Judging

Hakan Ozkasikci is an internationally recognized hospitality development advisor, architect, and design executive with more than 30 years of experience delivering some of the world's most prestigious luxury hospitality, branded residential, and mixed-use developments.

Throughout his career, Hakan has held senior leadership positions within the global hospitality industry, including Executive Vice President – Global Design & Technical Services at Kerzner International, Group Corporate Director of Design, Construction & Technical Services at Aman, and Director of Architecture for the InterContinental brand across Europe, Russia, and the CIS.

Having worked across 36 countries and four continents, he has led the planning, design, development, repositioning, and delivery of projects exceeding USD 5 billion in value, ranging from landmark urban hotels and resorts to ultra-luxury residences, private islands, and destination masterplans.

Today, as Founder and CEO of 3 Square Meters LLC, Hakan advises investors, developers, hotel operators, family offices, and institutional owners on the strategic creation of hospitality and lifestyle assets. His consultancy specializes in aligning commercial objectives, guest experience, operational efficiency, and design excellence to maximize long-term asset value.

Alexandra Woop is Executive Director of Interior Design for Accor’s Luxury & Lifestyle Division, shaping the design vision for some of the world’s most prestigious luxury and ultra-luxury hospitality brands, including Sofitel Legend, Sofitel, Fairmont, Raffles, Orient Express and Emblems Collection across the Middle East, Africa and Turkey.

Holding a Master’s degree in Architecture and combining strategic design leadership with a passion for innovation, Alexandra is known for creating distinctive hospitality experiences where cultural authenticity, craftsmanship and contemporary luxury converge. A Stanford LEAD graduate, she brings a forward-thinking perspective to the evolution of luxury hospitality, championing projects that redefine guest experience through design excellence, innovation and a strong sense of place.

Bedour AlSwayeh is the Development Hospitality Design Director at King Abdullah Financial District Development and Management Company (KAFD DMC). She brings extensive experience in the delivery of luxury hospitality and mixed-use developments across the region.

In her role at KAFD DMC, Bedour leads the design and development of hotels, branded residences, and food and beverage destinations, overseeing all phases of the design process in collaboration with internationally recognized operators, brands, and consultants. She is responsible for ensuring that each project successfully balances design innovation, operational functionality, and commercial performance while meeting brand standards and market objectives.

Bedour also plays a key role in shaping guest experiences across KAFD, one of the Middle East’s leading business and lifestyle destinations, contributing to the district’s vision as a world-class urban environment.

She holds certifications in Interior Architecture from Prince Sultan University, Hotel Planning and Design from Cornell University, and Hotel Development and Real Estate Investments from EHL University.

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.

Frederico is Director of Design & Architecture at Kerzner International, where he provides global design leadership across the group's ultra-luxury hospitality and branded residential portfolio, spanning the Atlantis, One&Only, SIRO and Rare Finds brands. He works at the intersection of design leadership, development feasibility and delivery, guiding projects from early-stage site assessment and masterplanning through construction, pre-opening and live-asset enhancement, while ensuring alignment with brand standards, budgets and operational requirements.

His recent work spans the repositioning and reopening of Bab Al Shams Desert Resort and the launch of its Desert Villas, refurbishment strategies for One&Only Palmilla and One&Only Reethi Rah, and active developments entering construction including One&Only Fiji and Courchevel. He also supported the opening phases of Atlantis The Royal and One&Only One Za'abeel. Earlier in his career he delivered hospitality and residential projects with Ellington Properties, Wilson Associates and Godwin Austen Johnson, contributing to landmark Dubai developments such as Marsa Al Arab and The Island.

Portuguese by background, Frederico trained as an interior architect at ESAD in Porto and holds a Master's in Design and Architecture from ELISAVA, Barcelona. He brings a cross-disciplinary perspective shaped by design governance, asset management and CAPEX delivery across complex, multi-market projects — with a consistent focus on balancing creative excellence with commercial and operational viability.

Jamie is the Managing Director of SKS Studio’s Dubai office. SKS Studio is a leading landscape architecture consultancy specialising in luxury hospitality and high-end residential projects across the Middle East and internationally, with offices in Kansas City, USA, and Dubai, UAE. With over 24 years of industry experience across the UK, Qatar and 11 years in the UAE, Jamie has delivered landmark projects such as Atlantis, The Royal and Six Senses Southern Dunes. His background spans civil engineering, landscape construction, client-side project management and consultancy, providing a unique perspective across all stages of development. Under his leadership, SKS Studio’s Dubai office has rapidly grown since its establishment in 2021, achieving major successes within the region’s luxury hospitality sector.

