Owners Roundtable Participants
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Valeriano Antonioli
Lungarno Collection
Chief Executive Officer
Valeriano Antonioli is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and member of the Board of Directors of Lungarno Collection, the hospitality management company ... More
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Christina Budd
Carnival UK
Senior Interior Architect
Christina joined Carnival UK in 2017 as design lead for P&O Iona before moving on to Queen Anne for Cunard. More recently ... More
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Rodolphe FrĂŠgĂŠ
Capital Hospitality Europe
Managing Director â Cofounding Partner
Rodolphe FrĂŠgĂŠ co-founded Capital Hospitality Europe in 2019 with former teammates at Algonquin ... More
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Tom Hupe
Hilton EMEA
Senior Director of Design
Within this role Tom oversees the Hilton EMEA design team based in the UK, Central Europe, Dubai and South Africa. Collectively the team is ... More
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Melissa Messmer
IHG Hotels & Resorts | Creative Strategies
Global Head of Design Luxury Brands
As Global Head of Design for Luxury Brands for IHG, Melissa is overseeing the new and evolving design ... More
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Brian Quinn
Sonesta Hotels & Resorts
Chief Development Officer
Brian Quinn joined Sonesta as the Chief Development Officer with 20+ years of experience in executive roles in ... More
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Arun Rana
AccorHotels Group
Head of Interior Design Accor ENA Premium | Midscale | Economy, Europe & North America
Originally educated in contemporary furniture and lighting design, with ... More
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Stacy Shoemaker Rauen
Editor in Chief , Hospitality Design magazine
Senior Vice President, Design Group, Emerald
Stacy Shoemaker Rauen is the senior vice president of the Design Group ... More
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Ludovica Rocchi
R Collection Hotels Group
Brand Director
With international professional experience and a strong commitment to Italian excellence in hospitality, Ludovica Rocchi is the ... More
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Laura RoldĂĄn Saso
Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Senior Manager Brands - EAME
With over 12 years of experience in the hospitality sector, specializing in independent brands, she is currently Hyattâs Senior Manager ... More
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Sam Suleman
Equinox Hospitality and Equinox Hotels
Principal & Executive Vice President
Sam Suleman has extensive experience in a number of areas of hospitality including new hotel development; new ... More
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Barry Sullivan
Hilton Worldwide
Senior Director, Luxury & Lifestyle
Barry joined Hilton joined Hilton in 2015 to work on the launch of Canopy, Hiltonâs entry into the Lifestyle market. Subsequently, he has ... More
Valeriano Antonioli
Lungarno Collection
Chief Executive Officer
Valeriano Antonioli is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and member of the Board of Directors of Lungarno Collection, the hospitality management company owned by the Ferragamo family. With over thirty years of experience in managing luxury hotels and resorts in Italy, Germany, Russia, England, and the United States,
Antonioli is a veteran of the hospitality industry. His career has always been driven by a passion for luxury and innovation, a keen attention to detail, and the ability to reinvent traditional properties, transforming them into vibrant lifestyle destinations.
His most recent success story has been the creation of the Portrait brand, with multiple award-winning hotels in Rome, Florence, and Milan. With Portrait, he has managed to turn the uniformity of luxury into spontaneous personalization, filling an important gap in the luxury hotel industry.
Antonioli is a black belt in Taekwondo, an outdoor sports enthusiast, and the author of Passione e Cucina and The Joy of Discovery. Fluent in Italian, English, and German, he was honoured in the Legion of Honour by the Italian Republic as âCavaliere della Repubblica Italianaâ in 2007.
Christina Budd
Carnival UK
Senior Interior Architect
Christina joined Carnival UK in 2017 as design lead for P&O Iona before moving on to Queen Anne for Cunard. More recently she has been delivering fast-paced refit projects across the P&O and Cunard fleet.
Prior to working in the cruise industry Christina worked many years in fashion retail with brands such as Arcadia, Kurt Geiger, Harrods and Selfridges. This work heavily encompassed delivering British brands to international markets.
