Biography

Andreas Gylling Æbelø
Rhetorician & Speaker

Andreas Gylling Æbelø, management consultant, speaker, and opinion maker, focuses particularly on diversity and inclusion. His background includes roles such as the director of AIDS-Fondet (AIDS Foundation) and special advisor to the Helle Thorning-Schmidt government. Drawing from both leadership and societal perspectives, Andreas brings insight to the topic. With a degree in rhetoric, he is attuned to the power of language. Additionally, Andreas serves on several boards, including those of Mary Fonden, Betty Nansen Teatret, and Sex & Samfund. His achievements have earned him a place in Kraks Blå Bog (Krak’s Blue Book), a prestigious Danish reference work.

Ane Cortzen
Moderator, Main Stage / Architect, TV host & Moderator

Ane Cortzen, a Danish architect, TV host, and moderator, has held various titles throughout her career. She previously served as the Cultural Director at the design company Kähler, the Design Director at DR (Danish Broadcasting Corporation) and was a host and program developer at DR Kultur. Ane Cortzen has been associated with shows such as TV!TV!TV!, Vogternes Råd, and Søndag Live.

Since 2019, Ane Cortzen has been an independent professional, working on several programs including “Er der en arkitekt til stede” (Is There an Architect Present?), Danmarks Næste Portrætmaler (Denmark’s Next Portrait Painter), and Byernes Mester (Master of Cities). Additionally, she is the director and co-founder of Arka, an international video-based platform dedicated to discussing and showcasing architecture in an engaging manner.

Finnur Pind
Co-Founder & CEO, Treble

Dr. Finnur Pind received his MSc and PhD degrees in acoustics engineering from the Technical University of Denmark. After spending several years as an acoustics consultant in the building industry, he co-founded Treble Technologies in 2020, a tech startup that has built a next generation sound simulation platform. Treble is one of the fastest growing startups in the Nordics and the Treble platform is being used by many of the world’s leading organizations across different sectors: buildings, consumer electronics, pro-audio and automotive.

Helle Mardahl
Owner, Helle Mardahl and Arts and Crafts Specialist

A graduate of London’s Central Saint Martins, Helle Mardahl is an artist and designer whose work encompasses sculpture, installation, painting, fashion and interior design. Her work is marked by a sense of lavishness and extravagance combined with a sense of flamboyance.

As a designer, Helle Mardahl is concerned with the beauty of contrasts.

Her richly coloured designs are alive and natural, fragile yet robust, simple yet ornate.

Henning Weiß
Co-Founder, THE EMBASSIES

Henning Weiß is a seasoned hospitality professional with a passion for creating vibrant spaces. Based in Switzerland, he has over two decades of experience in the hospitality industry, with a diverse background spanning various roles and prestigious establishments.

Currently, Henning serves as the Co-Founder of THE EMBASSIES, where life never gets old. A global serviced living concept for lifestyle driven grown-ups, and radically changes the narrative on ageing presenting a new way to grow old. The concept includes an international network of individually curated communities in the world’s greatest cities providing all amenities and services for its members, residents and guests.

Prior to his entrepreneurial pursuits, Henning spent over 15 years with 25hours Hotels, a renowned hospitality brand known for its eclectic style and unconventional approach.

With a keen eye for innovation and a relentless drive for excellence, Henning Weiß continues to push the boundaries of hospitality, creating spaces that transcend the ordinary.

Jan Gehl
Architect, Urban Planner, Professor & Author

Jan Gehl, a Danish architect and urban planner, has made significant contributions to global urban development. His focus lies in analyzing and improving urban spaces. Gehl has played a crucial role in transforming traffic-heavy areas into pedestrian-friendly environments. For his efforts, he was awarded the N.L. Høyen Medal by the Akademirådet.

Since the 1960s, Jan Gehl has researched urban quality and environments. His work has resulted in several influential books, including “Life Between Buildings” (1971), Cities for People (2010), How to Study Public Life (2013), and “Den menneskelige dimension” (“The Human Dimension”, 2021).

Gehl holds positions as an adjunct professor at Aarhus School of Architecture and as a professor emeritus at The Royal Danish Academy, School of Architecture in Copenhagen. His accolades include being a Knight of the Order of Dannebrog, an honorary citizen of Sydney, and an honorary doctor at universities in Edinburgh, Toronto, Varna, and Halifax. He is also an honorary member of architectural associations in Denmark, England, Scotland, Ireland, the USA, and Canada.

