The Brit List 2018: Designer profiles

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In the coming weeks, Hotel Designs will be profiling the 75 finalists in the Hotel Designs Brit List 2018. This week, we continue with profiling our winning designers in alphabetical order…

This year’s The Brit List 2018 concluded on November 22, when leading designers, hoteliers and architects gathered at BEAT London to find out which of them made it on to this year’s The Brit List 2018. The hundreds of nominees and entries were whittled down by the event’s five judges, who were:

  • Gilly Craft, President of the British Institute of Interior Design
  • Charles Leon, founder of Leon Black Architecture and Interior Design
  • Gerri Gallagher, former associate editor, Tatler
  • Lysbeth Fox, founder and director of Fox PR
  • Hamish Kilburn, editor, Hotel Designs

Top Designers 2018

Constantina Tsoutsikou – Creative Director, HBA London 

Constantia Tsoutsikou is proving herself to be a leader not only as the creative director of HBA London, but also as a true visionary in the arena of
international hotel design.

Her most recent work includes The Orient in Jerusalem and this year she has spoken at a number of international trade fairs, the most recent of which was Maison Objet in Paris.

Dexter Moren – Director, Dexter Moren Associates 

Dexter Moren is the founding director of Dexter Moren Associates (DMA) and is recognised as an industry leader in the international hotel design sector. DMA is an award-winning hotel, hospitality and residential architecture & interior design firm based in London.

DMA’s most recent projects include The Curtain and Dorsett City Hotel in Aldgate. In addition to these, the firm is also working on The Westin, City of London, as well as a hotel development in Southwark.

Emma King – Head of Interior Design (Europe) IHG 

Emma King leads the InterContinental Hotels Group’s (IHG) interior design team in Europe and is responsible for the design, development and product quality of all new openings and refurbishments. King is currently leading the design of IHG’s big capital investments including InterContinental London Park Lane, InterContinental Paris Le Grand and InterContinental Berlin, but also the launch of the hotel group’s new brand voco. She is also tasked with the integration of the innovation program at IHG, and has worked on the repositioning strategy and implementation of the new generation Holiday Inn Express, Holiday Inn and the Crowne
Plaza Brands.

King and her team have been instrumental in positioning the Hotel Indigo brand with a ‘neighbourhood story’ led design for each site. No brand has been left untouched, with IHG’s long stay offering, Staybridge Suites, also being redesigned with investment potential in mind. An interior architect by training at Cardiff University and despite over 20 years’ hotel design experience, she believes that there is always more to learn.

Fiona Thompson – Principal, Richmond International 

Richmond International has designed some of the world’s most prestigious hotel designs in locations from London to Barbados. Fiona Thompson, as the Principal of the studio, is involved in all aspects of the company, and is responsible for both the projects and the day-to-day running of the company. As the recent headline speaker at Hotel Designs Meet Up North,

Thompson continues to be an influencer as the landscape of international hotel designs continues to evolve.

Frances Blackham – Design Director, Trevillion Interiors 

Having recently led her team to complete the £6 million refurbishment of the Radisson Blu Hotel Nice and the Radisson Blu Stansted airport, including new
guestrooms, restaurants and the iconic Atrium Space and Wine Tower Bar, Trevillion Interiors has proven time and time again that it is ahead of the curve of hotel interior design.

The firm’s impressive client list includes Best Western, QHotels, Radisson Blu, Royal Garden Hotel and IHG.

Hamish Kilburn / 18.12.2018

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Fun fact: I’m usually the person friends rely on to organise trips, schedules, and group plans.

Workhighlights: Successfully coordinating events from planning through to delivery and seeing everything come together on the day.

Fun fact: I’m a keen cyclist and will happily bore people with copious amounts of cycling chat. My top cycling experience (so far) would have to be riding in the spectacular mountains of Crete.

Work highlights: Charles joined Forum Events in 2022. With a background in publishing, editorial media and events, Charles brings a wealth of experience to his role as Senior Production Manager. Having being involved with SPACE from the outset, he is excited to see the brand grow and develop.

Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
Jess studied photojournalism at London College of Communication and the Danish School of Media and Journalism and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.

Fun fact: Katy has spent years perfecting all kinds of accents and loves a good impersonation!

Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
Most recently Katy has stepped in to the role of Publisher at SPACE magazine, the printed bi-monthly publication focused on hotel design, architecture, and development.

Together these platforms offer a comprehensive 360-degree service encompassing digital media, print publishing, and live events – providing unparalleled value to advertisers, partners, and readers alike.