Judging

Adriana was the Chief Development Officer for CultureWorks, the parent company for NeueHouse and Fotografiska where she oversaw the brands’ global expansion and design development in new markets throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Adriana was previously VP of Brand Development & Experiential for Standard International, having commenced her 11-year tenure with the company as Chief of Staff to André Balazs. She is also a Board Director for Altos Planos, the parent company behind renown B-Corp sustainable tequila, Mijenta, and Tres Tribus mezcal.

Philanthropically, Adriana is a longstanding UNICEF NextGen board member, specifically dedicated to addressing clean water initiatives through leadership of the UNICEF Tap Project, and is a founding board member of Chefs for Impact. Academically, Adriana holds a B.A. in Political Science from Brown University, and she is a visiting guest lecturer at SciencesPo in Paris and at Parsons in New York.

Amy's enthusiasm for design is only matched by her passion for adventure and eagerness to inspire those around her. An award-winning hospitality design executive with nearly 30 years of experience, Amy developed her energetic leadership style while rising through highly-regarded design firms, including Wilson Associates, Puccini Group, BBGM, and JDA Associates. Attentive to client needs, Amy nurtures and invests in her client partnerships to ensure they yield success.

Having managed annual design revenues in excess of $10M and construction project budgets ranging from $25M to $500M, she has the experience, adaptable skills, and advanced understanding of process and prioritization to lead high-profile, complex design projects. Her diverse style is visible in signature properties across the globe, including The Intercontinental Barclay, Viceroy Morocco, and the branded triplex suites at The Lotte New York Palace Hotel.

While building an extensive portfolio, which includes mixed-use developments, hotel repositioning and renovation, new builds, restaurants, residential, retail, spa, gaming, corporate offices, and showrooms, as well as the development of brand prototypes and guidelines, Amy has partnered with global brands, such as IHG, Marriott, Hyatt, and Hilton, to name a few.

Named one of the Top 30 Influential Women in Hospitality and a recipient of a Gold Key Award, the hospitality and design communities have recognised Amy’s hospitality design and leadership acumen on multiple occasions.

Amy's exuberant personality has allowed her to cultivate meaningful relationships across the hospitality industry. She's an active member of ISHC, IIDA, and NEWH. She has presented at various conferences, including the LA Tourism Market Outlook Forum, HD Expo, ALIS, and BDNY. And multiple publications, such as Hotel News Now, Interior Design, and Boutique Design, have showcased her thoughts in print and online.

Outside of the design studio, Amy pours her excitement and enthusiasm into exploring what the world has to offer. With a minor in Photography, she loves capturing moments through her camera lens. She also spends her free time listening to live music, exercising, cooking, knitting, reading, and gathering with friends. But when she needs an adrenaline boost, she glides down ski slopes and soars through the sky as an experienced skydiver.

Amy is a Licensed Interior Designer in New York (#000280) and Nevada (#119-ID) and holds NCIDQ certification #0020425. A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, she has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design.

Studio Lotus is a globally recognized, multi-disciplinary design practice founded in 2002. Spanning the domains of Master Planning, Architecture, and Interior Design, the work of the award-winning practice is grounded on the principles of Conscious Design—an approach that celebrates local resources, cultural influences, an inclusive process, and keen attention to detail.

While overseeing the overall direction for the studio, Ankur is presently streamlining the practice for large-scale Integrated Hospitality and Adaptive Reuse interventions, along with homes for a select few clients. Deeply invested in the nature of the practice at the studio, he works closely with the leadership group to hold the values & culture, the design process, leadership development & training, integration of technology, and strategic organisational structuring. Ankur has studied Visual Communication at the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad and has extensively worked in the domains of graphic design, exhibition and museum design prior to co-founding Studio Lotus.

Ankur believes in and is excited by the idea of storytelling through the studio’s work. He pursues a design approach that draws from regional context and culture, and in the integration of the hand-built, to highlight the tactility and grace of local material and artisanal skills. He advocates adaptive reuse of the already-built as a starting point for sustainability in architecture. Some of the Studio’s significant projects
which celebrate these ideas include the design for RAAS Hotels—in Jodhpur, Kangra and Lake Chhatrasagar; the Baradari at City Palace ; four marquee projects within the Godrej Trees Project in Vikhroli—all adaptive reuse intervention within the legacy of an industrial site, Clubhouse for Antara—a first-of-its-kind senior living community in the city of Dehradun, the Stepped House—a family home in Coonoor developed in absolute synergy with the land it sits on. More recent hotel projects include public spaces for the Taj Theog in Himachal Pradesh and the Taj Guras Kutir in Sikkim, an upcoming jungle resort
at Bandhavgarh for the Oberoi group, a boutique 15-key resort at Havelock Islands, and a 50-room hotel in the heart of old Mussoorie.

Keen to share the learnings of the practice Ankur actively engages with academia and the design community. He has served as a visiting faculty member, guest lecturer and juror at institutions such as NID, CEPT Ahmedabad, MSU Baroda, MIT Pune, NIFT Delhi, and other schools. Industry platforms where Ankur has spoken on the studio’s work and ethos include India-NOW, organized by AIA New York in 2022. He was also on the international jury at the World Architecture Festival in 2021 and the WAF China Awards in 2020, and a panelist at Talking Architecture hosted by WAF in 2020. Ankur has been an advisory board member at FIND (Design Fair Asia), Singapore; and was also a panelist at FIND’s Global Summit, where he discussed the critical role of culture in improving architecture and leaving behind a viable inheritance.

Audra Tuskes serves as the Vice President of Design, for Marriott International’s luxury tier. This includes the iconic brands of St. Regis, Ritz-Carlton, Edition, JW Marriott Hotels, W Hotels and The Luxury Collection. A design professional focused on hospitality & lifestyle development, Audra leads a team of designers who drive the creative charge behind new & evolving brands. In her role, she ensures that the vision, quality, operational excellence & voice distinctively defines each brand through the development of a strong design strategy.