Leila's 35 years of experience in interior design, spans luxury hospitality, residential, retail and large-scale commercial projects. Leading complex developments from concept to delivery, Leila has built a strong reputation for designing refined, highly functional, culturally nuanced and emotionally resonant built environments.

Beginning of this year, Leila joined Kempinski as Global VP of Design, working closely with Product, Development, Operations and owners to ensure design excellence, brand consistency and deeply culturally relevant experiences across the portfolio bringing Kempinski 2.0 to life. Prior to that, Leila served as Director of Design – Architecture, Design & Construction, at Hilton, based in Dubai, where she led luxury hospitality interior projects across the Middle East. Her portfolio includes landmark developments for brands such as Waldorf Astoria (Lusail Doha, Diriyah, Madinah), LXR Collection (Laheq and Wadi Hanifa), and Conrad (Arzana Rabat and Riyadh) among others. In this role, she oversaw interiors from pre-signing through to opening, working closely with owners, consultants and suppliers to ensure design excellence, brand alignment and quality of delivery across multiple geographies.

Leila held senior leadership roles with leading international design firms, including Bilkey Llinas Design as Regional Managing Director, Hirsch Bedner International (HBA) as Director, and Dileonardo International as Principal and Regional Director for the Middle East. In all these positions, she led high-end hospitality and residential projects for prestigious brands, while also managing branch set-ups, teams and business development for the consultancies.

Earlier in her career, Leila founded and led her own design practice in Los Angeles, completing high-profile commercial, hospitality and corporate projects for clients including DreamWorks, Warner Bros., MGM, Toyota and BMW. In addition to her extensive hospitality portfolio, she has also had the unique privilege of being involved in the design of the NASA space station interiors.

Leila holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial and Environmental Design, awarded with distinction by the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, and gained her formal training in interior architecture at Otis Parsons. Fluent in English, French, German and Arabic, she brings a rare multicultural perspective shaped by her international background and professional experience. As a respected authority, she is also a frequent contributor to industry publications and forums on design, hospitality and the built environment.

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.

Michele Rhoda is a Principal at ARRCC with extensive experience in interior architecture, recognised for meticulously planned, elegantly resolved interiors across residential, hospitality, and leisure sectors. Over the past two decades, she has led projects spanning six continents, balancing disciplined spatial logic with context specific detailing. An editorial eye for proportion and materiality underpins work that is contemporary in tone and built to endure.

Her perspective is continually sharpened by art, travel, film, photography, and fashion - interests that inform layered narrative and nuance throughout her interiors. This body of work has earned recognition in the Andrew Martin Interior Design Review and at the WAN Awards in Residential Category 2025, among others. She also serves on multiple judging panels, benchmarking excellence and contributing to industry discourse. At ARRCC, Michele’s leadership is defined by clarity of concept and precision in execution - shaping interiors that honour place and client while setting a measured standard for global luxury design.

Rahul believes great hospitality design is felt before it is understood. His approach creates hotels and resorts shaped by memory, culture, landscape, and sensory experience, resulting in spaces that are authentic, deeply rooted in place, and designed to foster connection and belonging.

Working through a holistic, human-centred lens, he draws on local craftsmanship, indigenous materials, and contextual narratives to create meaningful guest experiences. Educated in India and Australia, Rahul has worked across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, bringing a global perspective to architecture and interior design projects worldwide.

Rahul graduated from the University of Goa with a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture in 1998, the same year he received a scholarship to pursue a Master’s degree at the University of Melbourne, Australia. He graduated in 2000. In 2001, Rahul moved to Singapore to work with Nikken Sekkei, one of the world’s largest architecture and design practices. He remained with the firm for five years, contributing to a range of luxury hotel, resort, residential, and high-rise developments across Asia-Pacific.

In 2005, Rahul moved back to Australia to establish a boutique practice in Brisbane. Collaborating with leading Australian practices, he helped push the limits of design and develop a distinct style for luxury residences and high-end resorts in Australia and across Asia. Rahul joined HBA Singapore as Design Director in 2007 and was appointed a Partner of HBA in 2012. In 2026, he has been appointed to co-lead HBA Dubai’s expansion in the Middle East, shaping the firm’s next phase of growth and reinforcing its long-term commitment to the region. Central to his new role is championing HBA’s OneHBA approach, a collaborative model anchored by integrated design, collective excellence, and exceptional delivery. OneHBA brings together expertise across different sectors, drawing on specialist talent from around the world to deliver seamless, end-to-end design solutions for clients globally.

With more than 25 years of international experience spanning hospitality, residential, and mixed-use design, Rahul has a substantial body of built work, some of which has been recognised with awards and published in prominent international media. His current portfolio includes Conrad Hotel Bangalore, Raffles Resort Bali, Leela Kempinski Delhi, Medi Terre Boutique Hotel Israel, Australia 108 Residences Melbourne, Six Senses SPA at World One Towers Mumbai, and Radisson Hotel Shimla.

