Management Team

Mr. Poulin has been the President and CEO of Luxury Retreats since he founded the company nine years ago. He has taken his start-up – which originally listed just four properties, had no employees and was located in his bedroom – and turned it into one of the world’s largest villa rental specialists. His entrepreneurial rise and achievements have been chronicled in the media and his vision and success have made him one of the most respected leaders in the industry.

Benoît Côté joined Luxury Retreats in 2006 as its Chief Operating Officer and has been responsible for the implementation of structural and procedural changes to improve company efficiency. Mr. Côté came to the company with over 20 years' experience in the service industry, most recently as part of senior management at Bell Canada, where he headed several key functions in service and strategy. He holds an MBA from the Université de Québec à Montréal.

Mark Paterson has been with Luxury Retreats since September 2006. Prior to joining Luxury Retreats, Mr. Paterson practiced within the corporate law department of Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP. Mr. Paterson received his B.C.L. and LL.B. law degrees from McGill University and his Bachelor's degree from Bishop’s University.

Nick Guezen joined Luxury Retreats in June 2000 as a villa specialist. Since then he has held several managerial positions and has overseen the growth of the marketing and IT departments, as well as the acquisition of Luxury Retreats' Hawaiian division. His current position entails managing the company’s product growth, coordinating the development of top properties, destinations and services around the world to ensure quality for Luxury Retreats' guests. Mr. Guezen has visited many of Luxury Retreats' top destinations, including Necker Island and Hawaii.

Ben Tuff moved into his current position as Director of Sales and Marketing in early 2008, having joined Luxury Retreats in 2000 and gaining experience as a villa specialist, Sales Manager and Director of Marketing. Mr. Tuff now heads both departments and is responsible for driving the overall sales and marketing strategy for the rentals division, overseeing initiatives that include brand development, loyalty and direct marketing. He is the second-longest serving member of the Luxury Retreats' team.

Darlene George joined Luxury Retreats in 2008 as Director of Human Resources. Most recently, Ms. George operated her own consulting practice wherein she provided strategic leadership, coaching and consulting to businesses undergoing significant growth and change management. She brings 15 years experience as an HR Director spanning five industries, including technology, aerospace, retail and hospitality. Her experience has involved building local and international venture-capital based companies while also having led national initiatives for public companies. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration Degree from MSVU.

Michel Paré joined Luxury Retreats in 2008. He is responsible for all aspects of Luxury Retreats’ financial reporting, treasury, financial and tax planning and all day-to-day accounting operations. Throughout the previous 12 years, Mr. Paré has served as Chief Financial Officer and financial director within private and public environments. He has been particularly active in growth companies, wherein he has focused on implementing re-engineering processes and governance policies. He holds a BA Degree and a CGA designation from the University of Sherbrooke.