Audra concurrently serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for Hospitality Design Magazine. With nearly 20 years of experience in the field, Audra's past positions include VP of Design for Neuehouse, VP & Creative Director for Lightstone, VP of Design for Commune Hotels, Director of Design for Starwood Hotels, and Associate Design Professor at Pratt Institute. Audra holds a Master of Architecture from Columbia University.

Audra is located in Marriott’s New York office.

A prolific Sleeper contributor for over seven years, Ayesha is also VP of Design for Brookfield Properties’ hospitality division. As the daughter of a diplomat, Ayesha grew up in hotels and her earliest memories are of making her family members ‘check in’ to her make-believe ‘hotels.’ She has worked and lived in Dubai, Kuala Lumpur and Saudi Arabia, and now calls New York home.

Bashar Wali is a founder, a father, and a hotel fanatic. He’s a pragmatist—hungry to experience life not as it is packaged and sold, but as it is. His vested interest in hospitality, culture, and design, is cut with curiosity of what’s possible, beyond the status quo.

Bashar is always looking for that spark—that perfect symmetry of an idea and its physical manifestation—to make human experiences as we know them, better. He’s the consummate Host of the Soirée—ever in pursuit of a shared humanity among friends, colleagues, and total strangers. This is perhaps his greatest gift: bringing together a group that’s more inspiring than the sum of its parts.

As founder and CEO of This Assembly and Practice Hospitality, Bashar draws upon expertise honed over a 30-year career in hospitality. An expert in the lifestyle space, Bashar is known for pushing limits in his philosopher-meets-hotelier kind of way. Whether helming the TEDx stage, hosting a Global YPO event, or collaborating on Clubhouse, Bashar’s message is unwavering: service is what you deliver, hospitality is how you make people feel.

Bashar has done every job in a hotel—from frying an egg to negotiating a deal—working for Starwood Hotels before leading acquisitions and development globally at Grand Heritage Hotels. Prior to launching This Assembly and Practice Hospitality, Bashar served as President/CEO of Provenance Hotels, where he remains a partner, for 15 years, growing the company from five to 15 hotels, 1,500 team members, and expanding the collection from the Pacific Northwest to an award-winning national brand, with annual revenue in excess of $150 million.

When Bashar isn’t traveling to 50+ countries and 45+ states, he’s home in Portland, Oregon with his wife and kids, dreaming up the hotels of tomorrow.

Bill Barnett is a globally recognised hospitality, tourism and real estate advisor. He is the Founder and Managing Director of Asia-based C9 Hotelworks. In addition to being a leading consultant, he is a frequent speaker at industry events and conferences.

With over 35 years’ experience in the Asia Pacific region, he has an extensive background in hotel operations, development and asset management. His past employment highlights include Senior Corporate roles at international hotel chains and publicly listed companies. Bill is considered to be one of the foremost industry experts in the hotel residence sector.

To date, Bill is the author of four books on travel, property and hospitality: Slave to the Bean, Collective Swag, It Might Get Weird and Last Call.

Billie Khoo is currently the Senior Design & Project Director for Hilton Technical Services, Southeast Asia Pacific and India, a region that spans North Asia, Southeast Asia, Australasia, Pacific Islands and the Indian subcontinent.

Educated in Singapore and a trained and qualified architect with Masters in Architecture, Billie has worked with established regional and international hospitality design firms such as SCDA, Maps Design Studio and Wilson Associates during her career of 18 years. She has wide-ranging experience in both masterplanning, architectural and interior design aspects of hospitality creation.

Since joining Hilton in 2012, she has worked with the Technical Services team to deliver successful openings across all brands and has been intimately involved in key flagship hotels in gateway cities such as Hilton Saigon, Conrad Bengaluru, Conrad Osaka and WA Bangkok.

She is also responsible for design overview of all brands for both pipeline projects and capital expenditure projects in the mentioned regions. The brands include luxury, lifestyle, full-service and focus service for both managed and franchise properties. Billie’s role is to ensure that the hotels and resorts fulfill both brand standards and design narratives. This also includes a constant review of applicable brand standards for the regions.

At the same time, her portfolio includes being the design director for key Hilton luxury and lifestyle pipeline projects such as Conrad Kuala Lumpur, Canopy Kuala Lumpur, and Waldorf Astoria Maldives.

Being in a region of high growth in the travel industry, Billie assists development in the technical review of new opportunities in the constant drive to grow the number of new hotels and rooms with an operator that has one of the largest pipelines in the world.

Cedric Jaccard, Founder and Principal Design Director of Avalon Collective, leads the interior design studio with a presence in Singapore, Bangkok, and Shanghai.

With a unique fusion of architectural and retail expertise, Cedric redefines design by embracing a diverse perspective, challenging norms, and crafting unparalleled design experiences.

Bringing over two decades of expertise in hospitality, Cedric's portfolio includes iconic projects like Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), Four Seasons Pudong (China), Kempinski Hangzhou (China), Hilton Singapore Orchard, St Regis Singapore, Andaz Nanjing Hexi (China), JW Marriott Seoul (South Korea), Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua (Indonesia), Four Seasons Maldives (Male) and Four Seasons Suzhou (China).

Through Cedric's leadership, Hilton Singapore Orchard bagged the award in the Suite category at AHEAD Asia 2022, with further awards following elsewhere. Adding to the accolades, the completion of Andaz Nanjing Hexi in 2023 earned two awards at AHEAD Asia 2023 in the Guestrooms and Event Spaces categories, showcasing Cedric's unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of design innovation.

Christine McGinnis is a Design Director with over twenty three years of global design experience, specialising in hospitality design. Prior to joining WAVE, Christine has held multiple leadership roles within the industry and most recently was the Vice President of Property Development - Asia TSA & Design for Standard International where she was responsible for the design strategy and overall technical excellence of Standard International’s projects within the Asia Pacific region.

