Neel Shukla is one of the most recognised faces in the UAE's art scene, crafting installations for Burj Al Arab, The W, Grosvner House and many premium locations across the UAE.  In this exclusive episode of The Wood Couture Podcast, Filippo Sona, Partner at Wood Couture, visits Neel in his Dubai workshop to talk about hotels, art, inspiration and the work of Ramesh Shukla, the legendary photographer that famously captured iconic images of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum.

Neel shares an insider’s view on the world of  hotels, art, inspiration and the work of his father, Ramesh Shukla, the legendary photographer that famously captured iconic images of Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum.

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Monika Moser has a lifetime's experience in hospitality, growing up in hotels around South America where her father’s work took the family. She is one of the select people in the industry who has such a varied and extensive experience in hotel operations and now lends her expertise in the area of hospitality interior design. From being a managing director at Wilson & Associates, Monika is now COO of Campbell House. 

Some highlights include Monika’s early days in hospitality, transitioning into interior design - filling the gaps between design, functionality, budget  and “the new normal”. The interview also delves into insights from her reading list and love of Opera, and how she sees the future.

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Karin Krautgartner is the founder of design studio byKK Designs. Before starting her own journey as a businesswoman she was one of the first employees of Marcel Wanders, working closely with him for 20 years, helping to build the iconic product and interior design brand into what it is now. Karin calls in from Amsterdam to have a chat with Wood Couture co-founder, Filippo Sona.

Karin shares her journey transitioning from designer into the owner of her own studio, byKK Design, and shares her insights on our favourite topics - lifestyle, sustainability, gender equality and value engineering.

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Robbyn Carter is the Founder of Studio Carter based in Santa Monica, California.  An award winner designer that emerged from the Marcel Wanders camp and designed for Philippe Starck, Robbyn now leads a team of international creatives crafting timeless interior design work for the hospitality sector. Robbyn calls in from the US to talk with our host and co-founder of Wood Couture, Filippo Sona.

Some highlights of this episode include Robbyn sharing stories about her award winning project, The Fairmont in The Maldives, how she recruits, why she embraces losing focus, and what more the interior design community can do to embrace sustainability.

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Luca Franco is CEO of Luxury Frontiers and one of the most progressive hospitality project developers in the world. His work is grounded in nature and authentic, immersive experiences in remote and radical parts of the planet.  He calls in from Chicago, Illinois to talk with our host and co-founder of Wood Couture, Filippo Sona.

Some highlights of this episode include Luca talking about how he assimilates into new cultures, how he hopes to inspire and transform people through travel, what the ROI of a sustainable project is and how he centres himself if he loses focus.

If you’re listening on Apple, please leave a 5* rating and review, and Android users please follow on Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Contact the show via

https://www.instagram.com/woodcouture_ffe

In this very special debut episode of the Wood Couture podcast, we interview our dear friend and collaborator Kristina Zanic, a multi-award-winning icon in the interior design industry that has truly mastered infusing her global citizenship into some legendary hospitality projects.  We hear more about how this would-be physiotherapist pivoted her career into interior design, undertaking various projects and partnerships, which led her to ultimately co-found Kristina Zanic Design Consultants.  

Some highlights in this episode are Kristina talking about how to listen to clients and stakeholders, adding your own flair and innovation, and never veering too far away from the key aspects of functionality that are critical to a successful interior design project.  She also warns against the dangers of sending an email whilst you're angry and offers up her unique perspective on the role of women in the interior design industry.

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