Paolo Rossi studied at The Faculty of Architecture, “La Sapienza” University in Rome. Following this, he started work for the international Italian firm n!studio as a Senior Architect where he was a leader in exhibition and museum design.
He joined leading multidisciplinary practice Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, (SOM) in 2010, returning briefly to Italy to establish the 3TI LAB architectural department of an engineering firm, before re-joining SOM in 2016. As an Associate and Lead Designer for SOM, Paolo has worked on a wide range of projects and competitions, including JTI Headquarters in Switzerland, the competition-winning design of a 25,000sqm HQ building overlooking Lake Geneva, completed in 2015.
He worked on Istanbul Tower in Turkey, a 55 storey 1.6 million sqft tower located on Buyukdere Caddesi in the heart of the central business district and 100 Leadenhall in London, UK, 56-storey development on the edge of the City’s Eastern Cluster.
Paolo was the lead designer, of the Allianz’ headquarters in Corso Italia, following an international design competition, which will transform the historic complex.
His most recent role has seen him join Pace in Kuwait as Associate Director, where he leads the design team across the Middle East region.
Viviana joined ZHA as a project architect in 2004, and in 2016 she was made an associate director. Her experience with the practice encompasses high-rise, residential, hospitality, cultural and transportation schemes, as well as furniture and product design. She is registered as an architect in the UK and Italy. Viviana began her studies with the University of Naples, gaining a five-year diploma in architecture, urban planning and landscape design in 2001, then gained a master’s degree from the Architectural Association in London in 2004. Her work has previously been exhibited at the Venice Art Biennale and at the Padua Architecture Biennale.
Kai-Uwe Bergmann is a Partner at BIG who brings his expertise to proposals around the globe, including work in North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Vanessa Brady OBE is an international multi-award winning interior designer, Business Consultant and Founder of the Society of British and International Design with over thirty years’ experience in B2B procurement and post analysis of the design profession.
Professor Sir Peter Cook RA, founder of Archigram, former Director the Institute for Contemporary Art, London (the ICA) and Bartlett School of Architecture at University College, London has been a pivotal figure within the global architectural world for over half a century. His ongoing contribution to architectural innovation was recognised via the conferral of an honorary doctorate in April 2010 by the Lund University, Sweden. Peter’s achievements with radical experimentalist group Archigram have been the subject of numerous publications and public exhibitions and were recognised by the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2002, when members of the group were awarded the RIBA’s highest award, the Royal Gold Medal.
In 2007, Peter was knighted by the Queen for his services to architecture. He is also a Royal Academician and a Commandeur de l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres of the French Republic. Peter is currently a Senior Fellow of the Royal College of Art, London. His professorships include those of the Royal Academy, University College London and the Hochschule fur Bildende Kunste (Staedelschule) in Frankfurt-Main, Germany.
Peter has from the very beginning made waves in architectural circles, however, it is since the construction of his Art Museum in Graz, Austria (the Kunsthaus) that his work has been brought to a wider public, a process continuing with the completion of the Vienna Business and Economics University’s Departments of Law and Central Administration Buildings and Bond University in Australia’s Abedian School of Architecture. Peter has also built in Osaka, Nagoya, Berlin, Frankfurt and Madrid.
Peter’s continuing work as a lecturer of considerable renown makes him a familiar voice within cultural institutions around the world, where many have enjoyed an opportunity to hear Peter expound (among other subjects) upon his love affair with the slithering, the swarming and the spooky.
With a wealth of experience spanning SE Asia, Europe and more recently the Middle East, Theo has delivered numerous large scale projects.
Jan is Senior Director in Philips Intellectual Property & Standards, responsible for Philips’ overall Brand Protection management, with specific focus on the PHILIPS wordmark and the Philips shield emblem. Having had several IP roles in Philips, Jan worked in Asia from 1998 till 2006 to curb regional counterfeit activities. As from January 2015, Jan manages the Brand Protection function in Philips worldwide. Jan has degrees in economics and law.
Dave Lukasik is a Brand Protection professional with over eleven years of experience developing, implementing and managing successful channel management programs for global organisations. He develops individualised, cost effective programs following a proven strategy for success. Directing the consumer to purchase authentic products, through authorised channels, at the right price has resulted in the removal of millions of dollars’ worth of unauthorised offerings and increased the opportunity for the sale of authorized products.
Dave successfully created a business case for, developed, and managed Motorola’s first global brand protection organisation. The successful endeavour at Motorola resulted in the removal of over $25M in counterfeit product annually with limited headcount and a limited budget. Dave and his team developed and managed comprehensive brand protection programs for numerous, global, organisations and has managed Brand Protection activities for the highly popular “LuMee” line of phone cases.
Roland is Managing Director and Partner of the international engineering consultancy Werner Sobek AG in Stuttgart.
In 2000, Roland started working at Werner Sobek and soon rose to be appointed first principal, then general manager, at least managing director and partner. Roland heads the department of competitions and is a specialist of project management, lightweight structures and steel constructions. He has extensive experience in various important high rise projects, such as ADAC Headquarters in Munich/Germany, the Hegau Tower in Singen/Germany and the 400 m high Olympic Tower in Nanjing/China. In addition Roland has been in charge of several complex and large-scale projects such as World Expo 2017 in Astana/Kazakhstan and the underground railway station in Stuttgart/Germany.
Since 2013, Roland has been Country Representative of the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Since 2017 he is Member of the IK-BW Committee for Competitions and Contracting.
