Judging

Brad Wilson is Chairman of Ace Hotel Group and the brand’s in-house creative agency Atelier Ace, where he oversees growth and operations, develops new hotels and collaborative projects, and leads operational and creative teams. After attending Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, Brad first honed his skills at major hospitality brands like Hilton International, Park Hyatt and Westin. He launched the first W Hotel and helped to guide the Starwood brand’s early days, rising to Vice President of Operations for W Worldwide. Directly prior to helming Ace Hotel, Brad helped build James Hotels from the ground up, serving as CEO.

Anwar Mekhayech co-founded DesignAgency with partners Allen Chan and Matt Davis in Toronto, Canada in 1998. Since then, DesignAgency has grown to become an award-winning international design studio that unites interior design, architectural and landscape concept, strategic branding and visual communications. With studios in Toronto, Washington, D.C. and Barcelona, DesignAgency has a global reputation for creating exceptional environments and brands.

Recognised as an industry leader, Anwar has a sharp understanding of the vital role design plays in creating business success for clients. His international perspectives and expertise across strategy, concept development, design, art, and technology have guided DesignAgency’s growth to encompass multiple disciplines and helped establish its international presence. His studies in engineering and interest in travel and culture feed a passion for design and inspire his continued exploration of the ways design shapes the way we live, work, and enjoy the world.

Anwar has been instrumental in the creation of immersive environments and brand-defining experiences for visionary clients, including Four Seasons Hotels, Ritz Carlton, Momofuku, NeueHouse, Generator, SBE, Pendry & Montage Hotels, Scotiabank Arena, Live Nation, and more.

Founder of Huber Design Studio in 2009, her Swiss and Mexican roots bring a balance of warmth and precision to her work. She studied Fine Arts in Florence, Italy, and Industrial Design at Tecnológico de Monterrey in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Brad Zuger, AIA, is a Partner at Rockwell Group, with nearly 20 years of experience in creating design concepts that inspire curiosity and encourage meaningful human connection. Brad applies a rigorous, narrative-driven approach that has resulted in some of the world’s most memorable built environments.

His dining and nightlife projects range from Simon Kim's COQODAQ, COTE Vegas, and the new multi-concept hospitality presence at 550 Madison; to Seahorse at W New York – Union Square; Miami’s Le Specialità; Cathédrale, Little Sister at Moxy East Village; and Fleur Room at Moxy Chelsea. Brad's portfolio also includes the Jono Pandolfi Showroom in New Jersey, as well as anticipated hospitality projects such as Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands. Years working abroad have given Brad a global perspective that he brings to luxury hotels and residences all over the world, from EDITION Hotels and Shebara Resort to JEM in Miami, The Willow in New York, and Williamsburg Wharf for Naftali Group, and 15 Hudson Yards. Each project is a testament to Brad’s collaborative, purpose-driven spirit and meticulous dedication to every facet of the design process. He received his Master of Architecture and Urbanism from the University of Southern California.

Dieter joined CTF development to lead the Design & Construction Department in 2017.

He is responsible to oversee all design aspects within CTF’s portfolio in Europe, North & South America and Caribbean. Projects entail the renovation of Rosewood London, The Carlyle Hotel, Rosewood Castiglion del Bosco, Rosewood Little Dix Bay and The Beverly Wilshire. Additionally, he is working on new developments like the Rosewood Sao Paulo, Baha Mar Resort, Rosewood Amsterdam, Calistoga Hills and Ascaya, a private luxury community overlooking Las Vegas.

Before joining CTF, Dieter served as Vice President of Property Development for Andre Balazs Properties and Standard International. During that time, he oversaw the existing properties from Chateau Marmont, The Mercer and The Standard Hotels, but mostly focused on the development of the Chiltern FireHouse and the new Standard Hotel in London.

Dieter is an architect with over 25 years of experience in architecture, construction and interior design leading hospitality and mixed-use projects. He attended University of Technology in Vienna and Columbia University New York where he received Master’s of Science in Architectural Design.

