The Brit List Awards 2024 judging panel revealed

The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs’ most notable event of the year, is back for 2024 and is looking set to pack a punch! Taking place on November 6, this year’s awards will be held at London’s iconic music venue, Ministry of Sound.

If you haven’t bagged tickets for the biggest celebration of the year yet, you can do so here: Brit List Award Tickets

With 13 categories to select winners from, we have assembled some pretty impressive names from the hospitality and design industries to scrutinise this year’s entries. So let’s find out more about our judges:

The Brit List Awards 2024 judging panel: from top left: Grant Pierrus, Will Duffey, Tina Norden, Michael Bonsor, Jonny Sin, James Lohan, and Sophie Harper

James Lohan MBE, Founder, Mr & Mrs Smith

James is an entrepreneur with a background in the events industry, and the creative soul of the Mr & Mrs Smith brand. With his wife, Tamara, he conceived the first Mr & Mrs Smith guidebook in 2003, inspired by a disastrous weekend away together at a spa hotel in the Lake District. As the hotels included experienced an increase in bookings, the couple decided to capitalise by becoming a boutique travel agency, servicing their growing membership base by helping them book their trips, too. Today, ‘the travel club for hotel lovers’ has over a million members worldwide able to choose from a carefully curated, 1,800-strong collection of hotels and villas – all bookable online or by phone with its team of in-house travel specialists, based in London, New York, LA and Singapore.

Each hotel is personally vetted by Smith’s globetrotting experts and then reviewed (anonymously) by a range of actors, writers, influencers, entrepreneurs, chefs, DJs and other personalities. Past reviewers have included Lauren Laverne, Raymond Blanc, Olivia von Halle, Tom Dixon, Pandora Sykes, Tom Aikens and Stella McCartney.

James ensures consistent, high-quality execution across every Smith initiative, as well as bringing a keen strategic mind to the board and acting as global ambassador for the business. In 2023, Mr & Mrs Smith was acquired by Hyatt Hotels, giving Hyatt members the opportunity to use their loyalty points at over 750 Smith hotels so far. James received an MBE for services to the British travel industry.

Will Duffey, Head of EMEA Hotels Capital Markets, JLL

Will Duffey is the Head of EMEA Hotels Capital Markets and is based in JLL’s London office. He is responsible for running the European Hotel Capital Markets team, which spans across all the major markets of Europe, covered by a team of 50 sector specialists. The team are renowned in focusing on large, complex hospitality transactions across the region and have held the No.1 market share for the sector as rated by RCA for 2019 and 2020.

Will has far-reaching experience in the sector – from the structuring of and advising on development agreements, to joint ventures and both debt and equity transactions. He advises global and domestic clients across the capital stack on their hotel exposure in Europe and provides strategic advice on disposals and acquisitions in the region.

He has an extensive knowledge in the market and strong relationships with a number of global clients of the lodging industry and wider real estate sector. Global client relationships include; Starwood Capital, KSL, Invesco, AXA and Westmont.

Some of Will’s most notable projects have included: the sale of The Ritz, London (£700M); St Martins Lane and Sanderson Hotel, London (£255M); Andaz, Amsterdam (€120M); PJ Ziinc (ten Hilton hotels at £550M); and the acquisition of Roompot (€1BN), the largest open air hospitality business to trade in 2020.

Tina Norden, Partner & Principal, Conran and Partners

Tina is an interior designer and architect with a diverse portfolio stretching across many contexts and continents, from hotel and restaurant design to high-end residential and boutique retail projects. She is passionate about travel and loves designing spaces that enhance the enjoyment of life.

Tina leads design teams in both the UK and Hong Kong and was instrumental in building the team in Asia. She is very hands-on as she directs projects across the globe and thrives on the cultural exchange and collaboration this entails.

With every project, Tina develops the client brief by delving into the specific context and history to create a bespoke narrative and design language that tells a unique story.

She believes in style over fashion in design to ensure the result is timeless and remains fresh. With her main focus on hospitality, many of the lessons learnt from her extensive experience are applied to her other projects to create an equally experiential solution.