Prior to joining Standard International, she was an Associate Vice President at WATG leading projects such as: Aloft Seminyak, Four Seasons Hanoi F&B Strategy and Interiors, Belmond Eastern & Oriental Presidential Suites & Spa, Marriott Kolkata, Crimson Resort & Spa Boracay, and Swissotel Xiangtan.

While Managing Director of AvroKO, Christine founded the Bangkok office and was responsible for the development, strategic and overall performance of AvroKO projects within the Asia Pacific region.

Prior to joining AvroKO, she was with Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. where she began as a member of the Westin design team, translating new brand positioning around “Renewal” into memorable design expressions and global guidelines. Christine progressed to guide the design efforts in the launch of Starwood’s first eco-friendly brand Element Hotels.

She shaped the creative direction for both Aloft and Element Hotels. Rounding out her tenure at Starwood, she returned to the Global Brand Design group providing direction for luxury brands St. Regis and The Luxury Collection.

South-African-born Cape Town resident with a passion for creative design and hospitality. Founder and Creative Director of Fox Browne Creative, an award-winning international hospitality design agency since 2009. Highly experienced in crafting exceptional guest experiences and brand identities.

Chris was Creative Director at &Beyond Travel from 1996-2009, transforming the aesthetic of the brand across guest touch points and playing a key role in expanding &Beyond lodges from four to 40 during his tenure.

With Fox Browne Creative, Chris has worked on some AHEAD-award-winning projects including AHEAD MEA Hotel of the Year 2020, &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge.

Elsewhere, Chris designed and operated Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, voted the best hotel in Africa for two years running, and has been featured in seven issues of the Andrew Martin Top 100 designers over the past 10 years.

Design Director and one of the two founders of the studio, David is an award-winning architect and interior designer, with over 22 years of experience.

British born David received his Master’s in Architecture and Interior Design from the Royal College of Art in London prior to setting up Studio Noor at age 26.

David is a focused, passionate designer who brings a fresh design eye to each and every project. His continual interest to explore new materials, design narratives and a more bespoke design language has resulted in successful projects with well know hoteliers and operators such as Adrian Zecha, Aqua Expeditions, Raffles, Saltbae, One & Only, Design Hotels amongst others.

Together with his business partner Luc Lejeune, David has taken Studio Noor from a local Vietnam dimension to all corners of the world, with their signature tailor-made hospitality projects.

As Regional Director of Design and Technical Services MEA for Six Senses, Diana drives the regional growth, design, and development of multiple projects across the Middle East & Africa, working hand-in-hand with Hotel Owners and together with some of the best designers in the world.

Diana is originally from Mexico where she trained as an Architect and joined the luxury hospitality design industry shortly after graduating. Her adventurous spirit drove her to relocate multiple times following her career and passion for design, as well as the opportunity to experience new cultures in Asia, Europe and more recently the Middle East.

Prior joining Six Senses, Diana collaborated in projects for several luxury brands of the likes of Aman Hotels, Four Seasons, GHM and Mandarin Oriental, amongst others, while working for award-wining international architecture and design studios, such as Denniston International, Kerry Hill Architects and GA Design.

Having always been passionate about nature, travelling, well-being and sustainability, Diana strongly identify with Six Senses’ unique ethos. She is a conscious traveller and an avid recycler/up-cycler who is constantly on the lookout for the newest sustainability and design trends.

Eva is a Principal and Studio Leader of Rockwell Group’s Madrid studio, where she has contributed to a diverse portfolio of hotels, restaurants, and residences across the globe. Her Rockwell Group projects include Nobu Hotel Barcelona, Posada Terra Santa hotel (Mallorca), Seda Club Hotel (Granada), Jacqueline restaurant (Barcelona), JW Marriott Madrid, Gran Hotel Inglés (Madrid), The Prince Gallery Tokyo Kioicho, Virgin Hotels Chicago, a private villa in Portugal, and several restaurants and hotels under development in Europe, including W Naples. Prior to her role at Rockwell Group, Longoria founded her own firm, Marañón Longoria. Eva was also part of the Rockwell Group team in New York from 1995-1998. Eva graduated from New York’s Parsons School of Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design and studied at Escuela de artes Decorativas in Spain.

Firas Alsahin is the Co-Founder and Design Director of 4SPACE; a dynamic, multi-talented, multi-award-winning design studio delivering high-end architectural and interior design services across the Middle East. Recognised as one of the finest interior design companies in the region, the company prides itself on blending light and space with delicate, well-considered features to create memorable and unique aesthetics.

Firas adeptly leads the design divisions at 4SPACE and takes it beyond imaginable boundaries. His extraordinary international experience encourages the team to explore different shapes and forms to create unique spaces that incorporate feasibility, efficiency, and originality. He keenly maintains a hands-on approach that allows him to meticulously manage every phase of the design process, including 3D modelling, design development and site supervision.

As Co-Founder of 4SPACE, Firas has never stopped achieving his goals. His passion for design resonates throughout his projects, particularly in the food and beverage, retail and hospitality sectors. By providing motivation and dedication, Firas has managed 4SPACE to withstand any challenges that come its way and perfect a work-life balance. His design finesse embraces futuristic, minimalist, functional and sustainable design. Firas is well regarded in the industry and has an active voice on various discussion platforms in the Middle East; he is tech-savvy, impressively creative and a respected global industry influencer. His innovative thought processes and supportive approach inspires his team to create distinctive designs using the highest quality materials.

Hakan Ozkasikci is the Senior Vice President, Design and Technical Services of Kerzner International. A devoted architect and designer with a 25-year track record in hospitality and branded high-end residential projects, Hakan is focused on high luxury with strong global expertise from blank canvas projects to complicated conversions of urban properties. Recognized as a thought leader for the hospitality industry, Hakan is proud to have his fingerprint on the ultra-luxury projects of the elite hotel brands of the world. He has been an active attendee of prominent international hospitality events as a key-note speaker.

An ever-loyal pupil of classical motorcycling, an experiential cook, a progressive father and husband, and the writer of a new book.