Emily Keip is Senior Vice President for Americas Design Services at Hyatt, where she leads a team responsible for new builds, conversions, and renovations across the company’s full-service brands in both the Classics and Luxury portfolios. Since joining Hyatt in 2007 as a Design Manager, Emily has served in various regional roles, taking on her current role in 2019 after four years as Studio Head for the Americas.

Before Hyatt, Emily honed her architectural expertise on high-end residential and hospitality projects, earning recognition in top industry outlets like Hospitality Design, Interior Design, and Contract Design. Her innovative approach earned her a spot as one of Hospitality Design’s “Wave of the Future” honorees in 2020.

A registered architect and LEED-accredited professional, Emily holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Cornell University. She brings a sharp design sensibility and strategic leadership to every project, helping shape the future of hospitality one space at a time.

Erin brings two decades of hospitality design experience. with a portfolio that spans luxury and lifestyle hotels, branded residences. and multigenerational resorts. Her work demonstrates a keen sensitivity to space, form, texture, and detail-elements she skillfully integrates to create visual narratives rooted in both place and purpose. She has led design efforts for high-profile projects around the world for clients including Four Seasons and The Ritz-Carlton. Among her notable achievements is the transformation of Park Hyatt Aviara, repositioning it as a standout within the brand's portfolio.

Erin is also known for her commitment to mentorship and cultivating creativity within her teams, while building strong collaborations with clients, operators, architects, and consultants to bring each design vision to life.

Francisco Lopez Cordoba has over 24 years’ experience in architecture and interior design, with a special focus in luxury hospitality and residential. Fran joined Four Seasons in 2023 an integral member of the Design Services team, providing functional leadership to regional Interior Design teams in the development of new and existing properties. In doing this, Fran supported the delivery of best-in-class designs across the entire Four Seasons portfolio. In addition to Interior Design, he also supported the Operations teams as well as Capital Planning to establish renovation scopes and help enhance properties globally.

In 2025 Fran was promoted to Vice President, Creative & Design Services (Global). In this new role, he drives innovative design initiatives to enhance guest experiences and strengthen FS properties as industry leaders. He will be responsible for developing a visionary design strategy, from architecture to product. Fostering creative partnerships, and spearheading product innovation to shape the future of hospitality design.

Grace Escaño-Maniatis is the Senior Director of Design for Auberge Collection, where she leads numerous projects for the luxury brand known for one-of-a-kind hotels, resorts, and residences.

She is leading design for the highly anticipated Shore Club and Shell Bay properties, marking the brand’s debut in Miami, as well as The Birdsall in Houston. She collaborates with some of the most distinctive voices in design, creating environments that are layered, expressive, and deeply rooted in place. From Roman and Williams to Bryan O’Sullivan to Amanda Lindroth, these are only a few of the award-winning designers she has the pleasure to create magic with.

In addition to new developments, Grace guides the design evolution of Auberge’s existing properties, where she is the creative lead for re-envisioning and strategic enhancements or focusing on the brand’s residential expansion. With a background in both architecture and interiors, she brings deep expertise to projects, having designed notable works internationally ranging from private residences, to resorts and iconic towers. Prior to joining Auberge, Grace honed her craft for many years at the acclaimed Meyer Davis Studio, serving as Director of Design, working closely with founders Will Meyer and Gray Davis. Her tenure included leading landmark projects such as the flagship 1 Hotel South Beach and the One Barangaroo tower that redefined the Sydney skyline. Her work has been widely recognized with awards for excellence in design and hospitality, leaving an indelible mark that continues to redefine luxury across diverse markets worldwide.

Huxley leads design and development for all LEFT LANE projects and helped create the new luxury hospitality brand BARDO, which debuted in 2024 and earned a Michelin Key in its first year, and the upcoming RECESS lifestyle hospitality brand launching later this year in Savannah. LEFT LANE is also developing hotel and multi-family projects in Memphis, Pittsburgh, Providence, Phoenix, and Bozeman.

