Lalith James

Born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Lalith James is the founding father and visionary of Hotel Emporium, Inc. A seasoned entrepreneur, James started his career by receiving his hospitality management degree in Germany, then migrated to the USA to manage an array of properties from New York to California. With his years of executive hotel management experience, he co-founded Hotel Emporium, Inc. with a vision to become the world’s best hospitality supplier. A true global visionary and serial entrepreneur, Lalith has developed multiple international businesses over his tenured career and today, occupies the role of Chairman at Hotel Emporium which services over 20,000 hotels & resorts worldwide in over 40 different countries around the world.

Sudesh Kodikara

Sudesh Kodikara brings over 15 years of unwavering dedication to Hotel Emporium, currently serving as the Chief Financial Officer. His role encompasses the strategic oversight of accounting, logistics, legal, and human resources. Sudesh made a transformative move to the United States in 2000, honing his expertise in the finance sector, by working at a prominent commercial bank in Sri Lanka. Beginning his journey in the hospitality sector as a hotel manager, his 34 years of career experience have culminated in his pivotal role as a leader at Hotel Emporium. Sudesh stands as a cornerstone in the leadership team, steering Hotel Emporium to new heights, leaving an indelible mark on the company’s legacy.

Sudesh is an alumnus of California State University Fullerton, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a specialized focus in Accounting and Finance. Beyond his professional capacities, Sudesh takes pleasure in mentorship and cultivating talent within the organization. Sudesh finds joy in his passion for music, golf, and traveling the world.

Shea James

A true legacy team member, Shea James has been with Hotel Emporium for over 13 years, initially coming on board to serve as Sales Director and over time graduating to the position of Chief Marketing Officer. He supports major company goals and initiatives by overseeing brand licensing, innovative product, marketing development, strategic partnerships and new business ventures. Prior to his role at Hotel Emporium, Shea served as a Registered Financial Advisor with Oppenheimer & Co., a leading global full-service brokerage and investment bank. In addition to his work with Hotel Emporium, Shea serves on the board of the Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society, allowing him to fulfill his passion for providing individuals and communities with the education they need to positively impact wildlife and ecological conservation.

Shea holds a Bachelors of Applied Science in Banking, Corporate, Finance, and Securities Law from Rutgers Business School.

Ash De Silva

Ash De Silva's deep-rooted passion for the hospitality industry started at a young age, growing up alongside his brother Andy De Silva, co-founder of Hotel Emporium and under the influence of their father who was a veteran entrepreneur in the hotel industry in Sri Lanka. His desire for new adventures and opportunities in this industry led him to migrate to the United States at the age of 23, marking a turning point in his career. After expanding his skills set, he was given the reins of the company's overseas office in China, driving sales across Asia and other international regions, which paved his way to occupying his current role as the Senior Vice President of Global Operations at Hotel Emporium.

Ash’s educational background includes a bachelor’s degree from a private University in Sri Lanka. Besides his professional career, Ash enjoys traveling to exotic destinations around the world and spending time with his friends and family.

Dinesh Weerasekera

Where there’s sunshine, you’ll likely find Dinesh Weerasekera. A proud father of two girls, Dinesh serves as Hotel Emporium’s SVP of Sales – and a member of the company since day one – handling major accounts in casinos, gaming and water parks in some of the world’s most beautiful destinations, such as Hawaii, Latin America and the Caribbean. With all his travel, he has circled the earth 37.5 times, and has been able to experience many different cultures and traditions. From Sri Lanka, Dinesh initially dove into the hospitality industry when he moved to the U.S. and began working at the Marriott and at IHG Hotels & Resorts. It was experiences at these organizations where he gained an innate understanding of what hotels and motels need, which has helped him better communicate with decision-makers.

Dinesh began his studies at Robert Gordon University Aberdeen in Scotland with a focus on AI, then later attended California State University, Fullerton to study Accounting and Business Management.

Jennifer Bojovic

Driven by responsiveness and relationship building, Jennifer Bojovic is Senior Vice President of Sales at Hotel Emporium. Her responsibilities include generating sales from both a brand and chain perspective on a national and international scale, with sales plan development founded on company goals to promote growth and profitability. Before her position at Hotel Emporium, Jennifer supported American Hotel Register Company for 13 years in the role of National Account Manager, growing national accounts and supporting business development.

Jennifer holds a bachelor’s degree in Business, Management, Marketing and related support services from Northern Illinois University.

Julie Costerg

Julie Costerg’s passion for hospitality began twenty years ago when she first stepped into the industry managing various aspects of hotel and restaurant operations, then sales, marketing and branding, from midscale to luxury palace hotels in France, USA and China. It was in her creation of Maison Albar hotels - in Jin Jiang Hotel Group - that she cultivated a strong love for creativity and entrepreneurship that has only flourished over time, as she then launched her own lifestyle brand in China and a restaurant concept in the French Alps. Julie joined Hotel Emporium in 2018 as Director of Marketing for China & Asia Pacific before occupying today the role of VP of Marketing where she spearheads all aspects of marketing at a global scale, overseeing new product and brand launches, from design and content production to communication, allowing her to breathe life into a vast variety of projects.

She holds a master’s and MBA from Vatel France in International Business - Hospitality, F&B, Tourism Management. She is also trilingual - fluent in French, Mandarin and English - as she spent seventeen years living in some of the world's most multicultural and cosmopolitan cities, which contribute to her understanding of global market needs today.