About
Good places are made with the people who live in them
We are an architectural and urban design practice for social impact in Myanmar.
01Since 2017
Our story
We started in 2017 in downtown Yangon with one heritage building and one back alley. Our founder, Emilie, took on a single heritage property, and with the neighbours we cleared a rubbish-filled alley and turned it into a garden and a place to meet.
The idea caught on with residents, and from there it spread: more alleys, more heritage buildings, then public spaces and homes, and shelters after the 2025 earthquake, across Myanmar. Our belief has stayed the same: good places are made with the people who live in them.
02Team
Our team
We are architects, engineers, urban planners, heritage specialists and climate adaptation specialists, working alongside storytellers, community organisers, builders and digital specialists.
03Governance
Board
Emilie Roëll
Emilie Röell is a social entrepreneur and social impact professional with an academic background in cultural anthropology, philosophy, and development studies. After spending 5 years in the institutional development sector in Brussels and Yangon with the European Union and United Nations, she transitioned to social entrepreneurship, founding heritage restoration & placemaking firm Doh Eain in Myanmar and later heritage travel platform Our Heritage Homes out of Singapore, active around Asia. Alongside this work, she consults for AVPN - Asia’s largest network of philanthropists and impact investors - on initiatives that grow and improve the flow of capital to social and environmental issues.
Casper de Nooijer
Casper is a seasoned executive and strategic advisor with over 20 years of leadership experience in corporate transformation, team development, and sustainable business growth. He has led organizations through complex transitions while maintaining a sharp focus on environmental and social impact. As CEO of Bamboo Import Europe and Audax Group, he championed regenerative business models and CO₂ reduction strategies, fostering circular economy practices across operations. Casper is also an active investor in sustainability-driven ventures and contributes to academic and public sector innovation, including his work on skills-based organizations. His academic contributions span governance, family businesses, and leadership development, underpinned by teaching roles at leading universities in the Netherlands.
Hein Swinkels
Hein is a member of the Board of Doh Eain since 2019. Hein spent 17 years at Unilever in various financial positions, most recently as VP Finance Unilever SEA. During a break in his Unilever career, Hein co-founded in 1999 and developed the business into the leading financial comparison site in the Netherlands.
Advisers
Geoff Rich on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)
Conservation Architect, Educator
Melani Oliver on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)
Organizational Coach, Innovator, Community Strategist
Graham Marshall on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)
Social Enterprise Leader, Sustainability Advocate
Beverley Salmon on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)
Urban Resilience Expert, Climate Finance Advisor
Kyaw Moe Tun on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)
Education Innovator, Visionary Educator
Yee Mon Kyaw on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)
HR Executive, Leadership Coach, Talent & Culture Strategist
Lynn Lynn Tin Htun on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)
Marketing Strategist, Business Developer
Anna Livia Cullinan on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)
Researcher, Community Designer, Strategic Planner
Phyu Mon Theint on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)
Digital Strategist, Experience Designer
James Aung on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)
Digital Strategist, Governance Innovator
Petter Witton on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)
Venture Mentor, Emerging Markets Specialist, Philanthropy
Anjali Karol Mohan on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)
Urban and regional planning consultant
Dr Johannes WIDODO on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab)
Architectural Conservation Professor, Cultural Heritage Conservation Expert