Ralf Steinhauer is the Global Hospitality Lead and Executive Director at RSP, where he leads the design and strategic development of hospitality, lifestyle, and mixed-use destinations across the Middle East and internationally.

With more than two decades of experience spanning Europe, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East, Ralf has developed a multidisciplinary approach that combines architecture, interior design, urban thinking, and operational strategy. His work focuses on how hospitality is evolving beyond the traditional idea of “stay” towards more integrated, human-centred environments shaped by culture, community, sustainability, wellness, and experience.

At RSP, he works closely with owners, operators, and global brands to create hospitality ecosystems that are commercially intelligent, contextually grounded, and designed for long-term relevance. His portfolio includes luxury hospitality, branded residences, cultural destinations, and large-scale mixed-use developments across the region.

Ralf has been recognised by numerous industry platforms, including Construction Week Middle East, Middle East Architect, and Middle East Consultant Magazine, where he was named Executive of the Year.

Shahab Lutfi is the CEO of Bright Start LLC (H&H’s holding company), a private investment house based in Dubai. He manages an extensive portfolio of prestigious property and financial assets valued at more than USD 1 billion. In this role, he oversees all investments and is responsible for expanding Bright Start’s portfolio, with a particular focus on the hospitality and retail sectors.

Shahab is also the Founder of H&H Investment & Development, a boutique real estate development company providing comprehensive turnkey solutions across real estate development, design, procurement, and property management. With more than 20 years of experience, he brings extensive expertise in both the real estate and finance industries. He works closely with international teams of professionals, engineers, and bankers, ensuring that every aspect of a project is carefully managed and executed.

In addition, Shahab serves as CEO and Partner of dxb-lab Architecture, an award-winning architectural practice based in Dubai that was established in 2000.

He has been instrumental in the delivery of all Four Seasons hotels in Dubai and Madinah and is widely recognized for his deep industry knowledge and ability to drive efficiency in hospitality development projects.

As a member of the judging panel, Shahab contributes valuable expertise in hospitality design, development, investment strategy, and project negotiation, drawing on his extensive experience in delivering complex, high-profile developments.

Shahab Lutfi holds an MBA from Cass Business School, City University London, and a Bachelor’s degree from Boston University, USA.

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.

Tarek Hegazy is a visionary architect and interior design leader with an illustrious career spanning more than 38 years and a portfolio of over 450 prestigious projects, predominantly within the luxury hospitality sector. Renowned for his creative vision and strategic leadership, he has played a significant role in shaping some of the world’s most distinguished five-star hotels and hospitality destinations.

Since 2006, Tarek has served as Chief Executive Officer and Creative Director of Living Design, Scandinavia’s oldest interior design firm, founded in 1984. Under his leadership, the Stockholm-based practice has strengthened its position as one of Europe’s leading design studios, delivering more than 450 hotel projects and earning over 120 international awards across hospitality, high-end residential, and commercial sectors.

In his role, Tarek works closely with hotel owners, developers, operators, and consultants to create exceptional, user-centric environments that balance design excellence, operational performance, and commercial success. His projects span four continents and include collaborations with many of the world’s most prestigious hospitality brands.

A highly respected speaker, thought leader, and jury member, Tarek regularly lectures on interior design, hospitality strategy, innovation, and future industry trends at leading conferences, summits, and universities worldwide. He is also an active member of several distinguished professional organisations, including the Swedish Architects Association, the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and the International Interior Designers Association (IIDA).

Wissal is an accomplished interior architect and currently serves as the Director of Interior Design at Beyond Properties.

With over 20 years of experience across hospitality, residential, and commercial sectors, she brings a wealth of knowledge and creativity to every project. Wissal began her career in FF&E (Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment) design and progressively transitioned into a client representative role, which deepened her understanding of the full project lifecycle.

Her passion lies in spatial planning and the art of creating detailed, thoughtful environments. Known for her meticulous attention to detail, Wissal has led complex design projects, consistently maintaining high standards of quality and innovation. In leadership roles, she oversees multidisciplinary teams and coordinates with consultants to ensure smooth project execution, always addressing site-specific challenges with well-considered, creative solutions.

Throughout her career, Wissal has contributed to a wide variety of projects, including luxury hotels, resorts, private residences, office spaces, and retail environments. Her ability to tailor her approach to the unique demands of each project showcases her versatility and deep industry knowledge.

As Director of Interior Design at Beyond, Wissal continues to shape exceptional spaces, blending functionality with refined aesthetics and reinforcing her reputation as a leading figure in the field of interior architecture.