ABOUT THE EVENT
Branded residences are transforming the way people purchase homes, invest in real estate, and experience hospitality. This forum will explain what branded residences truly are, how the model operates in established markets, and whether it can succeed in Southeastern Europe.
Across two days of panels and conversations, the event will explore real-world projects and market insights, focusing on how brands, design, and operational models shape both the buyer experience and the business strategy behind residential developments.
Who’s the event for?
The Branded Residences: Blueprints for Capital and Design forum is tailored for professionals shaping the future of hospitality and residential-led real estate in Southeast Europe.
We welcome:
Real estate investors and developers
Hospitality operators and brand executives
Architects, designers, and planners
Financial, legal, and commercial advisors
Brokers, sales experts, and institutional partners
This is a B2B event for decision-makers involved in branded residences, luxury real estate, and hospitality development.
Whether you’re structuring capital, designing for brand standards, or expanding your residential portfolio—this forum offers the network, insights, and strategies to guide your next move.
Why now? Why join?
Branded residences are entering a new phase in Southeast Europe. As real estate markets mature and lifestyle expectations evolve, investors and developers are looking beyond short-term returns—toward brand-led value, integrated hospitality services, and long-term asset resilience.
With Bulgaria set to join the Eurozone in 2026 and investor appetite at a peak, now is the time to align local projects with global models.
Why attend the forum?
Gain insights from global leaders in branded residences, design, and capital structuring
Understand how to navigate buyer demand, feasibility, and brand partnerships
Connect directly with key decision-makers—investors, operators, and designers shaping the regional pipeline
Learn how branding impacts real estate value, sales strategy, and legal frameworks
This is more than a conference—it’s a strategic platform for professionals building the next generation of hospitality-led residential projects.
TICKET OPTIONS
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Valid for 30 September & 1 October
€228 + €1.80 booking fee
Includes:
Full access to all panel sessions across both days
Access to networking lounges and coffee service
Priority seating in main sessions
Topics covered:
Investment models, buyer behavior, and branding strategies
Public-private coordination and destination-led development
Masterplanning, spatial storytelling, and long-term value creation go here
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Day 1 – Single Day Access
Valid for 30 September
€144 + €1.80 booking fee
Includes:
• Full access to all sessions on Day 1
• Coffee breaks and informal networking
• Entry to the Cocktail Reception
• Printed event materials
Topics covered:
• How branded residences are structured as investment products
• The role of public institutions in enabling real estate and tourism development
• Understanding today’s buyer and aligning product with demand
• Using branding and design to position and differentiate projects
• Turning development concepts into financially viable residential offerings
• Legal and operational models that govern branded real estate
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Day 2 – Single Day Access
Valid for 1 October
€125 + €1.80 booking fee
Includes:
Full access to all sessions on Day 2
Coffee breaks
Printed event materials
Topics covered:
Regional priorities for hospitality-led development and branded residences
How design and planning contribute to identity, community, and value
Certification systems and responsible investment strategies
Planning and design approaches that shape the emotional and spatial experience
Institutional perspectives on sustainable urban growth
How to get your tickets?
Individual tickets can be purchased directly through the button called “TICKET PLATFORM”. This option is intended for personal use only.
If you require an invoice or are purchasing on behalf of a company or group, please do not use the ticketing platform. Instead, contact us directly using the button below—we’ll assist you with issuing an invoice and securing your corporate access. Please specify the ticket type you would like to purchase, the quantity, and your company details.
WHO’S SPEAKING?
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Founder / CEO
Bernhard “BB” Bohnenberger is the co-founder and CEO of Discover Collection, following a distinguished 28-year tenure at Six Senses, where he served as President until mid-2019, after the brand’s acquisition by InterContinental Hotels Group.
BB’s earlier operational leadership spans prominent luxury hotels, including Hilton in Geneva and Hong Kong, Marco Polo Hongkong Hotel, Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Munich, Hotel Baur au Lac in Zurich, and The Peninsula Hong Kong.
A graduate of Ecole Hôtelière de Lausanne, he has served on its International Advisory Board since 2013 and was honoured with the school’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014
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Head of Creative
Raoul Fokké is the Head of Creative at The Orange Studio in Amsterdam, where he leads branding and creative strategy for clients across the hospitality, luxury lifestyle, and real estate sectors. With a background in marketing and a strong focus on narrative design, Raoul helps companies craft identities that feel intentional, human, and distinct—across digital platforms, physical spaces, and customer experiences.
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Managing Partner | Lead Architect
Elitsa Panayotova is Managing Partner at United Master Architects (UMA), with over two decades of experience in architectural design and strategic urban development. Her portfolio encompasses high-impact projects across Bulgaria, including Grand Hotel Varna, SiteGround Headquarters, Sofia Ring Mall, Residential Park Sofia, and Business Park Sofia, which span office, residential, commercial, hospitality, and industrial assets.
Elitsa’s work is rooted in the integration of sustainable architecture with long-term urban strategy. Alongside her design leadership, she is actively involved in shaping city policy through initiatives such as SofiaGREEN and the Clean Air Fund, promoting healthier and more resilient urban environments.
Her current focus includes hospitality and public infrastructure projects that reimagine how architecture can serve both community and context.
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Corporate Global Director Business Development
Dianne Daudin-Clavaud has nearly 20 years of international experience across the MENA region and Europe, with a career spanning hospitality, communications, business development, and investment. She began in Saudi Arabia, leading marketing for Rosewood Hotels in Riyadh and Jeddah, which set the path for her focus on hospitality-led development.
