#7 IBIZA

13 - 15 May, 2025
Ibiza Congress Centre / Melia Ibiza Hotel

#7 IBIZA

13 - 15 May, 2025
Ibiza Congress Centre / Melia Ibiza Hotel

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COMING TO THE COMPORTA COASTLINE

For our fifth excursion, Sessions headed to Portugal’s Atlantic Coast.

Situated in a nature reserve 90 minutes south of Lisbon Airport, Tróia Design Hotel is a contemporary resort with dazzling views over the Atlantic Ocean, Sado River and the enigmatic Arrábida Mountain.

It sits at the end of a peninsula which is fast attaining international recognition thanks to the emergence of Comporta as an upcoming destination for low-key luxury and sustainable design. Existing hotels such as SublimeQuinta da Comporta and Alma Lusa are attracting the attention of hotel investors and property developers alike. New arrivals such as JNcQUOI, Independente and Na Praia, not to mention Christian Louboutin’s Vermelho Hotel in nearby Melides, are raising the bar even further.

Its proximity to booming Lisbon and Portugal’s unspoilt Alentejo region is putting this hitherto hidden corner of Europe on the map.

Our host hotel is part of a purpose-built complex comprising light-filled guestrooms with stunning views, a fully flexible state-of-the-art conference centre and late night entertainment venue.

Our programme featured the signature Sessions mix of curated content, global game changers, local luminaries and leftfield thought leaders.

We opened with Serdar Kutucu, CEO of Slow – the collective of people, places and projects designed to cultivate ‘arts, crops and inner gardens’ from Berlin to Thailand and beyond, with several projects already underway in Portugal.

We were also joined by four explorers at the forefront of contemporary hospitality. José Antonio Uva of São Lourenço do Barrocal, Benjamin Habbel of Aethos Hotels, Rodrigo Machaz of Memmo Hotels and Gonçalo Pessoa of Sublime Hotels took to the stage for a conversation traversing a new ‘Age of Discovery’ for the Portuguese hospitality scene.

Cédric Etienne contemplated the creative possibilities of cork – the time-honoured and sustainable material for which Portugal is best known – and interior spaces as a catalyst for inner stillness.

Madeiran maestro Nini Andrade Silva, Samuel Torres de Carvalho (architect of Memmo Hotels and the forthcoming Standard Lisbon) and Jo Littlefair of Goddard Littlefair (who recently opened a studio in Porto) shared their experiences of different Portuguese locations and the perspectives they bring to global trends in design and architecture .

José Gil Duarte of Horwath HTL lifted the lid on development trends across Europe, focusing in on the hotspots of the Iberian peninsula.

Design leaders from some of the world’s biggest hotel operators: Ennismore, Hilton, IHG and Marriott discussed the future of business travel, from designing for digital nomads to reinventing event spaces.

Schedule

Tues 7 May

Guest Arrivals / Check In
14.00 Optional Boat Trip
19.30 Welcome Reception

Weds 8 May

07.00 Breakfast
09.00 Seminar
10.45 Scheduled Meetings
12.45 Lunch
14.00 Seminar
15.00 Coffee
15.20 Scheduled Meetings
17.00 Breakouts / Workshops / Free Time
1930 Dinner

Thurs 9 May

07.00 Breakfast
09.00 Seminar
10.45 Scheduled Meetings
12.45 Lunch
14.00 Seminars
15.15 Scheduled Meetings
17.00 Breakouts / Workshops / Free Time
1930 Off-Site Dinner

Fri 10 May

Guest Departures / Check Out

AGENDA

ALL DAY

ARRIVALS & CHECK-IN


14:00

SOCIAL: ‘Into The Ocean’

Dolphin watching and bird spotting on an optional boat trip along the Arrábida coast


19:30

SOCIAL: Sunset Drinks Reception & Dinner

A relaxed ‘come-as-you-are’ welcome reception with poolside ‘petiscos’ (Portuguese tapas).

