Hi Design 2006 Creates Effective Business Platform For Hospitality Design Industry
The organisers of the debut business meetings forum for hospitality interior design, HI Design, provide evidence of the need to forge business relationships in the hospitality design industry. A significant number of delegates between them held nearly 750 face-to-face meetings at this inaugural annual event, held at the Clarion Hotel, Stockholm on 1-3 June.
“For a launch event we have hosted an exceptional group of delegates who were all positively embracing of the format and extremely active in conducting business for their companies” said Jonathan Needs, Director of organisers, Pelican Events.
Senior executives from 40 design practices and leading hotel groups operating across Europe, Middle East and Africa, including Hirsch Bedner, WATG, Plasma Studio, JOI Design, Hotel Design Inc, Scott Brownrigg, Accor Group, Intercontinental, Shangri-La, Rezidor SAS and many others, were able to conduct their own personalised schedule of meetings over two days with over 30 leading, as well as innovative, Interiors Suppliers from all over the world.
“Efficient & effective. Ideal to meet potential collaborators and clients,” was the view of Architect Elyza Falzon of Studio Marco Piva while David Jolly, Director of Technical Services, Europe, Middle East and Africa for Intercontinental Hotels commented “The strict time-controlled meeting format is very effective and focussed. Attendees are all there for one reason, and there are no distractions. Excellent event!’
Combined with planned meetings and exclusive networking functions, HI DESIGN also hosted its seminar programme, presented by hotel consultant and journalist, Guy Dittrich. Featuring a series of intriguing discussion panels and inspiring presentations from industry figures including James Chappell, Managing Director of The Bench, Terence Ronson, Founder of Pertlink, Karen Young Hay of Hays Concepts, Dids Mcdonald, Founder of ACID and Ulla Bergstrom, partner at White Arkitecter and project architect for the Clarion Hotel (this year’s venue), it allowed delegates to discuss and debate issues relevant to hospitality design.
Rozina Spinnoy, Hotel Design Co-ordinator for Rezidor SAS Hospitality summarised HI Design as “an excellent experience and a great way to communicate the importance of design for the future & today’s world. A great way to network in business & pleasure for people, …in various disciplines in the design world.”
“Where else could we come to meet a group of truly influential buyers & specifiers in a focused environment to create lasting business relationships?” said Andrew Brett, Dixon Turner Wallcoverings
Jonathan Needs concluded “The people driving competitive edge through design in the hospitality industry hardly have time for their feet to touch the ground. Their schedules are frightening! But they still need to keep up to speed with their supply base and with issues and influences specific to their industry. HI Design provides an effective platform for them to build enduring professional relationships for achieving quality design. ”
Next year’s HI Design will be taking place on 21 May – 23 May 2007. Venue to be announced shortly.
Along with their partners McLean Events, they run a total of 16 annual events, across four continents and in seven industry sectors. Please visit the website to find out more
Amongst these 16 forums, they organise the well-known family of Hotec business forums, which are now firmly established in Europe (7 years), Asia (5 years), North America and The Middle East (both 3 years). Hotec events have between them hosted most of the world’s leading hotel groups, and several hundred important suppliers to the international hospitality industry. And Sibec, another of these forums, brings together senior level operations executives and leading suppliers of the Health, Fitness and Spa industries.
Pelican Events’ main office is based at Stockley Park, Heathrow. They also have offices in Brighton and Brisbane, Australia.