Huxley is an architect with over 20 years in the industry and was part of the founding executive team at Equinox Hotels, leading technical services with Related Companies and opening the first Equinox Hotel in Hudson Yards NYC in 2019. He also managed and opened new-build hotel and resort projects at Four Seasons, including in Baku, Barbados, Dominican Republic, Tamarindo, Dalian, Qingdao, Suzhou, Seoul, Kyoto, and Tokyo.

Huxley is an International Associate with the American Institute of Architects (AIA), Member of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC), a registered architect with the Ontario Association of Architects (OAA), and a member of NEWH.

Johnathan Garrison is the Vice President, Luxury Brands, Global Design US & Canada at Marriott International. With over two decades of experience in the hospitality industry, Johnathan brings an exceptional combination of visionary design expertise and seasoned leadership to our team.

Known for creating environments that forge deep, personal connections with guests, Johnathan has led the design and delivery of some of the world's most prestigious hotels and residences. His work stands out for its meticulous attention to detail, design elegance, and operational excellence.

Prior to joining Marriott, Johnathan served as Principal of GA Group in New York, where he led the firm's expansion into the United States. In addition, he held pivotal roles at Yabu Pushelberg, where he managed their New York and Toronto studios, led high-profile projects, and fostered a collaborative, innovative design culture.

A licensed architect and interior designer, Johnathan holds a Master of Architecture degree from the New Jersey Institute of Technology's School of Architecture and a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Design from Ball State University. He lives in Brooklyn with his husband and their four-year-old daughter.

Jon Kastl, LEED AP, brings to his role as Vice President of Global Interior Design at Las Vegas Sands, over 30 years of experience in hospitality, restaurant and residential design.  Initially joining Marina Bay Sands in 2020, Jon focused on the repositioning of the iconic Marina Bay Sands integrated resort through the implementation of Las Vegas Sands’ initiative of “Design Excellence”.  This award-winning repositioning remains ongoing and has established a new benchmark for luxury gaming and guest experiences in Southeast Asia and beyond.

In his new global role Jon remains focused on design leadership and development across all regions including Sands’ expansion plans in Singapore, Macau and the United States.

Prior to joining Sands, 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.

Specializing in high-end hospitality design and project management, Kai Fejer has years-long knowledge working in the luxury hospitality space. Throughout her career, Kai has represented internationally acclaimed hospitality brands and real estate developers managing capital projects (renovations and re-positionings) and new builds.

A Cornell University Hotel School alumnus, Kai lived and worked in Eastern Europe for 6 years in the restoration and re-development of the 2^nd largest example of art nouveau-secessionist architecture in the world into a five-star luxury hotel. Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace, Budapest opened in 2005.

Kai went on to work for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Corporate managing Design and Innovation for the Americas. During her last three years with Four Seasons, Kai authored and curated through imagery, the personality, sensory experience and ultimate design concept for all new Four Seasons hotels and resorts worldwide.

Kai joined Gencom as Vice President of Design late last year and currently oversees projects on Peninsula Papagayo in Costa Rica including Four Seasons and Andaz hotels and private residences as well as the imminent renovation and re-positioning of Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne in Miami.

Paul McElroy oversees all aspects of LUCID's 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.

Sara Felch is the Vice President of Design (Americas) at Kerzner International, where she leads the design and development of iconic projects across the region. Since joining Kerzner in 2019, her role has grown from interiors to encompass brand development, master planning, and architecture. She plays an instrumental role in the expansion of Kerzner’s world-class brands—Atlantis, One&Only, SIRO, and Rare Finds—from early concept through construction and opening, shaping guest experiences that create “Amazing Experiences and Everlasting Memories.”

Sara began her career with HBA in Singapore, later moving to Dubai to gain hands-on experience with boutique design firms and developers, deepening her understanding of the balance between design, cost, and operations.

At Kerzner, Sara has contributed to milestone projects including the launch of SIRO One Za’abeel, the revival of Bab Al Shams, and the successful opening of One&Only Moonlight Basin—her latest landmark achievement, redefining how luxury is experienced in the US hotel market.