Rodolphe FrĂŠgĂŠ
Capital Hospitality Europe
Managing Director â Cofounding Partner
Rodolphe FrÊgÊ co-founded Capital Hospitality Europe in 2019 with former teammates at Algonquin, one year after the sale of the company to Schroder. During the last 10 years in the hotel industry, he has totaled over 1 bn⏠investment volume all over Europe, from France to Poland, and added value over under-performing hotels.
Rodolphe graduated from HEC, started his career in Strategy Consulting (A.T. Kearney) and Private Equity (Butler Capital Partners and Lov Group) before specializing in Real Estate at BNP Paribas REIM.
Tom Hupe
Hilton EMEA
Senior Director of Design
Tom Hupe is the Senior Director of Design, Hilton EMEA.
Within this role Tom oversees the Hilton EMEA design team based in the UK, Central Europe, Dubai and South Africa. Collectively the team is responsible for the review, elevation, approval and brand alignment of designs for all Hilton brands across EMEA.
The team currently oversees over 400 active projects, which range from renovations and conversions to new developments.
Tom brings 25 yearsâ experience of working as a designer exclusively in the hotel and leisure sector. During this time, he has been responsible for the design and project delivery of a diverse and impressive range of hotels.
Melissa Messmer
IHG Hotels & Resorts | Creative Strategies
Global Head of Design Luxury Brands
As Global Head of Design for Luxury Brands for IHG, Melissa is overseeing the new and evolving design strategies for IHGâs top luxury brands as part of the companyâs commitment to growing and improving this segment within a highly competitive market. Her academic journey began with a first-class honors degree in Art History, exploring cultural and artistic traditions worldwideâan education that profoundly influenced her career. Over the years, Melissa has resided in five countries across the Middle East and Europe, collaborating with premier luxury hotel operators and developers including Starwood, contributing to the inception of the W Hotels brand, as well as Accor Luxury Brands, Marriott Luxury Brands, and IHG. As a designer, her client base included top clientele such as Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Ritz Carlton Hotels, Peninsula Hotels as well as private residences for the Sultan of Brunei along with other private family members of the royal family in Saudi Arabia.
With her background in art styling, fashion and curation, her design accomplishments go beyond the typical confines of architectural planning and detailing. She has a passion for the entire holistic guest experience, pushing boundaries of creativity and tapping into how modern luxury travel is evolving for the next generation.
Brian Quinn
Sonesta Hotels & Resorts
Chief Development Officer
Brian Quinn joined Sonesta as the Chief Development Officer with 20+ years of experience in executive roles in public companies and private equity firms. Prior to joining Sonesta in 2021, he worked at Choice Hotels, Driftwood Hospitality, InterContinental and Hilton Hotels Corporation. He served the American Hotel Lodging Association and Intercontinental Hotels Group Ownersâ Association and Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association as a board member. Quinn currently serves on the United States Travel and Tourism Board. He led the development of the upscale segment strategy for IHG in the Caribbean and has experience in international strategic planning. His areas of expertise include hospitality, real estate, finance, acquisitions and hotel operations. Quinn brings these talents to Sonesta as he oversees the development effort for the company.
Arun Rana
AccorHotels Group
Head of Interior Design Accor ENA Premium | Midscale | Economy, Europe & North America
Head of interior design for Accor Hotels, Europe & North Africa. His remit covers multiband from Lifestyle, Premium, Midscale and Economy segments. He is responsible for supporting Accorâs vision of growth and creating a second to nonguest experience.
Originally educated in contemporary furniture and lighting design, with a passion for graphics, architecture and travel, Arun found Hospitality Interior design to be a great way to bring all his creativity into one place. Previously he has managed two studios and a team of designers, he has worked on a variety of projects from one-off restaurants & bars, large scale roll outs, and hotels. Focusing on strong concepts to tell a story, he loves interiors that allow the guest to explore, discover, and find joy in subtle design touches.
He has a focus on designers of the future and has been working with universities, charities, and associations to collaborate to teach, inspire and nurture the designers of tomorrow.
Stacy Shoemaker Rauen
Editor in Chief , Hospitality Design magazine
Senior Vice President, Design Group, Emerald
Stacy Shoemaker Rauen is the senior vice president of the Design Group at Emerald, a leading events and media company. There she oversees multiple brands in the hospitality, commercial, and residential design spheres, including Hospitality Design magazine and HD Expo + Conference; ICFF; Boutique Design magazine and BDNY; and EDspaces.
Shoemaker Rauen is a well-respected and talented editor and writer, and also is the editor in chief of Hospitality Design magazine, the leading publication for the industry.
Shoemaker Rauenâwho has been with the company for 21 yearsâis a noted speaker at industry events, and as an avid tracker of trends, places, projects, and people, and has been quoted in various respected media outlets including CNBC and the Washington Post. She holds two degrees from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, including a master's in magazine journalism.
Ludovica Rocchi
R Collection Hotels Group
Brand Director
With international professional experience and a strong commitment to Italian excellence in hospitality, Ludovica Rocchi is the Brand Director of R Collection Hotels, a collection of leisure and business properties in iconic locations. The hotel group has a prominent presence on Lake Como, with the Grand Hotel Victoria in Menaggio, a 5-star luxury hotel, the Royal Victoria and Villa Cipressi in Varenna, and the two new properties, Casa du Lac in Varenna and Bianca Relais in
Oggiono. In the mountains, the group owns the renowned Montana Lodge & Spa and the prestigious Grand Hotel Courmayeur MontBlanc in La Thuile and Courmayeur. On the Ligurian coast, it includes the Grand Hotel Bristol Portofino Coast. The group also offers a business portfolio in the city of Milan, with the three hotels Hotel Mentana, City Life Hotel Poliziano, and Hotel King.
Ludovica Rocchi is a highly regarded professional in the field of hotel management. With a rich background, her educational journey began in England, where she graduated with A-levels from Millfield School in London. After completing her studies, she decided to move to Switzerland, to Glion and Montreux, where she pursued a three-year university degree in Hospitality Management.
During these years, she worked for prestigious international hotel chains, including Four Seasons in Florence and Rocco Forte Hotels, specifically at Brownâs Hotel in England. She gained significant cross-disciplinary experience in various areas of the hospitality industry, from Sales and Event Management to Public Relations and Marketing. Since 2018, she has been the Brand Director of R Collection Hotels.
Laura RoldĂĄn Saso
Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Senior Manager Brands - EAME
Laura RoldĂĄn Saso lives and breathes her passion for hospitality brands. With over 12 years of experience in the hospitality sector, specializing in independent brands, she is currently Hyattâs Senior Manager Brands for the EAME region. Since joining Hyatt in 2013, Laura has supported and enforced Hyattâs brand strategy and brand standards across more than 55 hotel openings. During this time, she has held various roles, from Operations to Brands & Marketing, including managing Hyattâs cultural localization efforts in EAMEâdemonstrating her expertise in brand strategy and marketing execution across diverse international markets. Prior to joining Hyatt, she worked at a renowned research institute and an intellectual property agency in Barcelona, consistently bringing a unique interdisciplinary approach to brand management. Based in Zurich, Lauraâs work continues to shape Hyattâs brand presence and growth strategy across key global regions.
Sam Suleman
Equinox Hospitality and Equinox Hotels
Principal & Executive Vice President
Sam Suleman has extensive experience in a number of areas of hospitality including new hotel development; new brand development & strategy; repositioning & renovation of existing hotel properties; hotel operations; food & beverage operations and concept development; and hospitality technology.
Mr. Suleman has worked extensively on projects throughout the US, UK, mainland Europe, and in the Middle East. He has also been a speaker at various hospitality, development, and design conferences in the United States and Europe.
Mr. Suleman has served on the IHG OA Board of Directors, as Chairman of the Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts Board, Chairman of the IHG Technology Board, and as Chairman/Founder of the Emerging Leaders Council, a group representing the next generation of hotel owners and operators.