London-based Iain Ainsworth is the founder and creator of The Aficionados - a highly sought travel reference for those who seek fabulous hotels that fuse effortless luxe, sound design and authenticity.

The Aficionados feature some 90+ European hotels, private-hire design houses and creatively inspired guesthouses alongside a rafter of more than 100 makers, producing an emporium of online travel culture and lifestyle. The company also publishes four style-led magazines: Blueprint Beauts, Farmhouse Fabulous, Casa Gorgeous and Neu Heritage.

Before setting up his company, Iain spent four years on a non-stop travel hike as Executive Vice President at Design Hotels AG, whereby his passion for architecture and hotel interiors flourished. Previously he enjoyed the high life at the French Taittinger group as regional Marketing & Sales Director - Concorde Hotels & Resorts for Hotel de Crillon Paris and the Martinez Cannes. Iain also lived in Berlin for ten years, moving there just after the Berlin wall fell. He worked for several years in publishing before returning to the hotel world and Kempinski Hotels as Director of Sales & Marketing, including the pre-opening of Hotel Adlon Berlin.

Iain is an enthusiastic entrepreneur with some 26 years of hotel marketing & brand experience, a keen lover of local hero concept hotels that are crafted, ooze personality, have a soul and were simply cast just for their neighbourhood.

Jon Kastl, LEED AP, brings to his role of Vice President of Interior Design at Marina Bay Sands, over 25 years of experience in hospitality, restaurant and residential design. Since joining MBS in 2020, Jon has been focused on the repositioning of the integrated resort through the implementation of the Las Vegas Sands corporate initiative of “Design Excellence”. Additionally, Jon is engaged on the design and development of Marina Bay Sands expansion plans in Singapore.

Prior to joining MBS in 2020, Jon was a Partner and Studio Director with Champalimaud Design where he worked on several signature projects including the historic renovation of Raffles Singapore, the relaunch of the iconic Hotel Bel Air, Los Angeles, and the Halekulani Okinawa.

Jon holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Cincinnati’s acclaimed College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning.

As Principal and Owner of Studio 11 Design, Kellie Sirna’s entrepreneurial acumen and creative perspective has been honed throughout two decades of traveling the world and designing some of the hospitality industry’s most inspiring spaces. Since founding the firm in 2011, Kellie has led global projects across boutique and renown nameplates such as Caesars Entertainment, Hyatt, Starwood, Thompson Hotels, and countless award-winning concepts in Food & Beverage, Lifestyle hotels, and luxury resorts.

A tastemaker in her own right, Kellie serves on the Hospitality Design Magazine board, as well as judged the HD Awards and Wave of the Future Awards. She’s a recipient of the American Business Awards’ Woman of the Year along with the DCEO 500 acknowledgement, and has been covered as a prominent female entrepreneur by media outlets such as Boutique Design, Hospitality Design, CNN, Conde Nast Traveler, Forbes, and Inc. Magazine among others.

Kesaté B. Tadesse is a principal and managing director at AvroKO's Bangkok Studio, specialising in luxury hospitality projects throughout Asia and the extended region for established and emerging brands. He oversees design, strategy and overall culture and operations of the studio to develop world-class hospitality environments for clients.

Kesaté has over 17 years of experience working on and leading architecture and interior design projects ranging from hospitality and residential to commercial and retail spaces for clients across the private and commercial sectors. Having worked on projects in the US, China, South-East Asia, and the Middle East, his designs integrate a global perspective while emphasising the unique characteristics of local environments. He's worked on large-scale architecture projects as well as community-based projects—including collaborations with local artists and design-build projects in rural areas.

Kesaté graduated with Bachelors of Architecture (B.A.) and a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) from City University of New York and has taught architecture at the university level in Thailand.

Kimberly Jackson is an associate principal at AvroKO and serves as the managing director for AvroKO’s Miami studio. In her role as both manager and mentor, she leads AvroKO’s multidisciplinary teams throughout the life of a project—from concept & design through construction administration.

Kimberly has spent over 25 years managing projects at all scales. She brings design projects to life by developing strong relationships between AvroKO and the larger project team of owners, consultants, vendors, and contractors.

Prior to her work at AvroKO, Kimberly was responsible for architectural design in a variety of typologies including hospitality, retail, residential, and corporate interiors. She developed and maintained design and documentation standards for multiple international brands. She’s also designed furniture, textiles, fixtures, and lighting products for national and international retailers.

Kimberly studied architecture and visual arts at MIT, minoring in Music, and holds a graduate degree in architecture from Georgia Tech. She is a registered architect and a founding board member of the Hospitality Diversity Action Council. Previously, she served on the AIANY Diversity + Inclusion Council and was a core organizer for the Design as Protest collective.

Lauren Rottet is a highly accomplished architect, interior designer, product designer and art curator with an extraordinary record of awards, publications, lectures, juries and honors. Lauren is the Founding Principal and President of Rottet Studio, an international architecture and interior design firm, and is the first woman in history to be elevated to Fellow status by both the American Institute of Architects and International Interior Design Association. Ms. Rottet also holds the titles of Interior Design Hall of Fame, Interiors Designer of the Year, Boutique Design’s Designer of the Year, and Hospitality Design Platinum Circle inductee. Ms. Rottet’s furniture and product designs have earned her four gold medals for Best of NeoCon and a Chicago Athenaeum Award. Her new furniture company, Rottet Collection, was introduced in 2017 and was met with rave reviews garnering significant awards including an Interior Design Best of Year.

Rottet Studio is consistently ranked among the corporate and hospitality Top 100 Design Giants and recognized as one of the Top 3 Most Admired Design Firms in the World by a jury of our peer professionals. The firm has an extensive portfolio of corporate, hospitality, residential and maritime projects for the world’s leading companies and brands, including: Goldman Sachs, Disney, Viacom, New York Stock Exchange, United Talent Agency, Paul Hastings, Kirkland & Ellis, Target, NW Mutual, Comcast, Hines, Howard Hughes Company, Langham, Brookfield, Loews, DHG, Valencia, BGI, Extell, JMB, Four Seasons, Starwood, Marriott, Hyatt, Hilton, Belmond, Wheelock Viking and more.