She has worked with startups, public-private initiatives, and global firms on strategic growth. In Lisbon, she co-founded an investor network, opened a restaurant, and served as General Secretary of the French tech community. She is also a board member of the American Business Group in Lisbon.
Dianne is currently Corporate Director of Global Business Development at Nobu Hospitality, where she leads global growth, partnerships, and investment strategy for the brand’s hotels and residences.
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Managing DirectorArch. Tsvetan Petrov is the Managing Director of IPA – Architecture and more, one of the leading architectural practices in Bulgaria. With a degree from the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy (UACEG) in Sofia and additional specialization at ENSA Bretagne in France, he has over 20 years of experience in large-scale urban and architectural design.
Under his leadership, IPA has grown into the country’s largest architecture and engineering firm, having completed over 800 projects and received more than 50 national and international awards. Tsvetan is recognized for his strategic role in shaping Bulgaria’s contemporary built environment and for leading the design of some of its most high-profile residential and infrastructure developments.
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Director Business Development
Dayana Kanazireva is a member of the Board of Directors at OKOL Lake Park, Bulgaria’s largest Golf & Residential community, where she leads development strategy, marketing, and sales operations. She also oversees the pre-opening phases of both the 18-hole championship golf course and the 5-star Pullman Resort Hotel (operated by Accor). The project spans 3,000 decares and integrates more than 650 residential and vacation homes alongside leisure, wellness, and educational infrastructure.
In addition to her role at OKOL Lake Park, Dayana serves on the boards of Novotel Sofia (a 4-star business hotel operated by Accor) and the American English Academy, an international K–12 school in Sofia. In addition to her work with Markan Holding, she serves as a member of the Advisory Board of the Bulgarian Council for Sustainable Development and the Regional Development Council of Samokov.
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Head of Residential Services
Iavor Perduhov is Head of Residential Services at C&W Forton in Sofia, where he leads the firm’s residential advisory platform for developers, buyers, and institutional clients. Before joining the company in 2021, he spent over a decade working in Canada's highly competitive real estate markets, where he developed a strong foundation in commercial real estate practices, complemented by forward-thinking residential expertise.
He has built successful collaborations with some of Bulgaria’s most prominent developers, including BLD, PPS, Kambanite Residential Park and Art Build Up.
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Mark Thomann is the Director of WILDING X, the landscape studio within WHY. Through his design philosophy of Art & Wilding, Mark leads projects that explore the connection between nature, culture, and human experience. His international portfolio includes gardens, cultural institutions, parks, and private residences, with a focus on landscapes that are ecologically responsive and experientially rich. He is known for his poetic, thoughtful approach to design—balancing biodiversity with beauty, and creating outdoor spaces that support both hospitality and local ecology.
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Principal
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Development & Hospitality Advisory, Founding Partner
Cătălina is a seasoned hospitality development and investment advisor with 15+ years in Eastern Europe and a track record of 50+ affiliation and management agreements. She has helped shape mixed-use and branded residence strategies on projects such as Pullman Okol Bouni + branded residences (2019–2024), Novotel Living Bucharest, upper upscale hotel in Sinaia, and an upper-upscale mountain project in Susai. Cătălina is known for aligning investor objectives with operator requirements, structuring deals, selecting brands, and guiding assets from business case to signature, while keeping a pragmatic, value-creation focus.
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Owner
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Managing Partner
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Tobias Kümmel is Partner at IBCOL Real Estate GmbH and a recognized expert in hospitality development. With extensive experience in hotel project development at Hirmer Immobilien, hospitality consulting, and advising family offices, he combines strategic insight with deep technical know-how.
Tobias is furthermore a member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC), underlining his recognized expertise in the global hospitality industry.
Holding technical degrees in management and real estate from Bauhaus University Weimar and KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Tobias brings a strong international perspective. At IBCOL, he drives the development of innovative hospitality and international projects.
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Director of Operations
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Valuation & Feasibility Specialist (CEE/SEE)
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Founder / DirectorIvaylo Lefterov is the founder and director of Aspire Hospitality, with over 25 years of experience in hospitality real estate development, architectural planning, and concept strategy. His career spans multiple international markets, including Bulgaria, Italy, Norway, Iceland, and the United States.
Ivaylo has led the development of high-end hospitality projects in partnership with brands such as Rosewood Hotels, Nobu Hotels, Six Senses, Raffles, Discover Collection, and Mandarin Oriental, guiding them from initial concept through brand alignment and operational planning.
In addition to his work at Aspire, Ivaylo serves as Executive Advisor at Northern Xplorer, a Norwegian company developing zero-emission cruise vessels, where he is responsible for creating the onboard hospitality vision.
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Development & Management Advisory, Founding Partner
Alina is a pre-opening and hotel operations specialist, graduate of ESSEC’s International Hospitality Management Program, and a two-time TopHotel Awards “Best Hotel Manager.” She has led operational ramp-ups and performance turnarounds across resort and city assets, including Corinthia Maldives, high-end mountain projects in Romania, and assignments in Păulești and Brașov that tied day-to-day operations to clear commercial goals. Alina translates brand standards into guest-loved, owner-approved operations, building service models, teams, and SOPs that support both hotel guests and branded residence owners.
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CEO