Mr. Suleman currently serves as Vice Chairman of the IHG Americas Regional Board, on the Editorial Board of Hospitality Design Magazine, and as a member of the American Hotel and Lodging Associationâs Management Committee.
Barry Sullivan
Hilton Worldwide
Senior Director, Luxury & Lifestyle
Barry joined Hilton joined Hilton in 2015 to work on the launch of Canopy, Hiltonâs entry into the Lifestyle market. Subsequently, he has participated in the launch of Motto and most recently Tempo that debuted in 2020. Barry and his team oversee the design of all Canopy, Motto, and Tempo projects in North America. Following the brandâs premier with Tempo Times Square in August, Nashville will be Tempoâs second hotel to open.
Guest Speakers & Panelists
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Valeriano Antonioli
Lungarno Collection
Chief Executive Officer
Valeriano Antonioli is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and member of the Board of Directors of Lungarno Collection, the hospitality management company ... More
-
Tom Hupe
Hilton EMEA
Senior Director of Design
Within this role Tom oversees the Hilton EMEA design team based in the UK, Central Europe, Dubai and South Africa. Collectively the team is ... More
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Dionne Jefferson
Dionne Jefferson is a strategic business leader and interior designer with over 25 years of experience driving ... More
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Hamish Kilburn
Kilburn Communications
Director
Hamish Kilburn, Owner and Director of Kilburn Communications, is a respected voice in the design and hospitality industries. Formerly the Editor of ... More
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Alejandra Obregon
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
Director, Architecture & Hotel Design
Alejandra Obregon is a Colombian-American architect. Enriched by her multifaceted experiences across ... More
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Heleri Rande
Think Hospitality
Partner
Originally from Estonia, Heleri has lived in seven countries and holds a bachelorâs degree from New York University in Economics and ...More
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Barry Sullivan
Hilton Worldwide
Senior Director, Luxury & Lifestyle
Barry joined Hilton joined Hilton in 2015 to work on the launch of Canopy, Hiltonâs entry into the Lifestyle market. Subsequently, he has ... More
Valeriano Antonioli
Lungarno Collection
Chief Executive Officer
Valeriano Antonioli is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and member of the Board of Directors of Lungarno Collection, the hospitality management company owned by the Ferragamo family. With over thirty years of experience in managing luxury hotels and resorts in Italy, Germany, Russia, England, and the United States,
Antonioli is a veteran of the hospitality industry. His career has always been driven by a passion for luxury and innovation, a keen attention to detail, and the ability to reinvent traditional properties, transforming them into vibrant lifestyle destinations.
His most recent success story has been the creation of the Portrait brand, with multiple award-winning hotels in Rome, Florence, and Milan. With Portrait, he has managed to turn the uniformity of luxury into spontaneous personalization, filling an important gap in the luxury hotel industry.
Antonioli is a black belt in Taekwondo, an outdoor sports enthusiast, and the author of Passione e Cucina and The Joy of Discovery. Fluent in Italian, English, and German, he was honoured in the Legion of Honour by the Italian Republic as âCavaliere della Repubblica Italianaâ in 2007.
Tom Hupe
Hilton EMEA
Senior Director of Design
Tom Hupe is the Senior Director of Design, Hilton EMEA.
Within this role Tom oversees the Hilton EMEA design team based in the UK, Central Europe, Dubai and South Africa. Collectively the team is responsible for the review, elevation, approval and brand alignment of designs for all Hilton brands across EMEA.
The team currently oversees over 400 active projects, which range from renovations and conversions to new developments.
Tom brings 25 yearsâ experience of working as a designer exclusively in the hotel and leisure sector. During this time, he has been responsible for the design and project delivery of a diverse and impressive range of hotels.
