Ute Meta Bauer is an educator and curator in contemporary art, currently a Professor at the School of Art, Design and Media at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Principal Research Fellow at the NTU Centre for Contemporary Art Singapore (NTU CCA Singapore), which she led as Founding Director for over a decade. Prior, she was an Associate Professor and Director of the Programme in Art, Culture and Technology at MIT, Cambridge. She has curated significant exhibitions like the 3. Berlin Biennale for Contemporary Art (2004) and was a co-curator of Documenta 11 (2002). Focusing over the past years at the research centre on Climates. Habitats. Environments. her curated and co-curated exhibitions include "The Oceanic (2017/2018), "Trees of Life. Knowledge in Material" (2018), "The Posthuman City" (2020). In 2022, she curated the Singapore Pavilion at the 59th Venice Biennale and co-curated the 17. Istanbul Biennale. Most recently, she served as Artistic Director of the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale 2024.

Founded by Pierre Jorge Gonzalez and Judith Haase in 1999, AAS Gonzalez Haase is a Berlin-based studio with principal practices in architecture, scenography, and lighting. Their early work with Richard Gluckman and Robert Wilson for the Watermill Center in New York marked the beginning of many highly regarded projects with contemporary artists, curators, and collectors. By keeping the interplay between light and architecture at the forefront of their designs, AAS has gained a notable reputation for its spatial concepts. Their work includes major artwork installations, luxury retail interiors, residential extensions, and conversions for industrial and art-related spaces.

Niklas Bildstein Zaar approaches design through the lens of cultural anthropology. As the founder of the Berlin-based architecture studio sub, he reimagines the relationship between people and space. His transdisciplinary practice integrates insights from behavioural science with computational methodologies. Bildstein Zaar's projects, ranging from retail spaces to ephemeral installations, serve as dynamic platforms for social interaction and reflection. At sub, he combines architecture, scenography, research, and digital approaches to create spaces that inspire new ways of being.

Dr. Mahret Ifeoma Kupka is an art scholar, freelance writer, and senior curator at the Museum Angewandte Kunst in Frankfurt/Main, Germany, specialising in fashion, body, and the performative since 2013. Her work—including exhibitions, lectures, publications, and interdisciplinary projects—focuses on challenging knowledge systems, representation, and the decolonization of art, design and cultural practices in Europe and Africa. She is a member of the curatorial team at the TALKING OBJECTS LAB, serves on the advisory board of TEXTE ZUR KUNST, and is a founding member of the Neue Deutsche Museumsmacher*innen, a network of BIPoC museum practitioners in Germany. Dr. Kupka also participates in international juries and scientific panels.

In 2023 and 2024, Dr. Kupka taught design theory in the Experimental Clothing and Textile Design department at UdK Berlin and serves as a guest professor at Städelschule in Frankfurt. She holds a degree in Economics from Heidelberg University and a doctorate in Art and Media Theory from Karlsruhe University of Arts and Design.

One of the original founders of MYKITA, Moritz Krueger was 24 when the company was established in 2003. Since then, he has been responsible for the creative direction of the Berlin-based brand while also overseeing the company’s commercial expansion. With an unconventional mindset and the confidence to pursue original ideas, he has carved out a unique position for MYKITA in the world of eyewear and design, attracting a team of like-minded individuals along the way.

Today, MYKITA has a thriving global presence with 14 standalone shops, including locations in Berlin, New York, Tokyo, and Taipei. The eyewear collections are carried by top-tier optical and fashion stores in over 80 countries.

As creative director, Moritz Krueger continues to advance MYKITA's modernist vision for product design. Leading a diverse team of product designers and engineers, he has initiated and nurtured creative partnerships within the fields of art and design. These include longstanding collaborations with Maison Margiela, Moncler, and Leica, as well as projects with Helmut Lang, Monocle, and Martine Rose.

Katharina Janku is the CEO of the German subsidiary of the Swiss furniture manufacturer USM. In 2024, she also assumed global responsibility for Human Resources at USM. With a background as an art historian, she has worked in cultural and educational institutions as a marketing manager, including at the Städel Museum in Frankfurt. The modular furniture system USM Haller, originally developed for in-house use, has become synonymous with timeless design. In recent years, Janku has successfully introduced a contemporary multichannel strategy that has significantly enhanced the brand’s positive perception. She is setting the course for a sustainable transformation, paving the way for the future of the brand without losing sight of the company’s values.

Since June 2024, Nic Galway has been the Senior Vice President of Product Design at adidas. In this role, he drives the product design visual expression and direction across footwear, apparel, accessories, materials, and graphics, shaping the overall brand identity. Over his tenure, he has led major collaborations with Yohji Yamamoto, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Stella McCartney, Raf Simons, and Rick Owens, and overseen the design of iconic models like NMD, QASA, Human Race, and Yeezy 750 & 350. He also led the creative refresh of adidas Originals flagship stores and brand communications.

Recognised for his impact on global fashion, Nic was inducted into the BOF500 in 2017. He joined adidas in 1999 after a career in industrial and automotive design and holds a Bachelor of Art & Design with first-class honours from Coventry University, UK.

Alexandre Arnault is executive vice president of product and communications at Tiffany & Co. Mr. Arnault assumed this position and joined Tiffany & Co. in January 2021. Mr. Arnault started his career in the United States in strategic consulting at McKinsey & Company, then in private equity at KKR in New York.  He then joined LVMH and Groupe Arnault to focus on digital innovation. In this capacity, Mr. Arnault participated in the definition and implementation of a strategy to address the challenges of the development of e-commerce in the high-quality products sector. More recently, Mr. Arnault served as chief executive officer of RIMOWA after initiating and leading its acquisition by LVMH in January 2017. Over the past four years, he successfully repositioned RIMOWA and elevated its brand image. At Tiffany & Co., Mr. Arnault has guided the repositioning of the brand through modern and innovative communications campaigns, as well as a focus on elevated and expanded product offerings. 

Mr. Arnault graduated from École Telecom ParisTech and holds a master’s degree from École Polytechnique. 

Hugues Bonnet-Masimbert is CEO of RIMOWA, a global leader in premium luggage. The historic German company was founded in Cologne in 1898 and has been part of LVMH since 2017. With more than 25 years at the LVMH Group, Hugues has held executive positions within five LVMH Maisons: Loewe, Celine, Louis Vuitton, Berluti, and RIMOWA. After joining RIMOWA as Executive Vice President Sales & Client Operations in 2018, he initiated and oversaw the repositioning of its distribution, along with the creation and rapid development of its e-commerce operations. He was appointed CEO in January, 2021.