Index, the Middle East’s largest and longest serving dedicated trade show for the interior design, architecture and fit-out industry, has announced its first round of speakers for the Design Talks, a key feature of the regional design calendar, to be held next month. 

 

The speakers lineup for the 2021 edition of Index Design Talks comes following last month’s confirmation of the return of the 30th edition of the fair. 

 

The event is being held at the Dubai World Trade Centre from May 31 to June 2, in-person, allowing the interiors industry to meet once again since 2019. 

 

The Design Talks have become a must-attend feature of the regional design calendar in recent years, thus bringing the most talented, creative, and successful design leaders together to share candid insights into the key dynamics being faced by the industry in this challenging time. 

 

Held over the duration of the fair, the Index Design Talks, in association with Geberit, will feature 15 distinct sessions and discussions between 50 expert speakers, with plans that 2021 will be the most relevant edition yet, said the organisers. 

 

Confirmed speakers so far, include:

•Firas Alsahin, Co-Founder & Design Director, 4SPACE Design

•Chris Barnes, Founder & Managing Director, Broadway Interiors

•Paul Bishop, Owner & Founder, Bishop Design by Paul Bishop

•Carla Conte, Founder & Creative Director, Brand Creative

•Pallavi Dean, Founder & Creative Director, Roar

•David Lessard, Partner & Design Director, H+A

•Kevin Mclachlan, Founder / CEO, Nomad|K

•Christian Merieau, Founding Partner, MMAC Design Associates

•Diane Thorsen, Design Director & Principal, Gensler

•Kristina Zanic, Owner, Kristina Zanic Design Consultants

 

This year’s Index Design Talks are highly anticipated, marrying insights from the industry’s most creative and entrepreneurial minds with a long-overdue opportunity for the whole community to re-unite, re-connect and knowledge-share once again, they stated. 

 

Attendees will be able to hear leading design experts explaining their latest thinking and expertise on everything from new aesthetic trends; the expanding opportunity to influence end-user wellbeing and safety; analysis of new commercial and legal realities and tactics for accessing established procurement channels right through to international market analysis, sourcing and business development strategies.

 

Firas Alsahin, the co-founder and design director, 4SPACE Design said: "Speaking at the Index Design Talks is a real recognition among the industry. The programme is well established and always great quality. This year I think we’re all really excited to be together again, sharing our experiences and the approaches that we've been taking to overcome the challenges of this period," stated Alsahin.

 

"It will be like a reunion, except in front of a live audience! I’m looking forward to lively debates and a real sense of industry camaraderie this year, and no-doubt we’ll all be leaving Index inspired with new ideas and takeaways from the sessions," he added.-TradeArabia News Service