Dionne Jefferson
Dionne Jefferson is a strategic business leader and interior designer with over 25 years of experience driving business and design management strategies that champion superior guest experience, brand integrity, and organizational growth in the hospitality segment. As Vice President of Global Design, she oversees Marriott Internationalâs full-service brands in North America. She and her team of architects, interior designers, and project managers successfully execute hundreds of new build, renovation, and conversion Marriott, Sheraton, Gaylord, Delta hotels, Marriott Vacation Clubs, and Apartments by Marriott BONVOY.
Ms. Jefferson has directed design teams for 12 Marriott brands across full and select service tiers; coincidently the same number of brands Marriott had the year she joined the company; developed prototypes and product initiatives, and managed projects domestically and internationally.
She is a featured speaker, juror, mentor, volunteer and Distinguished Award Alumni of Florida State University School of Interior Architecture and Design. She is a native Philadelphian and former Floridian, living in Maryland.
Hamish Kilburn
Kilburn Communications
Director
Hamish Kilburn, Owner and Director of Kilburn Communications, is a respected voice in the design and hospitality industries. Formerly the Editor of Hotel Designs and Features Editor of SPACE Magazine, Kilburn has built a career around storytelling, thought leadership, and connecting industry pioneers.
As the host of two series of Marriott Bonvoyâs acclaimed podcast, Travel By Design, Kilburn showcased his expertise and influence by engaging with globally renowned interior designers, architects, and hospitality visionaries across various platforms â on stage, in print, and on screen.
Kilburn Communications specializes in amplifying compelling brand narratives. The PR and marketing agency creates personable networking opportunities and bridges connections between interior designers, architects, hoteliers, brands and developers worldwide. With roots in 24 years of industry experience, the company has emerged as a market disruptor, offering tailored PR, marketing, and business development solutions that stand out in todayâs competitive landscape.
Alejandra Obregon
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
Director, Architecture & Hotel Design
Alejandra Obregon is a Colombian-American architect. Enriched by her multifaceted experiences across cosmopolitan hubs including New York, Miami, Beijing, France, and Spain, she channels an unparalleled international perspective into her role as Director of Design for The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection. As a beacon of design innovation, she is celebrated for her adept navigation within the echelons of ultra-luxury hospitality and design. Proficient in the art of collaboration, she orchestrates creativity, seamlessly harmonizing with expansive teams of designers, consultants, and stakeholders. Leading a team of esteemed architects and maritime engineers, she curates experiences that transcend the ordinary, crafting seafaring sanctuaries that redefine the boundaries of luxury and innovation.
Heleri Rande
Think Hospitality
Partner
Originally from Estonia, Heleri has lived in seven countries and holds a bachelorâs degree from New York University in Economics and Business, as well as an executive MBA in Hospitality Administration from Ăcole HĂ´telière de Lausanne (EHL) in Switzerland.
After leading Puccini Groupâs growth in EMEA for two years after graduation, she has partnered with Think Hospitality to deliver on F&B strategy projects helping brands and owners assess the market, find the right concept positioning and/or operator and chef for the properties through strategic advice and review. Her focus is mostly on hotel and mall development projects with a portfolio that includes the likes of Accor, Hilton, Hyatt, Kempinski, MeliĂĄ Hotels International, 25Hours Hotels, Puro Hotels and Peel Holdings.
She is the Consulting Editor of Supper Magazine and programme director at various major hospitality events around the world. She co-founded Ideas-Flavours-Experiences, the leading gastronomy event in the Baltics and the New Baltic Hospitality Forum, the first hotel focused event in the region. Heleri also sits on the board of the Global Restaurant Investment Forum and is the Stammvater of the UK Chapter of EHL Alumni Network.
Barry Sullivan
Hilton Worldwide
Senior Director, Luxury & Lifestyle
Barry joined Hilton joined Hilton in 2015 to work on the launch of Canopy, Hiltonâs entry into the Lifestyle market. Subsequently, he has participated in the launch of Motto and most recently Tempo that debuted in 2020. Barry and his team oversee the design of all Canopy, Motto, and Tempo projects in North America. Following the brandâs premier with Tempo Times Square in August, Nashville will be Tempoâs second hotel to open.