Rafael Torres
Managing Partner
Rafael, a founding partner of Luxe Capital Americas,
is focused on assisting clients achieve their goals with hotel sales transactions, optimization of hotel concepts and performance as well as strategic growth plans.
He has held senior executive positions in international hotel companies in various destinations in Europe and the Americas, and at one of the most recognized master planned communities in the Caribbean. He has proven to be a strong commercial leader able to drive profitability through operational optimization and the creation of innovative products.
Rafael’s clients appreciate his insights derived from his experience transforming underperforming hotels, lines of business or assets and effectively growing/repositioning them within a short timeframe. Rafael puts his operational insights to work on behalf of clients by identifying interesting opportunities for expansion that contribute to their strategic plans.
George Spence
Managing Partner
George assists clients in the hotel, tourism, real estate and financial sectors. He focuses on complex acquisitions, mergers, valuations, workouts, restructurings, project development, debt financing, and hotel product concept optimization.
A founding partner of Luxe Capital Americas, George is recognized as a negotiator of sale-purchase transaction documentation and hotel management and franchise contracts on behalf of clients. His experience as CFO, CEO and Senior Development Officer of various hospitality and real estate companies, and participation in transactions across the Caribbean, Mexico, Latin America and Africa, provides real-world insights to our clientele.
Dione Lee
Associate
Dione provides critical transactional, due diligence and analytical services on behalf of clients for Luxe Capital. She also leads Luxe Capital’s tourism and hospitality research area as well as the financial analysis and modeling that is required from our clients.
Dione has over a decade of direct experience in tourism project analysis and transactions. She has worked on sales processes and valuations for hotels in diverse countries, such as the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Mexico, Jamaica and Zanzibar.
Prior to that, she served as an analyst at the World Bank and as International Financing Manager at a large master planned community and tourism development. Dione is particularly recognized by clients for her work on feasibility and valuation. She hones her analytical skills in hotel real estate investment and asset management courses offered by Cornell University and by HVS International.
Gema Nieto
Associate
Gema manages processes directly with clients and prospects, who appreciate her responsiveness and extensive hands-on experience in the hotel and resort sector.
Prior to joining Luxe Capital she worked in executive positions for recognized international hotel chains in Europe, the United States and the Caribbean. She has served as general manager through the pre-opening, opening and operations phases for a top five international hotel chain, as Rooms Division Manager for a large international upscale all-inclusive brand, and in a senior position at a successful master planned resort complex in the Caribbean.
Ms. Nieto enjoys assisting clients in hotel purchase-sale processes, feasibility studies, brand search and product optimization processes. She gives back to the community by serving as a university professor in hotel and tourism studies.
James R. Hepple
Associate
Dr. Hepple, a consultant for Luxe Capital Americas, has years of experience in the hotel and tourism sector in the Caribbean, the United States and Canada.
He has served as the CEO of a leading hotel association and of a number of tourist Boards within the Caribbean, after earlier executive assignments in sales and marketing and with two leading Canadian hotel and tourism consulting firms.
Dr. Hepple possesses extensive knowledge and skills in tourism research and analytics, destination marketing development, feasibility studies, as well as assistance in positioning destinations, resorts and hotels, to achieve their full potential.
Álvaro Tejeda
Associate
Alvaro Tejeda provides clients with the benefit of over 30 years of direct experience in all aspects of the hotel and resort business. Alvaro has held senior executive positions in the European, American, Latin American and Caribbean markets, and has accumulated solid credentials in developing hotel projects, joint ventures and management agreements.
Clients appreciate Alvaro’s insights and ability to leverage his experience and successes to evaluate and recommend business solutions, identify operational inefficiencies, execute necessary process improvements, and utilize his extensive network of contacts.
José Ignacio Sánchez Butragueño
Associate
José Ignacio offers Luxe Capital Americas´ clients his extensive international experience in the hotel sector, where he participates both in the transactional area in in the consulting practice. He has held various management positions such as Senior Advisor for Travel, Hospitality & Transport at a global consulting company and Corporate Director of Revenue Management at major hotel chains. In addition, he has formed part of the International Advisory Board of The Leading Hotels of the World, and has served as Associate Professor at the prestigious IE Business School. With a deep knowledge of the hospitality sales and marketing in both the urban and vacation sectors, José Ignacio brings solid credentials in the areas of commercial strategy, business development, feasibility studies and transformation plans. His strategic vision, detailed knowledge of the sector and wide network of contacts in different areas, especially at the level of business and technological development, are highly valued by clients.