Paola Navone Italian design guru to star at The Hotel Show

In addition to revealing her design feature within the 'Resort Experience' a new dedicated area focusing on the region's burgeoning outdoor furniture, spa, sports and leisure sectors of the hospitality industry, renowned architect and designer Paola Navone will deliver the design keynote address at Seven Star Conference with an emphasis on design trends, sustainability, future technologies and marketing for profitability.

Maggie Moore, Exhibition Director of The Hotel Show, said:

"Working with dozens of renowned manufacturers in Italy and abroad, Navone is a sought-after interior designer and a master at making optimal use of available technology to design outstanding ranges of wooden, wicker and leather or fabric upholstered furniture, as well as tableware and interior design accessories."

Paola Navone's appearance at the 2009 Seven Star Conference is sponsored by Italian furniture manufacturer Gervasoni, which will have a major presence at the show. "Paola Navone has worked with us since 1996," says Gervasoni CEO Giovanni Gervasoni.

"From the outset, Navone's input has revolutionised our product offering and completely revitalised our company through her creative, contemporary designs which are often groundbreaking product collections."

Moore added, "Paola Navone is one of Italy's most influential and productive product and interior designers and her presence at the Seven Star Conference promises to be one of the highlights of the event. Designers and hotel industry professionals will not want to miss this opportunity to meet one of the giants of 21st century Italian design face-to-face."

Navone graduated in 1973 from the Politecnico in Turin. In 1979, she joined the well-known Italian group Alchimia, alongside the famous Ettore Sottsass and Andrea Branzi. She was a consultant for the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, posted to the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Artistic director of the companies Abet Laminati and Gervasoni, she now works for many major brands including Driade, Orizzonti, Roche Bobois, Poliform, Emu, Falper, Baxter and others.

The Hotel Show 2009, which takes place at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre, will showcase the latest products, services and technologies for all aspects of the hospitality and leisure sector. In 2008 The Hotel Show featured 1,050 exhibitors from 46 countries and attracted 13,056 key industry decision makers from 95 countries. Historically, 25% of visitors have come from outside the UAE.