After graduating with distinction from Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration, and several years working for Hyatt International on pre-opening services for new hotels (including the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong and Taipei), Raju Harilela formed the Harilela Strategic Group in 1990. The group grew, over 16 years into 21 hospitality divisions, which were sold mid-2006. In late 2002, Raju Harilela was recognized by the leading Hong Kong newspaper South China Morning Post, and awarded the "Entrepreneur of the Year award."

Businesses established by Raju Harilela included Pure Spa Asia Limited (the leading Spa equipment supplies firm), Equip Asia Limited (the leading hotel equipment supplies company), Pacific Rim Trading (a linen, upholstery, amenities and rooms division supplies company), Pure Fitness Equipment (focusing on the sales of health club equipment and supplies), Hostech Asia Limited (with a tag-line "Technology for Hospitality," which is one of the leading I.T. providers to hotels), and Azian-I Sourcing (a China/Asian sourcing company for hotel equipment). Mr. Harilela also set-up 9 successful restaurants, 3 food logistics companies, a real-estate company, a hotel foodservice consulting company, and several other businesses including a Kitchen Design and Contracting company.

In mid-2006, Mr. Harilela sold most of his business, with exception of the real-estate and venture-capital divisions, and created Atsara-Meggen Group (AMG), a new subsidiary focusing on Hotel Development & Consultancy.

Raju Harilela comes from one of Hong Kong's most illustrious families, the Harilelas, with their 40-bedroom villa in Kowloon Tong. He is the only son of the 5th brother of the Harilelas, who have a large real-estate and hotel empire which includes the Sheraton Belgravia in London, the Hilton in Montreal, the Golden Mile Holiday Inn in Hong Kong, and numerous other hotel properties in China and Asia.