to become Global Sales Director, before stepping up to take on the CCO position in 2025.

Moving to Singapore in 2010 as a science researcher, Alex traveled extensively throughout Asia before shifting to a career in travel photography. During this time he worked for a number of travel companies which led to a career in travel marketing. Working first with a major DMC based in Hanoi, Vietnam, Alex moved to Bangkok and joined EXO Travel in 2016.

In addition to his love of trekking and outdoors, Matt brings tonnes of experience and know-how to EXO Adventure. He is responsible for the overall success of EXO Adventure, managing each destination and helping to grow and develop the business.

An avid traveller, Camille earned a master's degree in Tourism and Development then launched her tourism career with EXO. With her passion for discovering new places around Asia, she ensures that all of our Products are exciting and bespoke.

With more than two decades in commercial, product and procurement roles for a leading UK tour operator, Chris has built long-haul portfolios across Asia and beyond. At EXO, he strengthens supplier relationships and contracting performance to create more value for trade partners.

As our Chief Commercial Officer Nick leads EXO's commercial strategy and drives growth in key areas including sales, marketing and product innovation. Before joining EXO he spent 10 years working for a top UK tour operator. Starting as our UK Sales Director in 2016, Nick moved to Bangkok in 2018 to become Global Sales Director, before stepping up to take on the CCO position in 2025.

Sophie's passion for travel began when she was young, joining her parents for trips abroad. Captivated by the allure of new destinations and diverse cultures, she went on to pursue a degree in International Tourism and Hospitality Management. After a decade working for a renowned UK travel agent, she transitioned to her role as EXO’s Sales Manager for the UK & Ireland.

Born in Bangkok, Pantanida began her career in the travel industry in the early 2000's. After travelling around Southeast Asia for a period of time, she moved to Ho Chi Minh City to help start up the German department for EXO Travel. She has been based in Germany since 2008, where she looks after our German-speaking clients.

Boston-based Amanda Pilar, EXO's Director of Sales for the Americas and ANZ, drives growth in the US, Canada, Latin America, Australia & New Zealand. Backed by 10 years in luxury travel and a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management, she forges high-value partnerships and tailored journeys through our destinations. Since joining EXO in 2019 her market insight, operational fluency and service focus have made EXO a trusted ally for travel advisors.

Kate joined EXO Travel in 2023 as North American Sales Manager. With a history of extensive travel in Asia and a proven track record as a Virtuoso advisor, she enriches the travel planning process and promotes EXO's diverse destinations with a fresh perspective. Her passion for unique journeys is a boon for both EXO and our partners.

Alice caught the travel bug early, accompanying her parents on cultural and architectural trips as a young child. She went on to study tourism and work for a well-known tour operator before taking a solo trip across three continents. In 2017, Alice joined EXO Malaysia as Inbound & Product Manager and, in 2023, returned to Paris as Sales Manager to support EXO's partners in the French-speaking market.

A gap year in Japan ignited a passion for travel that shaped Alex's career, starting in Japan sales before advancing to manage a DMC in Myanmar and later specialising in legal compliance for a top UK tour operator. He brings this extensive industry experience and insight to his role as EXO Sales Manager for Northern Europe. Outside of work, Alex enjoys cycling, baking and tending his garden in Wiltshire.

With 15+ years in the travel industry, Vicky brings deep experience in B2B sales and partner management. Having worked with EXO since her first industry role in 2008, she now supports UK and Ireland partners with destination insight, smooth operations and consistent on-the-ground delivery across EXO’s network.

Maya brings 20+ years in travel, spanning leadership and product roles with Asia-focused DMCs in Germany. Having travelled widely in Asia and lived in Bangkok, she supports German-speaking partners from Munich with planning, itinerary refinement and seamless trip delivery.

With 18+ years in the travel industry, Rubby has held senior roles supporting Spanish-speaking markets and launching new destination operations. She works closely with Latin American partners, combining destination insight with a practical focus on seamless delivery from enquiry to return.

With over nine years as Director of Product and Commercial for EXO Travel Group, Ruben brings a wealth of industry expertise to his role as General Manager of EXO Morocco. His extensive background in product development, operations and commercial strategy, combined with a genuine passion for travel, ensures that our Morocco experiences are the most creative, reliable and inspiring in the market.

Justin joined the tourism industry in 2007, first in sales before transitioning to marketing and product development. He was the first member of EXO Korea, leveraging his vast experience and passion for his country as General Manager.

Having lived and worked in Thailand as a travel professional for more than a decade, Kim's knowledge of the country is extraordinary. While working in a variety of roles from operations and sales to product, he has not only explored every corner of Thailand, but also the travel industry as a whole.

Peter Lawrence's journey in tourism ignited in 2007 with a transformative visit to Hanoi, sparking a deep passion for Asia. Over the ensuing 15 years before joining EXO, he has distinguished himself through a commitment to sustainability and leadership in both adventure and luxury travel sectors. As General Manager, his goal is to champion sustainability efforts in line with EXO's status as a Certified B Corp. Peter looks forward to ...

Growing up in Thailand and Laos and now calling Laos home for 20 years, Andrea has the deep knowledge of a true local. She is a bonafide Laos travel expert, having worked in roles from MICE Operations to managing French Inbound travel and heading Product Development. Andrea also speaks English, French, Lao and Thai fluently, making her the perfect asset to lead EXO Laos.

Born in the Netherlands, Marcel spent much of his childhood exploring Europe but this soon expanded to travels to the Asian region. Marcel joined EXO in 2016, bringing a decade of tourism industry experience with him. With proven leadership skills and in-depth knowledge of the industry, his responsibilities grew to include regional oversight of EXO Adventure before moving to Cambodia as General Manager.

Having travelled or worked in 55 countries across the world, Sandor brings a tremendous amount of travel experience to EXO Saudi Arabia. He has served as a General Manager for Asian DMCs for more than a decade while being based in Hanoi, Bali, Tokyo, Bangkok HCMC, and Yangon. After his 3-year stint as GM for EXO Myanmar, and multi year tenure at EXO Vietnam, he now leads EXO Saudi Arabia.

While working in tourism for more than a decade, Sara's substantial experience in the travel industry spans from operations and sales to product development. She's explored nearly every corner of her destinations. She leads EXO Vietnam by providing the deep destination knowledge of a local, a passion for travel, and the expertise of a seasoned travel industry veteran.

Mark's love of Japan began in 1981 when he travelled there as a student. Fueled by his deep appreciation of the county's culture, he began working with a Japanese DMC based in Los Angeles. Since then he has held senior positions in a broad range of travel trade roles and has crafted an extensive network of connections in the region, making him the perfect GM for EXO Japan.

Originally from Colombia, raised in Australia and having lived and worked on four continents, Pablo is a true citizen of the world. He first fell in love with Asia in 2006 and, after stints in Thailand and Nigeria, joined EXO as our Chief Financial Officer in 2018. He is now the General Manager of EXO Indonesia, a destination he deep connections with. In addition to his passion for travel and strong passion ...