Jason Steere
Managing Director of Brand & Experience, The Social Hub

Jason is the Managing Director of Brand & Experience at The Social Hub, formally The Student Hotel. With a degree in Economics, Jason’s career has taken him to international brands such as Gap and Nike before launching his agency, Storeage, to create memorable brand experiences. From here Jason took on a position as Head of Design at The Student Hotel. Now, as Managing Director, Brand & Experience, Jason has worked on a huge re-brand to formulate what we now know as The Social Hub.

The Social Hub hosts a diverse community where people come to learn, stay, work and play. The Social Hub’s leading hybrid hospitality concept is designed to welcome students, tourists, neighbours and businesspeople to create meaningful and fun experiences under one roof. From hotel facilities, student rooms and co-working spaces to auditoriums, gyms, event spaces and social initiative programme. It’s a place where people can connect and learn from one another, a place to find and build a community, where connections grow, ideas spark and change happens.

Jesper Kongshaug
Lighting Designer

Jesper Kongshaug is an award-winning lighting designer who has designed lighting for everything from theater stages and events to cultural centers and public squares both domestically and internationally. He is an adjunct professor at Kolding Design School, an associate professor at the Shanghai Theatre Academy, teaches at the Danish Design School, the National Theater School, and has taught at the prestigious Stanford University in the USA.

Jesper Kongshaug has created lighting scenography for a wide range of theater and opera productions, both at home and abroad. However, for Jesper Kongshaug, light has moved beyond the intimate spaces of the theater and opera to the architectural realm. He has, among other things, been responsible for the architectural lighting design of venues such as the Royal Danish Playhouse, the Blue Planet Aquarium, K.B. Hallen, Højbro Plads, as well as Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen. Jesper Kongshaug develops and advises on architectural lighting for several of the country’s leading architectural firms.

Johannes Torpe
Founder, Johannes Torpe Studios

Johannes Torpe is an unconventional, creative soul in every imaginable way. His career truly took off when he designed the exclusive Copenhagen nightclub NASA in 1997. Since then, he has been the creative director for Bang & Olufsen, designing stores and restaurants and developing concepts worldwide. He has assisted global brands such as Nike and the Canadian bicycle manufacturer Argon 18 with creative solutions. Recently, he designed the award-winning Restaurant LEVI in Copenhagen and collaborated with the French company Alstom to design the new Danish train for DSB.

He has designed furniture for Danish HAY, American Hayworth, and Italian Moroso, among others, and with his thought-provoking solutions, Johannes Torpe has made a difference for many brands across interior design, branding, industrial design, and architecture.

As a self-taught architect, industrial designer, lighting designer, graphic designer, professional drummer, and music producer, Johannes Torpe has a unique profile in the design industry and often refers to himself as a design activist.

Josefine Akvama Hoffmeyer
Founder & Creative Director, File Under Pop

Founder and creative director of File Under Pop, Josephine Akvama Hoffmeyer, has been following creative urges for many years. Prior to launching her first tile company in 2001, she lived a life filled with music – founding her own band, studying music in New York City and working as a choir singer for renowned Danish and international artists.

In the year 2000, Akvama Hoffmeyer left Denmark to travel out into the world. She moved to Italy, and was soon drawn to the ancient volcano Mount Etna in Sicily – the source of lava stone, which is now turned into delicate File Under Pop-tiles. In 2015, Akvama Hoffmeyer once again decided to throw herself into a creative adventure. This time, the aim was to merge solid tiles with delicate paper in the form of hand-painted wallpieces as well as a curated color universe of exclusive paint. The company was named File Under Pop, giving a nod to her love of music. Since its launch in 2015, File Under Pop has grown into a complete universe of surface design with a color universe of 96 shades complemented by a collection of vases, textile and bespoke interior solutions.

Lene Becker Bang
CEO & Founder, Laika

In 2010, Lene founded LAIKA Space Design. Lene has a background in advertising and interior design as well as in work and organizational psychology. She is the director at LAIKA, experts in processes and design for work and learning spaces. We create brain-friendly environments for work happiness that express the company’s culture and identity.

