2
MARCH
MARCH
08:30 - 09:30 | Seminar Hall
Featuring a blend of presentation and panel discussion, we explore the state of play for MEA – charting where we are now and where we might be headed.
From hotel pipelines to the forces influencing concept development and design, HI Design’s opening gambit offers both insight and food for thought, contextualising the market and setting the stage for two days of relationship building, discussion and productive business.
Panelists:
Philip Wooller
Heba El-Dessouky
Isabel Pintado
Mennah Darwish
in conversation with:
MARCH
14:30 - 15:30 | Seminar Hall
Restaurants and bars are now the focal points of hotels; spaces to connect with communities, cultivate brand culture and even places to disrupt.
But when mediocrity is no longer good enough to capture the attention of guests and locals, what is the key to getting them right? What does it take to design and execute F&B spaces that excite visitors and ignite conversations? And what are the clichés to avoid? Winning World’s Best Restaurant at the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards in 2021 and named Architectural Digest Middle East’s Emerging Designers of the Year in 2022, Astet Studio founders Ala Zreigat and Oscar Engroba discuss the recipe for creating a hit.
Speakers:
in conversation with:
MARCH
08:30 - 09:30 | Seminar Hall
Nothing is off the table in this wide-reaching discussion, as our panel of industry leaders tackle the region’s biggest issues and most timely talking points.
With audience interaction encouraged, be a part of the conversations genuinely shaping the Middle East and Africa, in a forum where different opinions are welcomed and sparks may fly.
Moderated by:
MARCH
13:05 – 13:35 | Seminar Hall
Though often overlooked, the African continent is one the world’s most dynamic design regions; a place where creativity, innovation and pioneering new ideas sit side-by-side.
But what lies ahead for Africa and how can brave creative choices lay the foundations for a bright future? Kofi Bio, associate principal and Africa lead at Adjaye Associates – the globally renowned, multiple award-winning architecture firm – discusses his own bold vision.
Speaker:
MARCH
13:35 – 14:05 | Seminar Hall
Will the metaverse live up to the hype, will it flounder or, worse, could it be a vision of dystopian hell? For Pallavi Dean, founder and creative director of Dubai-based Roar, it is simply, undeniably the future.
Once a sceptic and now a supporter, in this Hi Design MEA closing seminar, she explains what the metaverse means for design, hospitality and the future of experiences.
Speaker: