CHAMPALIMAUD is a full service interior design and interior planning firm specializing in distinctive hospitality design. We also provide residential and commercial design on a selective basis. Champalimaud has built a reputation for consistently achieving highly individual aesthetic results for a discerning international clientele.

In as much as the spirit of each project is defined by its design, at Champalimaud we firmly believe that successful design must be rooted in the characteristics unique to each property. Guided by the goals and aspirations of the client and the cultural context of each property, the history and location, our portfolio of completed work includes the most respectful of historic restorations to highly contemporary renovations and new constructions. Ours is a body of work uncommonly diverse and indicative of a guiding ethos that distinguishes Champalimaud from all others.

Established over 30 years ago in Montreal by Alexandra Champalimaud as Alexandra Champalimaud & Associates, ACA quickly developed a strong following among Montreal tastemakers. Important and early projects included the Gold Key award winning renovation of the iconic Chateau Frontenac (Québec City), the renovations of Montreal's Queen Elizabeth and InterContinental Hotels and the offices of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Other work included the residences of prominent Montrealers, hotel projects in India and Pakistan and a memorial monument in Israel.

In 1994, ACA relocated its head office to New York to serve a growing international client base. In New York, the firm began to establish itself as a leading hospitality design firm with the renovations of The Drake Hotel, and the closely scrutinized, celebrated and Gold Key Award winning renovation of the famed Algonquin Hotel. Today, 18 years later, Champalimaud has been privileged to touch many of New York's most successful hotels.

Guided by a long proven philosophy of allowing the project and its context to drive the design; Champalimaud is today a firm of imaginative and talented designers completing award-winning work around the globe.

We offer the following core services:
• Interior Master Planning
• Interior Design
• Exterior Concept Direction
• Sales and Marketing Support Services to Developers
• Residential Purchasing Services
• Residential Lighting Design

ALEXANDRA CHAMPALIMAUD, President & Principal Designer, founded our firm in Montreal, Canada and quickly established a reputation for developing bespoke designs of the highest caliber. Alexandra completed her design training at the Espirito Santo Foundation in Lisbon, Portugal one of the last remaining colleges teaching the tradition of European arts, crafts and techniques of historic preservation and restoration. Born and raised in Portugal, Alexandra received her early education in Switzerland and England.

Alexandra brings a dynamic intellectual curiosity and an absence of pretense to her work. Drawing upon a wealth of personal experiences and professional commissions throughout Europe, Africa, Asia and South America, her work is known for subtle references unique to her multi-faceted vantage point. With a unique talent for the application of color, pattern, texture and a seasoned understanding of the foundations and principals of classic design Alexandra remains an uncompromising aesthetic respectful of the needs of her clients and the time place and cultural context of each project.

Whilst in Montreal Alexandra served on the board of the Commissions des Biens Culturels du Québec and was an active member of Heritage Montreal. She is presently a member of the Network for Executive Women in Hospitality, the International Interior Design Association and is a past vice-president of the US-Portugal Chamber of Commerce. Alexandra and her work are regularly featured in the popular press and in 2000 Alexandra was inducted into the Platinum Circle for Lifetime Achievement by Hospitality Design magazine.

ED BAKOS joined Champalimaud in December 2012 as Managing Director. Mr. Bakos’ extensive luxury hospitality and restaurant experience, spanning 26 years, has positioned him as a leader in the design industry.

Ed is recognized for his ability to collaborate with high profile clients on complex projects to create innovative and engaging guest experiences. Past projects have included the first W Hotel, the Belvedere Hotel in Mykonos and the Cosmopolitan Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

At Champalimaud, Mr. Bakos will direct the firm’s expansion into new project categories that leverage its hospitality focus and innovative approach to create relevant and differentiated design solutions for discerning clients.

A graduate of Cornell University with a Bachelor of Architecture and a Master's in Architecture from Harvard University, Mr. Bakos worked for several years overseas teaching architecture at Cornell University’s Rome Program and at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. Ed returned to New York to join Rockwell Group, where he served as Principal and Studio Leader for 18 years.

WINSTON KONG is Principal at Champalimaud. He joined the firm in 1995 as an architectural designer and rapidly proved himself to be a strong leader and gifted designer valued by both the firm and our clients alike. From 2005 until early 2008, Winston served as Studio Head & Senior Associate leading a top-tier team and participating as an executive member in the company management.

Winston has completed substantial renovation work at the Berkeley (London, UK), the Dorchester (London, UK), the Boca Raton Resort & Club and has overseen our numerous engagements with The Blackstone Group in Europe. He is principal manager of our long-term relationship with Loews Hotels and in 2004 Winston’s work at the Loews New Orleans was honored as a Gold Key Award finalist.

In collaboration with Alexandra, Winston recently completed the adaptive reuse of Beacon Hill’s 19th century Charles Street Jail as the Liberty Hotel (Boston, MA) for developers Carpenter & Company. The Liberty Hotel was awarded the Gold Key Award Grand Prize for Best Hotel Design and an additional Gold Key Award for Best Hotel Lobby in 2008. The project also received a prestigious Merit Award from Interior Design magazine.

Winston graduated from the Pratt Institute with a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and completed a summer studio program at the University of Copenhagen. Prior to joining Champalimaud, Winston completed work with Marcelle Aizenstat Studio Interiors in Miami, Raphael Viñoly, and Columbia University’s Facilities Management Department of Engineering.

JON KASTL, LEED AP, is a Principal of Champalimaud. Jon joined the firm in early 2009 from Hart Howerton and Babey Moulton Jue & Booth (BAMO), respectively.

Jon brings in excess of 15 years experience in Hospitality, Residential and Restaurant design to Champalimaud. His previous engagements include The Four Seasons Bora Bora, The Four Seasons Resort Carmelo (Uruguay), Matsuri at the Grand Hyatt (Santiago, Chile) and The Peninsula (Chicago, IL). Jon has also completed significant residential design work throughout the United States.

Since joining Champalimaud, Jon has worked on The Green Leaf Niseko Village (Niseko, Japan) and was the lead designer on The Hotel Bel-Air (Los Angeles, CA). Currently, Jon is working on the redesign of the Waldorf Astoria New York, The Gainsborough (Bath, UK) and The Delta Toronto.

Jon received his Bachelor of Science in Design from the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning at the University of Cincinnati. He has served as a Guest Critic and Speaker at the California College of Arts (San Francisco, CA) and as a Guest Speaker at The Art Institute of California (San Francisco, CA). His work has been published in the popular press including Interior Design Magazine, Western Interiors and Design and the San Francisco Chronicle.

ELISABETH ROGOFF joined Champalimaud as a Senior Designer from Skidmore Owings & Merrill (SOM) in 2006 where she served in a similar position. Prior to SOM, Elisabeth worked with Selldorf Architects in commercial and residential design.

At Champalimaud Elisabeth has completed numerous hospitality and residential projects here and abroad including the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel (Nashville), the Westin Berlin (Germany), the Omni Berkshire Hotel (New York) and the Algonquin Hotel (New York). She is leading our interior design work at Sundance Founders Ridge (Utah). Prior to joining Champalimaud, Elisabeth participated in the design of the Little Dix Bay Hotel (Virgin Gorda, B.V.I), The Mansion on Turtle Creek (Dallas), Las Ventanas al Paraiso Spa (Los Cabos, Mexico) and the Messilah Beach Hotel and Spa (Kuwait).

Elisabeth earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology & English from the University of Texas at Austin and later, earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design from American Intercontinental University (Atlanta) in 1996.

HEE SEUNG LEE is a Senior Architectural Designer at Champalimaud. He has completed numerous projects including Hotel Bel Air (Los Angeles), St. Regis Beijing (China), suites at The Carlyle (New York), The Pierre (New York), The Dorchester Penthouse Suites (London, UK), and Warwick New York Hotel (New York).

Prior to rejoining Champalimaud in 2009, Hee Seung's experience included project management, quality control, architectural design development, and production for various premier hospitality projects. Projects included Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas, The Peninsula Tokyo, Capital Towers St. Regis - Dubai, and Canyon Ranch Spa - Bethesda, MD. His portfolio extends to restaurant/lounge and high-end residential projects in NYC.

HeeSeung received his Bachelor of Architecture from Pratt Institute School of Architecture. He has also attended architectural research studios in France and Italy.

ANTHONY CHAMPALIMAUD, is a Board Member of the firm. He has been with Champalimaud since January 2004 and served as Managing Director from January 2006 through January 2008.

Anthony is Vice President of Development for YTL Hotels and Properties. He acts presently as Owners Representative on the Gainsborough Hotel, Bath, England. The project, a 100 key redevelopment of a listed Georgian building as a 5 star hotel and spa, will be the only UK hotel to feature true thermal water baths. Previously, Anthony served as on-site Owners Representative and directed the renovation of the Green Leaf Niseko Village (Hokkaido, Japan) - a 35 year-old ski-in/ski-out hotel repositioned to reinvigorate the Niseko Village brand through a minimally invasive, high-impact renovation and rebranding plan delivered on-time and under budget.

In addition to his activities with YTL, and together with his partners, Anthony acts as asset manager and sponsor of a distressed debt investment collateralized by a prominently located South Beach, Miami, hotel. Alongside their limited partner, an established hedge fund, the group acquired the 1st Lien Mortgage on the property from its originating lender in 2011.

Anthony holds a Masters in Real Estate Development from the Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation at Columbia University (New York), a Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science from Bishops University (Quebec) and a Certificate in Hotel Operations from New York University's Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management.

Mr. Schnitzer, a sponsor of private equity transactions since 1985, founded Wand Partners in 1987. Wand is a private equity firm that invests institutional capital, principally in businesses engaged in specialty financial services, including insurance, specialty finance and hospitality real estate.

Before becoming a private equity sponsor and investor, Mr. Schnitzer was a senior executive and a Director of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE-MMC). He served as President and CEO of Marsh & McLennan, Incorporated (the world's largest insurance brokerage firm) from 1983-85 and as Chief Financial Officer of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. from 1977-82.

Prior to joining Marsh & McLennan, Mr. Schnitzer was a Vice President at JP Morgan/Morgan Guaranty Trust Company (1967-76). His last position at Morgan was Vice President and head of Mergers and Acquisitions.

Mr. Schnitzer is a director of a number of companies in which Wand and its affiliates have invested. In addition, he is a Board Member of Champalimaud Design and Menasha Corporation and is Chairman of the Institute of Human Origins.

Mr. Schnitzer graduated from the University of Texas, Austin in 1966 and received a Masters of Business Administration degree from the University of Texas, Austin in 1967.