Lene is a strategic advisor and customer partner, speaker, and author of LAIKA’s books.

Malte Gormsen
Owner, Malte Gormsen Møbelsnedkeri

Master Carpenter and owner of Malte Gormsen Furniture Carpentry since 1999.

Today, Malte Gormsen Furniture Carpentry is one of the most respected carpentries in the Nordics and internationally, having managed to combine cabinetmaking and furniture carpentry in the same company. Here, the common denominator is uncompromising craftsmanship, a unique aesthetic, and strong professionalism, achieved through a combination of classic carpentry solutions and complex technology. Apprenticed with Furniture Carpenter Niels Roth Andersen.

Niklas Madsen
CEO, Superlab

For the past 10 years, Niklas, CEO of Superlab, has been actively working with “trend scouting” to determine our direction. All Superlab employees spend up to 1 hour per day reading research reports, following various studies, analyzing data from social phenomena, gathering information from various relevant sources, and visiting pioneering companies to gain deeper knowledge.

Superlab is a multidisciplinary, experimental research and design laboratory that explores digital, physical, and mental spaces. For over two decades, they have helped companies and organizations transform their brands, products, or services to prepare them for the future.

Nikoline Dyrup Carlsen
Co-Founder, Spacon & X

Danish architect Nikoline Dyrup Carlsen is the co-founder of Spacon & X, a cross-disciplinary architecture and design studio from Copenhagen that has completed projects for the likes of Hart Bageri, Noma, Georg Jensen, Space 10, and Stine Goya.

Spacon & X is an award-winning, ideas-driven design studio that prioritizes exploration, dedicated to crafting unexpected pieces, spaces, and experiences to present a world full of unimaginable possibilities.

As Spacon & X turns 10 this year, the studio continues to challenge design conventions. Projects with 3daysofdesign, Iittala, Hart Bageri, and many more are already underway for 2024.

Signe Bindslev Henriksen
Architect & Co-Founder, Space Copenhagen

Architect and co-founder of Space Copenhagen in 2005 together with partner Peter Bundgaard Rützou.

Space Copenhagen has named their approach Poetic Modernism and is an architecture – and design studio that works across multiple disciplines from interiors for hotels, restaurants, and private projects all over the world — to furniture, lighting, installations, and refined objects.

The ambition is to forge new paths by balancing opposites — classic and modern, industrial and organic, sculptural and minimal, light and shade. Duality and contrast. Curiosity as a fundamental human condition.

The studio’s intuitive approach embodies designs that are distinctively shaped by given circumstances, functional needs, and a fundamental interest in human behavior. It is a sense of and belief in a slow aesthetic that centers quality and longevity.

Among other projects, Space Copenhagen has created interiors for Toranomon Hills Hotel in Tokyo, The Largo in Porto, 64 University Place and 11 Howard Hotel in New York and The Stratford hotel in London – along with acclaimed destination restaurants such as the first Noma, Esmée, Ambra & Geranium in Copenhagen, Le Pristine and Blueness in Antwerp, Apotheosis in Tokyo. Space Copenhagen has also had an ongoing collaboration with some of the world’s leading manufacturers, creating furniture & lighting pieces for &Tradition, GUBI, Fredericia Furniture, Mater & Stellar Works.

Space Copenhagen is currently working on new hotel- and hospitality & residential projects for Rosewood Hotel Group, The Aman Group & Mori Building.

Steffen Max Høgh
Moderator, Silent Stage / Director, SustainBusiness

Steffen has spent over a decade bridging the gap between black bottom lines and a greener future. His journey began in 2014 when he founded the company 3R Kontor, where sustainability was integrated into the business from the outset. He later sold the company to HOLMRIS B8, where he served as CSR Director, leveraging his experiences as an entrepreneur, leader, and board member in sustainable business development. He also shares his knowledge and experience as a public speaker, podcast host, and author of the best-selling book “Sustainable Business.”

Today, he serves as the Director at the consultancy firm SustainBusiness, helping Danish companies achieve commercial success and enact real change through their sustainable transition. With over 200 lectures on sustainability and bottom lines under his belt, as well as conversations with over 100 experts and leaders through his podcast, “Sustainable Business,” he remains sharp and well-informed on the latest trends in sustainability and business.