Board Of Directors & Executive Committee

Our Team

Regina Merino Board Member & Chief Marketing Officer Co-founder, concept creator and mastermind behind Punta Kahlá project. With studies in communication, marketing and management in Mexico and The United States, she is a pro-active, har

Regina Merino
Board Member & Chief Marketing Officer

Co-founder, concept creator and mastermind behind Punta Kahlá project.

With studies in communication, marketing and management in Mexico and The United States, she is a pro-active, hard-working, venturer and self-driven. At her young age has founded and lead different start up projects such as a network marketing company, a coffee brand company, and a CrossFit brand.

• She co- founded, operated and is a current member of the board of a non-profit Waldorf School in Cancun, Mexico.

• Highly experienced in developing network marketing distribution in different countries around the world.
• In depth experience in developing new products.
• Passionate about finding great ideas and turning them into successful businesses.
• Outdoor lover.

Gerardo Castro Chief Executive Officer Co-founder and mastermind behind Punta Kahlá project. With 30 years in business development, he has founded, directed and operated leading companies in different sectors. • Founder, director and

Gerardo Castro
Chief Executive Officer

Co-founder and mastermind behind Punta Kahlá project.

With 30 years in business development, he has founded, directed and operated leading companies in different sectors.

• Founder, director and member of the board, Onest Logistics. Second largest logistics company in Mexico.

• Founder and member of the board, Hotel Depot. More than 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry as founder and member of the board of a leading company in hotel equipment supply.

• Founder and member of the board, Grupo Acora. Development and construction company for commercial, office and apartment buildings.

• Del Mar Waldorf School Cancun. Non-profit. Founder, operator and member of the board.

• Founder of the “Hilando Mexico” non-profit project, which has the purpose of recovering cultural traditions and the economic development of outcasted communities in the Yucatan Peninsula.

• Art lover.

Manuel Perez Alpuche Board Member With 37 years of experience in the hospitality business, he has operated, counseled and advised major international and local hotel brands such as Vidanta, Hilton, Fiesta Americana and Grupo Pueblo Bonito.

Manuel Perez Alpuche
Board Member

With 37 years of experience in the hospitality business, he has operated, counseled and advised major international and local hotel brands such as Vidanta, Hilton, Fiesta Americana and Grupo Pueblo Bonito.

• Proven experience in turn-around Resort Properties and Boutique Hotels.

• In depth experience in Operations, Sales & Marketing, Finance and Human Resources.

• Highly experienced in hotel openings and company re-organization.

• Solid knowledge in Food & Beverage, Engineering and Rooms division.

• Demonstrated experience and ability managing high end properties and boutique hotels.

• Proven capacity for team leadership with emphasis on results.

• A top-level professional with strong management skills in a highly competitive business environment.

• Main focus on customer satisfaction and quality, effective cost control and budgeting to maximize financial results.

• Chess lover.

Jackie Melfi Board Member Recognized author, influential love coach, and highly esteemed member of the swinger community. Known for educating thousands monthly on the open relationship lifestyle, and frequently featured as an expert in major

Jackie Melfi
Board Member

Recognized author, influential love coach, and highly esteemed member of the swinger community. Known for educating thousands monthly on the open relationship lifestyle, and frequently featured as an expert in major publications.

• Founder of Openlove101.com, a worldwide lifestyle blog, podcast and YouTube channel, featuring articles and discussions on relationships and sexuality catering to the needs of consensually non monogamous couples.

• Launched the industry’s first virtual lifestyle summit, World Love Summit, under the Openlove101 umbrella. Created educational products for another successful product launch, Openlove101 University.

• Author of the award-winning book “Swingers’ Lifestyle The Questions You Are Afraid To Ask”

• 2019 recipient of ASN Magazine’s Top Influential Women Of The Lifestyle award

• Contributing author for the Huffington Post.

• Has been highlighted on CNN’s This is Life with Lisa Ling, ABC Nightline, Playboy Radio, Daily Mail, The Huffington Post, and The Sun.

• Together, Jackie and John have coached and counseled thousands of couples and singles and have helped them to enjoy more meaningful and intimate relationships.

• Food lover.

