BCO Annual Conference Brochure - Milan 2025 - Flipbook - Page 9
Plenary 4
Date: Friday 30 May 2025 / Time: 11:15 - 12:45
Plenary 4
Date: Friday 30 May 2025 / Time: 11:15 - 12:45
Design and Brand
The importance of brand and design in the workplace - what can be learned from hospitality and the design industry, and, where next !?
Hospitality and the workplace are converging in ways that go beyond shared design and service inspirations. Today, the workplace can
take valuable lessons from how hospitality is evolving to align with people’s shifting values and how they choose to live. Workers are
rethinking the traditional 9-to-5, diversifying their careers, seeking fulfillment, or choosing “good enough” jobs over high-stakes roles.
These changes reflect a broader desire for freedom and balance, especially as older, hierarchical work cultures fall short of modern
expectations. Adding to the shift is the demographic “Flip”: in 2024, the global population aged over 65 surpassed those under 15 for
the first time. This milestone is set to redefine workplace dynamics, consumer spending, and hospitality trends, with longevity and
intergenerational lifestyles taking centre stage.
This plenary will unpack some of the key trends shaping the future and explore how trailblazing brands in hospitality, and adjacent
categories, are responding to these seismic shifts, and what this means for the future of work, travel, and living.
CHAIR: Katy Ghahremani, Make
Katy is one of Make’s directors and has been a Maker since 2004. Her portfolio spans a variety of sectors and
includes designs for a number of prestigious hotels around the world, including the award-winning Temple
House hotel in Chengdu, China.
Katy is currently leading Make’s high-profile refurbishment of Hornsey Town Hall. She’s passionate about
interiors as well as architecture, and is often called upon to help clients develop their brand philosophy and
identity. She is a driving force in the development of Make’s hotels and retail portfolios, hosting bespoke events,
supporting our thought leadership, and engaging with clients and collaborators on their biggest challenges.
Philippa Wagner, PeoplePlacesSpaces
Phillippa Wagner is a leading voice in the hospitality
industry, celebrated for crafting future-focused
brand experiences that combine cultural insights
with strategic consumer understanding. As founder
of PeoplePlacesSpaces, she collaborates with global
brands such as Ennismore, Gleneagles, TFE Hotels,
and Locke to develop innovative concepts and
reimagine guest experiences to ensure lasting impact
in a changing market.
Speaker TBC, B&B Italia
Luxury brand speaker to be revealed - watch this space
A sought-after speaker at major industry events, Philippa shares her visionary
insights into the shifts reshaping the wider hospitality sector. From evolving
guest expectations to the intersection of cultural trends and design, her thoughtprovoking perspectives unpack the future of the industry, inspiring brands to
innovate and adapt.
Her work includes the award-winning MM:NT Berlin Lab, a groundbreaking
micro-hotel concept operating in perpetual beta, redefining room design and
engagement through real-time guest feedback. With over two decades of
experience, Philippa’s relentless curiosity and cultural awareness continue
to drive innovation, shaping transformative guest experiences and authentic
narratives for some of the world’s most beloved hospitality brands.
Katy is a trustee of the Built Environment Trust and was a longstanding member of the Architectural Appraisal
Panel at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. She sits on the Industry Advisory Panel for UCL’s
Engineering and Architectural Design MEng course as well as the Westminster Design Review Panel.
16
BCO Annual Conference 2025
/ Milan
BCO Annual Conference 2025
/ Milan
17