07:00-09:00

Breakfast


09:30-10:30

SYMPOSIA: ‘Cultivating Curiosity’ – Serdar Kutucu, CEO – Slow


10:30

Coffee Break


10:45-12:45

SYNC: Specifier – Supplier Meetings Programme (6 x 20 min meetings)


12:45-14:00

SOCIAL: Lunch


14:00-15:00

SYMPOSIA: ‘Portuguese Perspectives’

Samuel Torres de Carvalho – STC Arquitetura
Nini Andrade Silva – Atelier Nini Andrade Silva
Jo Littlefair – Goddard Littlefair


15:00

Coffee Break


15:20-17:00

SYNC: Specifier – Supplier Meetings Programme (5 x 20 min meetings)


17:00-19:30

SUSTENANCE / Free time

Optional Workshops / Activities:

• Creativity with Cork powered by AMORIM – Cedric Etienne, Studio Corkinho
• Surf’s Up – Surfboard shaping and story sharing – Gonçalo Menezes, Immerso Hotel & Rodrigo Machaz, Memmo Hotels
• Wine Sipping & War Stories – with former BBC correspondent turned eco-lodge entrepreneur Alastair Leithead


19:30

SOCIAL: Dinner & Drinks

A civilised sit-down supper for guests to meet and mingle.

07:00-09:00

Breakfast


09:30-10:30

SYMPOSIA: ‘New Explorers in the Age of (Re-) Discovery’

José António Uva – Founder, São Lourenço do Barrocal /  Estudio Lisboa
Gonçalo Pessoa – Founder, Sublime Hotels
Benjamin Habbel – Founder, Aethos
Rodrigo Machaz – Founder & Managing Partner, Memmo Hotels


10:30

Coffee


10:40-12:45

SYNC: Specifier - Supplier Meetings Programme (6 x 20 min meetings)


12:45-14:00

SOCIAL: Lunch


14:00-14:30

SYMPOSIA: ‘Snapshot – Hotel Supply and Pipeline Synopsis’

José Gil Duarte – Horwath HTL


14:30-15:30

SYMPOSIA: ‘Designing for the Modern Business Traveller and MICE 2.0'

Mark Eacott – Global VP Design, Ennismore
Emma King – Head of Premium, Luxury and Lifestyle Design – Europe, IHG
Ana Ortega-Miranda – Senior Director Design, Marriott International
Juan Sainz de los Terreros Bustos – Director of Design, Northern & Western Europe – Hilton


15:20-17:00

SYNC / Meetings Programme (5 x 20 min meetings)


17:00-19:30

SUSTENANCE / Free time

Optional Workshops / Activities:

• Creativity with Cork powered by AMORIM – Cedric Etienne, Studio Corkinho
• Surf’s Up – Surfboard shaping and story sharing – Gonçalo Menezes, Immerso Hotel & Rodrigo Machaz, Memmo Hotels
• Wine Sipping & War Stories – with former BBC correspondent turned eco-lodge entrepreneur Alastair Leithead


19:30

SOCIAL: Farewell Dinner & Drinks

At Comporta Cafe Sol Troia https://comportacafe.pt

ALL DAY

Delegate check out / departure

*Please note all timings are subject to change.


SPEAKERS

Serdar Kutucu

CEO – Slowness

José António Uva

Founder & Owner – Estúdio Lisboa

Benjamin Habbel

Founder & CEO – Aethos

Rodrigo Machaz

Founder & Managing Partner – Memmo Hotels

Gonçalo Pessoa

Founder & CEO – Sublime Hotels

Nini Andrade Silva

Owner & Founder – Atelier Nini Andrade Silva

Jo Littefair

Co-Founder, Goddard Littlefair

Samuel Torres de Carvalho

Founder – STC Arquitetura

José Gil Duarte

Managing Partner – Horwath HTL Portugal

Ana Ortega-Miranda

Senior Director Design & Project Management – Marriott International

Emma King

Head of Premium, Luxury and Lifestyle Design - Europe – IHG

Juan Sainz de los Terrero

Director of Design - Hilton Hotels

Mark Eacott

Global VP of Design – Ennismore

Alastair Leithead

Former BBC Foreign Correspondent

Cédric Etienne

Interior Architect

Gonçalo Menezes

Creative Art Director – Inspire Capital

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