With a career spanning over 25 years and a wealth of experience working with leading hospitality brands, Madelaine is an expert in driving revenue growth and cultivating successful client relationships within the hospitality industry.

Throughout her career, Madelaine has worked with some of the world’s most well-known hospitality brands, starting her career at Ritz-Carlton Millenia Singapore, moving on to an Assistant Director position at Hilton International, before becoming the Regional Director of Sales for both The Ritz-Carlton and Marriott International.

Madelaine joined Design Hotels as Regional Director of Sales APAC in 2019. In her current role as Senior Director of Brand & Commercial Operations APAC, Madelaine oversees all aspects of brand management and commercial operations within the Asia-Pacific region – a key focus area for portfolio growth at Design Hotels.

Beyond the boardroom, Madelaine finds joy in exploring diverse cultures, a passion that enriches her approach to business. An avid baker, Madelaine loves to experiment with flavors and textures in the kitchen to create delightful confections.

Maliha is Director of Interior Design, with a focus on Luxury Brands in Global Design for Marriott International across the Middle East and Africa. Marriott International’s luxury portfolio has eight leading brands including The Ritz-Carlton, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, St. Regis, W Hotels, The Luxury Collection and JW Marriott, and an addition of 22 Premium and Select brands.

Within her role at Marriott International, Maliha influences independent design decisions throughout Middle East, Africa, Turkey and Pakistan, and is responsible for creating memorable guest experiences in line with each of Marriott’s brands through her persistent and uncompromising drive for forward thinking design in the luxury space. Through her process of initiation and coordination of directed design, Maliha understands the complexity of high profile developments at all scales from inception to completion. Within her role, Maliha is highly experienced in hospitality design with 24 years’ experience in the hospitality design sector. An influencer in the Middle East hospitality design market, Maliha has a global mindset having worked across a range of projects in the Middle East, Asia, Australia and Africa both as an international hospitality design consultant for over 16 years and at Marriott International where she has spent the last 7 years. Innovation, creativity, and energy are the cornerstones of Maliha’s design thought process, injecting enthusiasm, passion and personality into every project. Working on new builds, renovation and conversions, she has a keen eye to transform environments.

Maliha oversees design and the strategic direction and delivery of the company’s diverse luxury hotel and residence projects across the region while harmoniously managing internal and external stakeholder relations. Recent highlights from across the region include the Marriott International’s first luxury safari lodge, JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge, the arrival of Saudi Arabia’s first St Regis with St Regis Riyadh, and the most recent opening of the St Regis Red Sea.

Marie is Founder and Creative Director of Bergman Design House and Njord by Bergman and is an award-winning designer with 20 years of design experience in the hospitality, commercial and residential sectors.

An avid visual artist as well as a designer, Marie’s keen eye for the timeless and the well-crafted has guided her on journeys around the world to spearhead such globally recognised projects as The Other house Hotel, South Kensington, The Other house Covent Garden, BXR London, Fairmont UK, Waldorf Astoria, NOR hotel Norway, and Eagle Lodge in Botswana, among others.

Dubbed a “chameleon of design” by British GQ magazine, Marie’s vision stems from her belief in the vital spark of adventurous souls who are willing to take risks and try and test new ideas in the service of creating fabulous and engaging experiences. Her goal is always to bring fresh ideas to the fore, while revelling in — not fearing — the chaos of creation.

Her latest projects include Scott’s, Sexy Fish, Wagumafia, The Other House Hotel South Kensington, and Laowai, a “hidden restaurant” concept in Vancouver, Canada’s Chinatown neighbourhood.

Mark joined Ennismore in 2018 from Los Angeles as part of the Accor acquisition of the SBE Lifestyle Brands. Bringing with it his in-depth knowledge of the SLS, Mondrian, HYDE, and Delano legacy brands, Mark was part of a small team based out of Singapore, instrumental in the growth of Ennismore in Asia-Pacific.

Now under a global role from Dubai, Mark co-leads the Ennismore Global Design Team with Charlie North. Working as a ‘hand-to-glove’ link between the Ennismore brands and regional design teams, Mark is responsible for high-level design direction along with defining the design and product strategy for Ennismore brands, ensuring they remain future-proofed and true to their unique brand DNA and purpose.

Prior to Ennismore, Mark spent more than 19 years working in London, New York and Shanghai, training under renowned architects, designers, and hospitality groups such as Soho House, OMA, Richard Rogers, Softroom, HBA and Philippe Starck’s YOO.

Markus Schreyer is part of the senior leadership team at Design Hotels, a handpicked collection of over 300 design-driven luxury hotels across the globe. As Vice President, The Americas, he is responsible for developing the collection’s hotel portfolio, the business support of all member hotels, media and other potential partners, as well as expanding and building brand awareness and reach in North and South America.

Schreyer holds over 15 years of experience in global hospitality, including seven with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, where he held several senior roles in Sales & Marketing. Before joining Design Hotels he was the Starwood’s Regional Director of Marketing, East & Central Europe, responsible for brand, digital, Loyalty and partnership marketing. He holds a Master of Business Administration and a PHD in Innovation Management, and is a regular contributor to industry and innovation publications.

Meghann carries a dual role as HBA’s President The Americas and Partner at HBA San Francisco. During her 17-plus-year career at HBA, Meghann has been instrumental to the foundational success of HBA San Francisco with her mastery of skill, expertise in design and business management, and convivial nature. Under her leadership, the boutique studio has expanded its reach into Mexico and continues to earn national and international acclaim for its portfolio of work. As President The Americas, Meghann leads nationwide efforts to drive synergistic collaboration and ongoing innovation in design, further strengthen HBA Americas’ brand position globally, and mentor future generations of designers.

