Mark Durliat

CEO & PRINCIPAL

Mark Durliat is CEO and co-Founder of Grace Bay Resorts. Durliat has been a driving force in the growth of luxury travel and residential development in the Turks and Caicos (TCI) for over 15 years. He began developing in TCI when he led the acquisition of the 22 room boutique Grace Bay Club in 2001 and redeveloped this property into a five star condominium resort property valued at over $200 million and now generating in excess of $38 million in annual revenues. Durliat has over 25 years of development experience in the resort and residential real estate industry. Grace Bay Resorts (GBR) now manage or are in development of real estate projects valued at over $300 million in the Turks & Caicos and directly employ nearly 400 hospitality and development staff. 

In 2009 Durliat was approached by the owner of the Veranda Resort for GBR to be the brand and manager of this 168-key property, which opened in 2010. In 2012 Durliat launched a new GBR residential division with The Residences, its first prototype development of branded and managed single family homes priced at $4.0+ million each. In 2013 Durliat was approached by ownership of the West Bay Club, where GBR acquired a stake in the management company, assuming operational and branding responsibility of the 74 key luxury property on the western portion of Grace Bay beach. In 2009 Durliat also developed a professional housing community called One Lofts, a 32-home project that sold out in 3 weeks following its launch.

Durliat graduated from the University of Southern California in 1988 with a BS in Business (Entrepreneur Program) and French. After university Durliat moved overseas and pursued an international real estate career in France and Belgium, where for four years he learned alongside the famous South African golfer Gary Player on the development of a master planned resort project. This was followed by a move to Cape Town where he co-founded and ran a successful condo-hotel development firm for four years.

Nikheel Advani

COO & Principal

Nikheel Advani is COO and co-Founder of Grace Bay Resorts and oversees overall operations, branding, sales & marketing of resort development. He joined Grace Bay Club in August 2004 as Managing Director, serving as the top operational executive in its expansion and renovation as it evolved from a $15 million, 22 room boutique hotel to a full service luxury resort boasting 82 suites and residences, now valued at over $200 million. Most recently he was responsible for the successful opening of the $100 million Veranda Resort & Residences in February 2010. 

Nikheel came to Grace Bay Club after serving as Hotel Manager at the renowned Raffles Hotel Singapore, in addition he served as the Food & Beverage Champion for the entire Asia Pacific region. Prior to his time at Raffles, Nikheel spent seven years with Ritz Carlton Hotel Company internationally, specializing in hotel openings and operations, moving within the organization from Food & Beverage Manager to Executive Assistant Manager in Ritz Carlton properties spanning Singapore to New York City. In 2007, Grace Bay Club became a member of the prestigious Leading Hotels of the World, where Nikheel is currently a member of the Global Marketing Advisory Committee. In 2012, Nikheel was honored with the ‘Ultimate Hotelier Award’ award by Island Destinations, The Authority for Luxury Travel.​

Nikheel founded the Grace Bay Club Hotel School and serves as President of the Turks and Caicos Hotel and Tourism Association. Nikheel teaches and speaks at the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration and the Les Roches International School of Hotel Management. Nikheel graduated from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst with an honors degree in Hotel, Restaurant and Travel Administration and completed the General Manager Program at Harvard Business School. A Singapore national, he is fluent in English and Mandarin and proficient in French and Hindi.

Shawn Henderson

Principal Shid

Listed among the AD100 (Architectural Digest’s top 100 worldwide tastemakers), celebrated interior designer Shawn Henderson creates spaces that feel comfortably sophisticated, rich and relaxed. He inspires through nuance, harmony and contrasts. Based in New York City, Henderson counts as clients such notable celebrities as Will Ferrell, NASCAR champion Jimmi Johnson & Glenn Close, among others.

Coast Architects

Project Design Architect

Founded in 2007 by Simon Nicholls and Chris Davies, Coast Architects is one of the leading architectural firms in the Turks and Caicos Islands. With Parrot Cay as its initial anchor client, in 2009 Rebecca Davies joined the company and raised its game through her exceptional design pedigree and attention to detail. Over the past few years the team has grown to 11 members, who are collectively responsible for some of the most celebrated residential designs in Turks and Caicos on behalf of international clients. Their portfolio also includes The Residences by Grace Bay Resorts, as well as multiple projects for Parrot Cay and the Gansevoort.

Epikos Design

Site & Master Planning

Epikos, under the leadership of Dave Peugh, specializes in a broad array of extraordinary design projects including luxury resorts, mixed-use development, homes, and landscape design. Their projects are found in over a dozen countries around the world. Epikos is a boutique design firm, by choice, allowing the principals to remain involved throughout the process. Their exceptional service stems from keen attention to detail and understanding of the market. As the initial creative spirit and visionary behind the renowned Grace Bay Club, Peugh has consistently created tasteful, sophisticated and timeless designs that achieve substantial value for owners, developers and hospitality brands.

Lynn Bengsston

Project Director & Marketing

Lynn Bengtsson began her career in the hospitality industry in 1998 with the Ritz Carlton Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as a Sales Manager.  She moved to Sweden where she owned and operated a restaurant and onto Singapore where she spearheaded the Resident Services department at the iconic Raffles Hotel. In July of 2005 she joined Grace Bay Club as Director of Reservations and Guest Recognition and before holding this role she was the Director of Marketing at Grace Bay Resorts.

During her time with Grace Bay Resorts she was also the Project Director of One Lofts development in Providenciales, where she assisted CEO, Mark Durliat in all aspects of the development and assisted in the contribution of record sales, where the project received deposits for twenty units and executed sales contracts for all units within fourteen days after its launch. Lynn received a certification of education from the University of Cambridge before going on to Sunway College in Kuala Lumpur. She subsequently attended Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School in Sydney Australia for Hospitality Management.