Can Faik is the Editorial Director of Hospitality Interiors and Event Director of the Hospitality Leadership and Design Conferences (HLDC). With over 20 years experience in journalism, the last 10 in the hospitality industry, Can has since built up a legendary network of designers, hotel owners, brands and celebrities which has made him the journalist of choice for the hospitality and design industry. In this episode of the Wood Couture Podcast, the interviewer becomes the interviewee as Wood Couture Co-founder and podcast host, Filippo Sona,  talks to Can about what’s currently going on in the world of hospitality and what how his relationships have helped shape his career.

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Damien Perrot is the Global Senior Vice President Design and Innovation for Accor. Amassing 23 years experience within the company, from creating a system for train catering, to traveling around the world to manage projects. He currently oversees global design, innovation and technical services for Accor’s huge portfolio of brands including Ibis, Novotel, Fairmont, Raffles and recently, lifestyle brands like SLS and Mondrian. Damien calls in from his office in France to chat with Wood Couture Co-founder, Filippo Sona.

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Carla Conte is Founder and Creative Director of Brand Creative based in Dubai, which offers branding, interior design and graphics services in the region. Born in Canada to Italian parents, Carla originally had ambitions to be a dermatologist until she found herself interning for Ron Harris of the award winning interior design firm, IDG (now under Watt International). Years later, she runs her own award-winning design studio. Carla welcomes Wood Couture Co-founder, Filippo Sona, into the Brand Creative office where they chat about influences, inspirations and insights from her experiences in life and work.

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Philip Gillard is the Principal and Managing Director of Hirsch-Bedner Associates (HBA), the multi-award winning luxury hospitality design firm with 23 offices worldwide and 1,400 designers. A native of Bristol in the UK, Philip leads the operations in the Middle East from the his appointment in March 2021. He is a RIBA-chartered architect with a portfolio across architecture, interior design, and master planning. Philip has 25 years of industry experience in the region, handling projects in high-profile hospitality and residential to retail and commercial design. Wood Couture Co-founder and podcast host, Filippo Sona, interviews Philip at the Dubai office.

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Shahbaz Tiavar is Vice President for Procurement covering India, Middle East, Africa and Turkey for Accor, based in Dubai.  He manages an extensive brand portfolio of more than 28 brands across 41 countries which includes exciting lifestyle brands like SLS, Mondrian and 25hrs. During his years in Accor, he has built up expertise in bringing innovation, sustainability and efficiency in the field of sourcing and procurement.

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This interview features Jonathan Worsley, Chairman of Bench Events, who is all about bringing people and communities together to drive transformation and innovation. Getting his start in real estate consultancy, Jonathan got into events unexpectedly when he volunteered to organize a conference during his time with Insignia Hotels. He has since been running leading international hospitality conferences such as  Arabian Hospitality International Conference (AHIC), Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF), Saudi Arabia Hospitality Investment Conference (SHIC) and  SAHIC Latin America and The Caribbean.

Jonathan calls in from Canada to chat with Wood Couture co-founder and program host, Filippo Sona. The discussions bring insight into an events business during a global pandemic and aspects within the hospitality industry that’s moving it into the future.

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In this very special episode of the Wood Couture Podcast, host Filippo Sona is joined by his business partner and mentor, Paolo Della Casa, a 30-year veteran in bespoke furniture manufacturing. His career skyrocketed in the USA  and has handled projects for global brands like The Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons, Fairmont, Marriott, and Hilton Hotels among many. Paolo has also lent his expertise and experience to Kempinski Hotels as External FF&E Director. Paolo talks about manufacturing in China, how to stop hotel opening delays and how honest and open communication has allowed him to have a long and successful career.

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Wood Couture co-founder, Filippo Sona visits Colab in Dubai to sit down with its founder and creative director, Richard Wilson. Colab is the 1st and only materials library in the UAE, through which, Richard wants to foster education and inspiration around materials. He encourages designers, architects, and students to equip themselves with enough knowledge to challenge the status quo of the design and build industry.

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Stephanie Smith is an NCIDQ certified interior designer who has worked alongside Frank Nicholson and his daughter Pam Nicholson and agencies like the Rockwell Group. She’s worked on high profile projects such as the refurbishment of the Fairmont Royal York, twice! Stephanie isn’t short of the entrepreneurial spirit herself having established her own a design firm, Element Inc., before coming back to the corporate hospitality. She is currently the Executive Director for Interior Design for Accor North and Central America - Luxury Division and also Leads the Global Brand Design and Technical Services for Fairmont. Connecting from Toronto, Canada, Stephanie joins Glenn Huskie, Partner and CEO at Wood Couture, for a chat.

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Dimitris Manikis is the President & Managing Director of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts EMEA. He spent 27 years of his professional life working in “vacation exchange” with Resorts Condominiums International, better known as RCI. Dimitris’ story is one of remarkable love for people, something he gets from the great mentors of his life. Get to know these mentors, the failures and philosophies that made him the cheerful, passionate man with a genuine love of people and the hospitality industry. Join Wood Couture co-founder and program host, Filippo Sona, in this inspiring conversation.

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