Her extensive global design portfolio encompasses five-star hotels & resorts, spas, wineries, luxury residences, and new-build developments. A student of the world, Meghann’s distinct sense of style and design is informed by her intrepid travels and curiosity of culture, which results in poetic spatial experiences that blend form with function. Meghann holds a degree in Interior Design from Kansas State University. She has been named to Boutique Design’s B18 and serves on the Hospitality Design Editorial Advisory Board.

Michael Wang has been with Marriott for over 20 years, and is currently responsible for design and project management related activities for Marriott International’s portfolio of 30 brands (Luxury, Premium and Select) in Asia Pacific. Wang is also responsible for the development and execution of strategies to effectively respond to the changing development and business needs of Marriott International brands in the region.

Since joining the company in 1997, Wang has grown the continent’s portfolio from 16 hotels to 170, as well as setting up offices in Hong Kong, Mumbai and Shanghai. He is also leading the integration of the Starwood technical service team in Asia Pacific, and the Global Design team is currently working on over 600 signed projects under Wang’s leadership. Wang is a Registered Architect and member of American Institute of Architects.

Noora is currently the Manager of Design at the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) where she has spent the last 10 years. Throughout this time, Noora has been involved in numerous award winning projects under the Shurooq portfolio including iconic projects such as the House of Wisdom.

She graduated from the American University of Sharjah (AUS) where she earned a Bachelors degree in Interior Design in 2012; she later earned a Masters degree in Design Management.

Noora is passionate about all things design and takes a keen interest in the transformative power of design specifically within the UAE context. She enjoys working on projects of a diverse nature, namely restoration of existing structures of historic significance, while exploring sustainable solutions along the way. She also believes in the importance of context driven design and takes pride in being part of a team that continues to transform the face of Sharjah through exceptional projects everyday.

Paul McElroy oversees all aspects of LUCIDs Design and Construction activities across the globe (LUCID is Highgate Hotels in house Design and Construction Division). Prior to joining LUCID, Paul was the Vice President of Design and Construction for Kyo-ya Hotels and Resorts and oversaw all of their portfolio renovations and redevelopments for its Hawaii region properties and The Palace Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, San Francisco.

Paul began his construction career at Rider Levett Bucknall and during this 11 years with the construction consulting firm, he managed notable construction projects including the ground up construction of the Grand Waikikian by Hilton Grand Vacations Club, restoration of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Lagoon, renovation of The Royal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort and redevelopment of the Sheraton Waikiki.

Over the course of his 25 year career, Paul has worked on projects in excess of $4 billion and is currently responsible for $1 billion in active projects across the LUCID platform. Paul’s leadership philosophy is rooted in methodically building the right teams, creating the right chemistry and environment, and empowering those teams to be the best they can be. Paul’s creative eye is the perfect complement to his core expertise of cost control, risk management and value creation.

A native of Donegal in the northwest region of Ireland, Paul earned a Bachelor Degree with honours in Quantity Surveying from the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland.

Paul Semple has worked with his life collaborator Matthew Shang for more than 15 years. That collaboration lead to the pair re-establishing their hospitality focused ID studio MSDO in 2020.

With more than 20 years of experience Paul has worked throughout South East Asia, China, the Middle East and Australia, and since 2004 has been based in Singapore.

Paul has overseen and led projects ranging from opulent luxury retail spaces, large scale hospitality venues, city hotels, small resort properties and award winning bar projects such as Manhattan Bar, Atlas and 28 Hong Kong Street.

Paul has honed his skills with a diverse range of firms, from the boutique design studio Distillery to one of the world’s largest developers and led the global hospitality team at Hassell for more than 5 years. Paul has journeyed back to his own studio where intimate, client focused and joyful design is the driving approach that he brings to his work and the ethos that is the foundation of MSDO.

Philip Jaffa is the Founder and Managing Director of London-based Scape Design Associates and has 30 years of diverse international experience in hotel and resort landscape master planning and design.

After working with the iconic New York based landscape architect M. Paul Friedberg in his early career, Philip’s approach to design continues to be influenced by Friedberg’s belief that landscape architecture’s role is to connect people to themselves, to each other, and to their environment.

Having worked on award-winning projects which reflect this belief, Philip is passionate about the issues that motivate today’s ‘Conscious Traveller’ and has made it his cause to open the debate around sustainability, restoration and preservation of the world’s most precious landscapes in relation to the future of luxury travel.

"The wonderful thing about travel is that it can break down barriers – we begin to understand one another as human beings, in a way that goes past language or culture. The industry is in a unique place right now; we can be the ones that help build the bridge to connection, collaboration and promotion of a unique and harmonious relationship with the magnificent natural world we live in."

Most recently, Philip’s increasing concern about the impacts of climate change have found voice in his acclaimed design of ‘Forest for Change’ for London’s Design Biennale 2021 and in the design of an indoor forest, the “Conference of the Trees” at COP26 in Glasgow.

Scape’s recent projects include: Fairmont Taghazout Bay, Morocco; Mandarin Oriental, Bodrum; Mandarin Oriental Bosphorus; Four Seasons hotels in Dubrovnik and Santorini; Rosewood Doha; Corfu Imperial and White Palace for Grecotel; Laucala island, Fiji and several boutique eco-resort projects in Mediterranean Europe and the Canary Islands.

Reda is a French architect, trained and graduated at the University of East London in Great Britain, under the direction of Elias Zenghelis and Eleni Gigantes. After a few years working for London based firms, mainly as a project architect for projects across Europe (Switzerland, France, etc.) he moved back to Paris. He then joined Thurnauer Architects where he acted as a design architect for 4 years.

In 1997, Reda founded AW² - Architecture Workshop - in Paris. Stéphanie Ledoux, a graduate from the Ecole Spéciale d’Architecture, Paris, joined him in 2000 and became a partner in 2003. Both partners have led the studio in tandem ever since and play an active role in the design of each project.

With projects in 40 different countries, the studio has an international reputation for quality high-end design. Luxury hotels and high-end interiors are now an important part of its activity. The studio covers all project typologies including hospitality, residential, facilities, education, offices, and retail.

AW² has received several awards over the years including the MIPIM Best Hotel Award for the Six Senses Con Dao resort, the Build Architecture Award for Best International Architecture & Design Studio – Paris, and four nominations for the AFEX Grand Prize in French Overseas Architecture for Six Senses Con Dao in Vietnam, the Lycée Français in Amman, Jordan, Ani Sri Lanka & Art Academy in Sri Lanka and Kasiiya Papagayo eco-lodge in Costa Rica.

At AW², both partners have always chosen to conceive architecture in its entirety: from the scale of the architecture to the scale of the furniture. It is in this continuity that Reda Amalou founded his own furniture and object design company: Reda Amalou Design in 2013.

In 2006, Reda became a member of the board of AFEX (French Architects for Export) where he held several positions on the Board of Directors; until his election as President of AFEX in 2022.

Ria Vogiatzi was born in Athens, Greece and completed her studies in the Architecture school of the National Technical University of Athens.

The sculptural approach of her design, deconstruction of fluid forms, was the inspiration for the name of the architectural studio, ELASTIC Architects, founded in 2005 together with Architect Alexandros Xenos, which is now an international architectural brand with a global portfolio that includes mainly hotel and mixed-use resort projects, with a clientele of Aman Resorts, Janu by Aman, One & Only Resorts, Marriott, Accor, Nammos Restaurants & Hotels, Nobu, Hyatt, The Edition, Brown Hotels, Banyan Tree Resorts etc.

Fortune magazine recognised her as a Trailblazer for her avant-garde design, she was awarded the World Woman Leader of Advanced Architecture by the Who is Who International Awards, and has been announced as Ambassador of Advanced Architecture.

Her projects have received multiple awards in America, Europe and England, and she has given important speeches on architecture, both in Greece and abroad.

Rob has practiced architecture for over 30 years working around the world on hotel, resort and branded residential design projects.

Having just completed The Londoner for Edwardian Hotels in London’s Leicester Square, Rob led the design from inception through planning permission and detail design while collaborating with Woods Bagot Architects, interior designers Yabu Pushelberg, and Arup engineers. This follows several London hotels where he was lead designer: Four Seasons at 10 Trinity Square, Firmdale's Ham Yard Hotel, Eccleston Square Hotel and various properties for Edwardian Hotels including the group's May Fair Hotel and newly refurbished Edwardian Manchester hotel.

His design approach – understand the brief and what the client goals are, then begin with the spatial design and the way people move through and interact with the space.

Rob continues to work with Edwardian Hotels, where he is Creative Director, as well as being a founding partner in Steul+Thompson Architects.

Rune Askevold is the Co-Founder and CEO of PURO Hotels. The group opened their first hotel in 2011 and currently have 7 hotels in prime locations in the major cities of Poland. Work has begun on a new hotel in Budapest which is set to open in 2024, heralding a wider European expansion programme. A further two new hotels in Warsaw are also expected to open in 2024.

With a strong passion for craftsmanship and design, Rune is deeply involved in the creative direction of PURO and leads the creative team. Working closely with the finest international interior design studios has led to the creation of unique and refined experiences of contemporary luxury. The commissioning of local artists and designers results in an authentic and crafted ambiance in tune with the neighbourhood of each hotel.

Rune is Norwegian and PURO Hotels has a strong sense of the Scandinavian spirit of ‘hygge’ in the way the hotels are run, their strong sense of local connection and their creative path.

PURO Hotels have been frequently shortlisted in Sleeper magazine’s AHEAD Awards, winning at AHEAD Europe in 2019.

With a career spanning over 25 years, Sam is an experienced interior designer with a passion for the hospitality industry and has established herself as a prominent figure in the field. Sam joined the InterContinental Hotel Group at the beginning of the year and brings a wealth of expertise and creativity to craft remarkable hotel interiors.

Throughout her career, Sam has collaborated with various hotel owners and operators, contributing to the transformation of numerous properties. Notably, she spent a decade at G.A Design, one of the industry’s foremost international hospitality design consultancies. During this time, she honed her skills and played a pivotal role in delivering exceptional design solutions for prestigious hotels worldwide.

With an impressive portfolio of successful projects and a commitment to excellence, Sam continues to shape the world of hospitality design, creating unforgettable spaces that leave a lasting impression on guests and clients alike.

A seasoned brand leader, Sarah spearheads the Design Hotels brand, overseeing communications, digital marketing, PR, and brand – paving the way for new innovations within the business.

Sarah discovered her love of hospitality working for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, where she spent six years and eventually became Global Brand Director for W Hotels Worldwide, opening many of the brand’s most iconic locations and leading collaborations with the likes of Will.i.am, Billboard Music and the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

In addition, Sarah has also held senior leadership roles at MSC Cruises, BACARDÍ Europe and Momentum Worldwide, where she worked on marketing programs on behalf of American Express in music, fashion, and film with partners such as Sundance Film Festival and IMG / New York Fashion Week.

Sarah currently lives between London and Berlin, where you can expect to find her loyal Bernadoodle, Luna, in tow.

The Red Sea is one of the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism destinations, being developed on the west coast of Saudi Arabia. It is forging a new relationship between luxury tourism and the natural world.

Prior to joining TRSDG, Simon was a principle at Aedas based in Singapore. In that role he managed hospitality design in Asia and the Middle East, as well as having a guiding hand across all project’s complete restoration and redevelopment of Raffles Hotel Singapore and the iconic Marina Bay Sands™ Singapore.

Simon brings with him a wealth of experience in global cutting-edge hospitality design. He is responsible for driving design standards, quality and innovation within the developments working the world’s leading global interior and architectural design firms.

Surrounded by the world's fourth-largest barrier reef system and spanning over 28,000-square-kilometers, The Red Sea offers world-leading experiences across its archipelago of more than 90 pristine islands, idyllic beaches, dormant volcanos, sweeping desert dunes, mountain canyons and historical cultural sites.