Tina joined the practice in 1997 and joined the board of Conran and Partners in 2016. As a Principal, Tina jointly leads the practice and its overall strategic direction through its UK and Hong Kong studios.

Grant Pierrus, Founder, Pierrus Agency

Grant Pierrus is a highly regarded creative in the interior design industry, recognised for his innovative and strategic approach. He is the Founder and Director of Pierrus Agency, a design marketing agency that represents interior designers and connects them with developers, investors and private clients. In addition, he is building a portfolio of sustainable-focused trade suppliers.

He has been featured in various publications, including the FT, Daily Mail, Telegraph, Evening Standard, and Elle Decoration. He is a patron at the V&A Museum and was also the Marketing Chair for Holiday House London, which raised funds for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

On Instagram, @GrantPierrus shares his expertise and inspires others in the field.

Grant Pierrus is a creative, innovative and strategic thinker who continues to make a positive impact in the world of interior design. Through his work with Pierrus Agency and involvement in the design community, he is a leader in the field.

Jonny Sin, Board Director, ReardonSmith Architects

As a Board Director at ReardonSmith Architects, Jonny Sin has been a driving force behind many of the firm’s most iconic projects since joining in 2011. A chartered professional and New Zealand architect with a master’s degree in construction law, Jonny is known for his leadership, collaborative nature, and dedicated work ethic. With over 20 years industry experience, he has delivered both new builds and refurbishment projects from inception to completion, including Grade II Listed heritage sites and large-scale complex developments.

A highlight of Jonny’s career is his work on The Beaumont in Mayfair, London, which was awarded “Best Hotel in the World” upon opening in 2014. During this project, Jonny collaborated with renowned artist Sir Antony Gormley to create a monumental sculpture as a living space, seamlessly blending art with architecture. Another highlight has been his work on The Dorchester Hotel, where from mid-2019, he led the design team alongside Pierre-Yves Rochon to realise the largest renovation of the Dorchester in over 30 years. In 2023, the team successfully achieved planning and listed building consent for a stunning new destination rooftop restaurant and bar.

Currently, Jonny is at the forefront of several high-profile projects in London and is overseeing the design and delivery of an ultra-luxury resort in Italy and the design of a boutique luxury hotel in Switzerland.

Michael Bonsor, Managing Director, The Chancery Rosewood

In preparation for the highly anticipated debut of The Chancery Rosewood in 2025, Michael Bonsor was appointed in November 2023 to lead the launch and operations of the hotel as Managing Director. A 10-year veteran of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, Michael began his journey with the brand as Hotel Manager of Rosewood London. He was rapidly promoted to Managing Director in 2017. Under his leadership, the High Holborn hotel established itself as one of the finest properties in the City and shifted its centre of gravity, beckoning travellers to the once lesser-known neighbourhood for the ultimate luxury hospitality experience.

Michael is recognised as an expert on the London landscape, not only in regards to travel but also in the areas of food and spirits, retail, entertainment and more, and is often sought out for speaking opportunities with prestigious brands including Bentley, Jaguar, and British Airways.

An experienced hotelier with an established track record of commercial excellence, and a firm understanding of today’s luxury lifestyle landscape, Michael has made a name for himself as an industry figurehead.

Michael was also last year’s Brit List Awards Outstanding Contribution to the Hospitality Industry winner.

Sophie Harper, Editor, Hotel Designs

Hotel Designs Editor Sophie Harper is an established travel and design journalist and has worked on some of the UK’s most reputable publications and award-winning media campaigns over the last 15 years. As both a writer and editor, Sophie has specialised in hospitality design over the last decade, and has interviewed and hosted events with some of the most influential personalities in the industry.

Sophie’s experience and knowledge have placed her in high demand as a consultant and speaker for a number of events. She currently sits on the advisory board for the Sustainable Design Summit and Hotel & Resort Design South, and regularly speaks at international events and exhibitions.

As well as taking every opportunity to discuss all aspects of hotel design with leading experts across the industry, Sophie is passionate about shedding light on topics concerning ESG, technology, and inclusivity – and actively shines the spotlight on new and upcoming design talent.

Good luck to all our entrants this year!