WAF TRENDS ASIA

In 2019, she was appointed to LIXIL Thailand where she is responsible for the strategic, commercial and operational performance of this key market, and developing all of LIXIL’s power brands – American Standard, GROHE and INAX. In 2023, her role expanded to include the Indochina market.

Under Audrey’s leadership, LIXIL Thailand has grown from strength to strength and has been recognized as Thailand’s Most Admired Brand for Sanitary ware by Brand Age magazine for seven consecutive years. Supporting excellence remains key, including supporting local Thai design student talent to go on to win the APAC Grand Prize – Hospitality at the American Standard Design Award 2022.

With over two decades of commercial and marketing experience in multinational organizations, Audrey has held senior positions at Electrolux (APAC and SEA) and United Overseas Bank (Malaysia). She holds a bachelor’s degree from University Science of Malaysia.

Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, also known as Naomi Thuy Nguyen, is one of the most well-known interior designers in Vietnam. With an open-minded and creative perspective on beauty, she sees that art and beauty can become a powerful weapon, especially for an architect.

She is now the founder of YC Interior Design, and is also better known to the public as one of three powerful judges of the reality show “Millionaire House Hunting” on VTV – (Vietnam Television is a government agency, a state broadcaster).

She has during the past 20 years participated in countless national and international projects as a Project Manager, Project Director, AA Deco Brand Director and Head of Design Division. Besides, she has also served as a key person and held accountable to lead as a Chairman in important interior design projects that marked a significant development of Vietnam.

Nikita Stephanie Yap is the Founder & CEO of Atelier Rumpum, a multidisciplinary design studio that operates at the intersection of architecture, interior design, and strategic planning. Her work is characterized by a deep commitment to sustainability and a focus on creating spaces that enhance well-being.

She holds a degree in architecture and has extensive experience in the design industry. Her innovative approach to design has earned her recognition and awards, and she continues to be a prominent figure in the design community.

Royal Pineda is the Principal Architect+CEO of ROYAL PINEDA+, the lead advocate of Modern Filipino Architecture and Design. Royal’s ‘Practical Luxury‘ design philosophy is evident in various projects in Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia, USA, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Thailand, Israel, and Dubai.

Royal’s passion is deeply rooted in his philosophy of authenticity and The Nature of Things. He is also known for distinct, responsive design and practical construction using various sustainable, energy-efficient materials and innovative technologies. He is always challenged by creating modern interpretations of the local cultural identity and fostering the Filipino Culture of Betterment.

He spearheads ROYAL PINEDA+ projects in the Modern Philippine City which include New Clark International Airport, Sacobia River Bridge, and the iconic Aquatics Center and the Athletics Stadium (Highly Commended, World Architecture Festival 2021) for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. As Overall Artistic and Theme Director, Architect Royal led the creation of Bangkota: The Philippines Pavilion for the World Expo 2020 Dubai. His compact “Pandemic House” was also shortlisted for the 2022 World Architecture Festival.

Benyapa Sirisopon, also known as AIR VAIR, is one of the most well-known interior designers in Thailand. She is a creative force, an inspiring individual, and a celebrity in the world of Thai interior design. AIR VAIR’s designs are not only breathtaking but also exude outstanding elegance and luxury. Her innovative style is a perfect blend of futuristic and classic, infused with ultra-luxury materials inspired by nature that define opulence and sophistication. With an impressive portfolio of high-end residential projects worth billions, including AP Thai Sansiri, Origin Property, Pruksa, and Eastern Star, AIR VAIR has established herself as a go-to designer for the ultra-luxury segment.

AIR VAIR has unique talent and exceptional expertise in the interior design field. She completed her undergraduate studies in industrial design at the Faculty of Architecture, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand. Her outstanding work earned her the Young Interior Designer Awards 2007 from the Interior Association of Thailand (TIDA), which marked the beginning of her successful career. AIR VAIR worked for almost 8 years as a senior interior designer at DWP, a top-tier interior design firm in Thailand with branches all over the world. Her work on luxury residential projects such as AP’s Vittorio Sukhumvit 39, Sansiri’s The Monument Sanampao, and many others earned her recognition as one of the most talented designers in the industry.

In 2015, AIR VAIR decided to start her own design firm called VAIR, where she serves as the creative director and oversees the marketing aspect of the business along with her partners.

In 2021, AIR VAIR was the youngest interior designer selected to serve on the judging panel for the TIDA Thesis Award 2021 (Interior Association of Thailand), a competition for outstanding thesis projects organized by the Association of Siamese Architects.

Antoine Besseyre des Horts is a French award-winning Designer with a holistic approach to Design and experience in various industries and markets. Throughout his multidisciplinary and international career, he has gained a strong expertise in transforming consumer insights and companies’ strategies into brand-building, iconic, disruptive, and commercially successful products and experiences.

As Leader Lixil Global Design Asia, he leads an international and multidisciplinary team with studios in Singapore and Shanghai providing creative direction to translate LIXIL brands’ -such as GROHE, American Standard and INAX – strategies into culturally relevant consumer experiences, through product, packaging, environment, and communication.

In December 2021 Antoine was recognized as a recipient of the A&D 40 under 40 2021 Awards. He has won numerous Red Dot Design Awards, IF Design Awards, Good Design Awards, Design For Asia Awards, A&D Trophy awards, ICONIC Awards, K-Design Awards and Interior Innovation Awards. In 2011, as part of the Grohe Design team, he won the prestigious Red Dot Design Team of the year Award; the highest Design accolade awarding the best team of Designers across any industries and sectors.

UPENN, Philadelphia, with Theory and Technology as a Major. She has worked for a few years in New York City with Renfro Design group, a boutique studio, with emphasis in Lighting Design.

Her experience over the years has traversed varied environments of small-scale design studios to large scale corporate offices bringing to the practice a blend of team spirit enriched with a curiosity to question the norm and empathy to give wings to one’s dreams!

She, along with Rajiv Parekh founded reD in 2004 and now also has 1 more enterprising partner – Maithili Raut.

reD’s portfolio is diverse from architectural and interior design projects in the Residential, Commercial, Hospitality, Healthcare, and Institutional sectors. Ekta is also a juror at KRVIA and BSSA – 2 design schools in Mumbai.

Nikki Hunt moved to Asia in 1990 and after brief stints in Hong Kong and Jakarta, she settled in Singapore and founded Design Intervention in 2004. Since then, the company has expanded to become one of the region’s most respected design consultancies. Her work has been published extensively both across the region and internationally and has consistently been recognised amongst the industry’s best. She has been described as a “doyenne of interior design” by Singapore’s leading interiors magazine and has been included 8 times in the Andrew Martin annual list of the World’s Top 100 Designers.