The Red Sea developments are creating 70,000 new jobs, both directly and indirectly, and is set to contribute as a much as 22 billion Saudi riyals (USD 5.3 billion) to the nation’s GDP. It is creating opportunities for local businesses, entrepreneurs and supporting industries, ensuring the local community is a central part of the destination.

The Red Sea destination opened its first resort in 2023 with the Six Senses Southern Dunes and the St Regis Red Sea Resort with Nujuma a Ritz Carlton reserve hotel, Desert Rock Resort, Sheybarah resort and Thuwal Private Retreat opening in 2024. The Red Sea first phase will be completed in 2030 with 50 resorts. while AMAALA's first phase with eight resorts is due to open in 2025 and will be completed in 2030 with 29 resorts. Other projects include staff villages, amenities, marinas, golf courses, an international airport and residential properties.

Mr Stephen Luk is the Regional Vice President of Design Services for Hyatt’s ASPAC region. He is also specifically supporting the ever expanding Hyatt development in the Greater China portfolio and heading up the Design Services team in Shanghai China. He and his team steer the design and brand concept, hotel planning and development, and hotel opening across all Hyatt brands in the region. The goal is to ensure that, through a collaborative and inclusive process, realize brand focused, creative, and economic design solutions that enhance preference for our guests, our owner developers, and our colleagues and associates.

Stephen has been focusing on Greater China and Asia’s hospitality design development since 2011. He has also spent 13 years practicing in both hospitality Architecture and Interior Design in New York City. He obtained his Master degree from Columbia University in NYC and Bachelor degree from University of Melbourne.

Born and raised in Kazakhstan, Tatiana Sheveleva is Co-Founder and Partner of Chapi Chapo Design, one of the world’s leading hospitality interior design firms, along with her partners Boris Mathias and Loris Ognibene. After leaving her homeland to pursue education in the United States, Tatiana followed her ambitions to Canada where she immigrated in 2003.

Throughout her distinguished career as an international designer she has lead large-scale projects with the world’s most renowned five-star luxury hotel companies including Four Seasons, St. Regis, Ritz-Carlton, Aman, Park Hyatt, Mandarin Oriental, Baccarat and more. A creator of experiences, Sheveleva believes that every new project is an invitation to embark on an immersive journey through storytelling. Her work tells evocative stories honouring the culture of each location and the people who call it home. Crediting inspiration from her heritage, Tatiana invokes a uniquely luxurious, crafty, and sharp approach. Her work transcends expectations and challenges convention resulting in timeless spaces that leave a lasting impression.

Most recently she designed The Ritz-Carlton, Mexico City (Opened October 2021) and two upcoming St. Regis Resorts in Riviera Maya, Mexico and Cap Cana, Dominican Republic (Opening in 2023 and 2024).

Toni Black is an interior designer with experience heading large scale project in the middle east, Africa and Europe for over 18+ years. She began her design carer as a lighting design consultant working on iconic buildings and redevelopment projects for award winning practices then moving into interior design.

Toni's previous projects range from bespoke private residencies and palaces, shopping centres including hospitality developments of circa 150million GDV, and large airports developments.

Toni has a great understanding of space enabling her to create and re-invent exquisite balanced interiors. She has worked with clients such as; Marriott Courtyard, Luxury Collection, Autograph Collection, Fairmont, Sheraton, The Ritz Carlton, Le Meridian, Hilton, Park Inn, Burberry, Dubai & Jeddah International Airport.

Tristan Auer was Principal of Wilson Associates first Haute Couture Design Studio. A prominent force in the interior design world, from his early days with Christian Liaigre and Philippe Starck to launching his own brand, Auer is an entrepreneur and interior architect specialising in luxury hospitality brands, high-end private residences and bespoke furniture design.

His signature style can be found in projects across the globe, and he holds more than 20 years experience working in luxury design. Auer has designed for brands including Cartier, Chanel and Hermes, as well as a number of hotel brands including Rosewood’s Hotel de Crillon Paris and Carlton Hotel Cannes.

Launched in September 2015, his firm Atelier Tristan Auer, Wilson Associates Paris sits at the cutting-edge of contemporary creative culture and is currently finalising high-end hospitality projects in the Middle East, Asia and Europe.

Vincent graduated with a Master’s degree in Architecture and Urban Planning in Amsterdam and a Masters in Interior Design in Maastricht. With nearly 20 years of working experience stretching over multiple respected offices in urban planning, architecture and interior, and in both Europe and China, Vincent is both an exceptional architect engaging with traditional concepts and cultural ‘big picture’ ideals, and uniquely capable of seeing a project from the inside out. He has a Dutch practicality and warmth, and his design practice fuses strength with optimism and new, inspired considerations of community.

Wissal is an accomplished interior architect with over 20 years of experience in hospitality, residential, and commercial projects. She has transitioned into a role as a client representative and developed a deep passion for design space planning. Wissal excels in leadership roles, overseeing and coordinating with various consultants to ensure successful project execution. With experience across diverse sectors, including hotels, resorts, luxury residences, office spaces, and retail stores, Wissal's adaptability and expertise make her an asset in the field of interior architecture.

Currently, Wissal serves as an assistant director at Dubai Holding, contributing to residential projects with her exceptional skills and dedication.

Yee Pin Tan is Head of Design at Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas. In this role, Pin supports and leads all creative teams responsible for project design, branding, marketing, sustainability, spa and wellness and IT.

Pin’s role covers all design-related areas that support the global expansion of Six Senses. She also ensures overall consistency in implementing the brand’s vision and alignment for design concepts, quality of messaging and corporate goals.

Bringing more than 26 years of experience in hospitality design, Pin has worked alongside industry icons such as Ed Tuttle in Paris, where her talents were honed designing the Aman resorts worldwide. Pin also spent three years based in Singapore as the Design Director of Jaya. Here, she expanded her work and experience across different luxury hotel brands. These included the opening of the Capella Shanghai Jian Ye Li – a historic property comprising old Shikumen buildings in the French Concession – and more recently, the extensively-redesigned Raffles Maldives in Meradhoo.