Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA), the global hospitality design firm, has appointed Madelaine Chan to the newly created role of Principal, Strategic Partnerships. The position signals the firm’s intent to move beyond traditional design services and embed itself earlier in the project lifecycle with hotel owners and operators.
Chan, who brings more than two decades of experience across Asia-Pacific hospitality markets, will focus on articulating HBA’s integrated design capabilities to clients, translating the firm’s collective expertise into clear value propositions. Her remit includes early-stage client engagement, strategic relationship development, and market intelligence — ensuring that HBA’s creative output is aligned with commercial realities from the outset.
Evolving from service provider to strategic partner
Chris Godfrey, Co-CEO of HBA, said the appointment reflects the firm’s evolution. “Madelaine’s appointment reflects how HBA is evolving as a firm. Her experience enables deeper conversations with our clients about brand intent, commercial realities, and long-term value.”
Chan’s background spans brand differentiation and guest experience across multiple markets, positioning her to bridge commercial priorities with creative execution. She emphasised the importance of partnerships in bringing HBA’s OneHBA framework to life. “When collaborators are engaged from the beginning, design becomes more intentional and integrated,” she said.
While the role carries a global brief, it has a strong focus on the Asia-Pacific region, where markets such as Southeast Asia, Japan, and Greater China are experiencing rapid expansion. Chan noted that successful partnerships require both sensitivity to local context and clarity of brand narrative — an area where HBA is uniquely positioned.
The appointment comes as the hospitality industry increasingly demands that design firms demonstrate strategic value beyond aesthetics. HBA’s move mirrors broader trends in the sector, where owners and operators are seeking partners who understand commercial drivers, brand intent, and long-term asset performance. For more on how major groups are approaching strategic partnerships in the region, see Accor Targets 1,600 Hotels in China with Luxury Pipeline and Strategic Partnerships.
Chan’s role is expected to deepen HBA’s relationships with key clients and help the firm compete more effectively against other design-led consultancies. The strategic appointment underscores HBA’s commitment to evolving from a design service provider to a co-creator in the hospitality industry.
For travel professionals, the appointment signals that design firms are increasingly positioning themselves as strategic advisors — a shift that could influence how hotel projects are conceived and executed. As the industry continues to recover and expand, particularly in Asia-Pacific, such roles may become more common. For context on investment trends shaping the region’s hospitality landscape, see JLL's Jon Cannon: Strategic Investment Key to Thailand's Next Hospitality Era.
HBA’s move also reflects the growing importance of early-stage collaboration in hospitality design. By embedding strategic thinking at the front end of projects, the firm aims to deliver outcomes that are both commercially viable and creatively distinctive. This approach is particularly relevant in markets like Greater China and Southeast Asia, where rapid development demands a nuanced understanding of local context and global brand standards. For a related example of how global brands are adapting to local markets, see DS Group and Marriott to Launch W Hotel in Delhi NCR Aerocity by 2027.
Chan’s appointment is effective immediately, and she will be based in HBA’s Singapore office, serving as a key point of contact for clients across the region.
