Singapore – Hospitality design firm HBA (Hirsch Bedner Associates) has appointed Madelaine Chan as Principal, Strategic Partnerships, a newly created leadership role aimed at strengthening client engagement and supporting the firm’s integrated global design strategy.
The appointment comes as HBA advances its OneHBA framework, which brings together the firm’s design disciplines under a unified platform.
In her new role, Chan will work with hotel owners and operators to align HBA’s multidisciplinary capabilities with clients’ commercial and brand objectives from the earliest stages of development.
Reporting directly to HBA’s co-CEOs, Chan will focus on strategic relationship development, early-stage client engagement, and market intelligence as the firm seeks to deepen its role as a long-term strategic partner within the hospitality sector.
Chris Godfrey, Co-CEO of HBA, said the appointment reflects the firm’s broader 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. This role strengthens our ability to listen, align, and respond thoughtfully as the industry continues to change.”
Chan brings more than two decades of experience across Asia-Pacific, having worked with global hospitality organisations spanning luxury, lifestyle, and experiential hospitality.
Her expertise includes brand differentiation, portfolio strategy, and guest experience.
“Partnerships are what bring OneHBA to life,” Chan said. “When collaborators are engaged from the beginning, design becomes more intentional and integrated, moving beyond transactional delivery toward shaping outcomes alongside our clients.”
While global in remit, the position will have a strong focus on Asia-Pacific, where HBA sees growing demand across Southeast Asia, Japan, and Greater China for hospitality projects that balance local market insights with international brand consistency.
“Guest expectations are becoming more refined,” Chan added. “Successful partnerships require both sensitivity to local context and clarity of brand narrative, an area where HBA is uniquely positioned.”
Founded in 1965, HBA operates 29 offices across four regions and provides hospitality design services in more than 80 countries.