John Melfi Board Member For 30 years he has owned and operated more than a dozen nightclub venues in the United States and Dominican Republic including some of the most profitable, world renown and award-winning clubs. One of the most success

John Melfi
Board Member

For 30 years he has owned and operated more than a dozen nightclub venues in the United States and Dominican Republic including some of the most profitable, world renown and award-winning clubs. One of the most successful owners of nightclubs that are designed specifically for couples that are sexually open minded or in open relationships. He is an advocate for consensually non monogamous relationships and is known for fostering a community of open-minded adults.

• Established and operated over a dozen profitable and award-winning nightclub venues in the United States and the Dominican Republic including the Colette brand which has 4 locations in Austin, Houston, Dallas, New Orleans with over 150,000 members.

• An expert in all aspects of nightclub development including design, hiring and training management, security and marketing. He has also implemented a state-of-the-art membership system for the clubs.

• Successfully promoted and hosted major lifestyle events such as Taboo Erotica and Skinny Dip Sundae.

• Founded the award-winning blog Openlove101.com with his wife Jackie which has over 20,000 monthly visitors and influences over 120,000 people across social platforms. The videos on their YouTube channel have been viewed over 3 million times. The blog has been a consistent winner of the Annual Lifestyle Award for Best Lifestyle Blog

• Has been highlighted on CNN’s This is Life with Lisa Ling, ABC Nightline, Playboy Radio, Daily Mail, The Huffington Post, and The Sun.
• Spokesperson and a press contact for the National Coalition of Sexual Freedom.

• In 2019 launched an innovative phone dating app for open minded couples and singles called Neon.

• Award winning speaker, presenter, educator and relationship coach.

• Adventure lover.

José Antonio Duclaud Board Member Renown corporate lawyer specialized in Hospitality and Real Estate investment, as well as diplomatic agencies of foreign countries and Mergers and Acquisitions. Responsible for structuring some of the most im

José Antonio Duclaud
Board Member

Renown corporate lawyer specialized in Hospitality and Real Estate investment, as well as diplomatic agencies of foreign countries and Mergers and Acquisitions. Responsible for structuring some of the most important projects in the hospitality industry in Mexico.

• Music lover.

Guido Benassini Board Member With over 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry, he is an expert in designing and operating world class attractions. • Developer of themed and immersive experiences with projects in 3 continents

Guido Benassini
Board Member

With over 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry, he is an expert in designing and operating world class attractions.

• Developer of themed and immersive experiences with projects in 3 continents.

• Conceived and executed over 16 parks and attractions with a $215+ million-dollar investment.

• Currently serves as the CEO of one of the most influential park and attractions groups in the industry, receiving over 3 million guests per year. The group operates 17 brands, where 136 different attractions are operated daily. Venues include water parks, adventure parks, theme parks, dolphinariums, aquariums, family entertainment centers, sports entertainment venues and food entertainment attractions.

• Serves in the board of the Latin American Committee of IAAPA (international Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) representing Mexico, as well as being chairman of the Government Relations committee for all of LATAM.

• Car lover

Markus Felix Schauerte CFO & Head of Corporate Development,Partner. • After graduating, he joined Morgan Stanley working at the London, Frankfurt and San Francisco offices. Subsequently he worked for two years at Delbruck & Co, Private Banke

Markus Felix Schauerte
CFO & Head of Corporate Development,Partner.

• After graduating, he joined Morgan Stanley working at the London, Frankfurt and San Francisco offices. Subsequently he worked for two years at Delbruck & Co, Private Bankers.

• Between 1996 and 2000 he worked for UBS Warburg Dillon Read as Director Corporate Finance in their Frankfurt office.

• In 2000, he founded Advantum Corporate Finance which became one of the leading financial advisory firms in German-speaking countries in so-called special situations (restructurings). Major transactions include the purchase and sale of Assona, a leading after-market insurance company for mobile phones, and Brugmann Traumgarten, the largest fence and outdoor products wholesaler in Germany with USD 85m in revenues. The latter was purchased in 2006 and Markus has been CFO and Director of Corporate Development for that company until today.

• Ample experience in hotel resort transactions / financings which includes most recently a US$ 30 million refinancing of a German hotel portfolio via Avenue Capital.

• Architecture & history lover.