Jury 2026

Daniel Hopwood established his own design studio over 27 years ago. Based in London the studio specialises in residential and commercial design around the world. His work is frequently published in the British press. Daniel has a degree in Architecture and is an alumni of the Prince of Wales Institute of Architecture. He is a registered interior designer with the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID), where he was president for two years and advocated to improve professionalism in the design world. He is a liveryman of The Furniture Makers’ Company and chairs the Bespoke Guild Mark committee. As a visiting tutor to design schools, he also encourages and mentors young designers in the industry. He has worked on several series with the BBC and Channel 4 which have been televised worldwide.

Thomas Seifert holds a Master’s degree in Interior Architecture from the University of Antwerp (2011) and a degree in Business Economics from the Antwerp Management School (2013). After several years of professional practice as an interior architect, working on private residences and hospitality projects, he developed extensive expertise in BIM and project management. He is currently a consultant at SECO Belgium, serving as a Project Engineer in Fire Safety. Thomas is president of ECIA since September 2025.

Maurizio Favetta is an international architect and designer, based in Milan, Italy, deep thinking authority, innovation executive and advisor, leader for change, Maurizio has worked with leader brands, industries, private clients, and researchers to explore new and innovative trends in the development of public, commercial and residential spaces. Maurizio’s work focuses on disruptive innovation in style, applied cinematic vision to projects, advanced materials, virtual and fiction realities. He has helped companies like Swatch, Vodafone, Wind, Lavazza, Sector, Saudi Telecom, Cosmote Greece, Naima Group, to understand what’s coming in the future of retail; In hospitality have developed projects for JW Marriott and Rotana hotel chains, in aviation he worked for Saudi Arabian Airlines and collaborated with Agusta Westand on a new version of 138 and 189 Helicopters. In residential sector have worked mainly in middle east countries and South of France realizing residential complex and villas. Maurizio’s engage audiences with provocative and illuminating insights on how to prepare for–and thrive in–our rapidly changing landscape, and how technology and sustainability are changing the ways we live, work, and conduct business. An explorer of geographies and cultures, Maurizio is working splits between Italy and the countries were projects are running: Current projects are in France, Montecarlo, Spain, Croatia, Montenegro, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates. He is founder and leader figure in KINGSIZE Architects, a company that links business, cultural and industrial selective audience, to built smart design and lifestyle opportunities in non traditional and creative way.