Paul Wainwright

Paul Wainwright is a brand-focused hospitality designer with over 15 years of experience. His career has spanned nightclubs in Hong Kong, boutique restaurants in Europe, and major global F&B brands. With an architectural background, he moved into hospitality while working in Sydney, before returning to the UK to join London’s leading agencies. As Design Director at Harrison, Paul led the Design for the US office before taking on the Asia Pacific region and his current role as Design Director for Viet Thai International (VTI). He oversees strategic brand development, concept creation, and rollouts across Asia Pacific. Paul works with clients such as Hilton, Nando’s, and Highlands Coffee, ensuring seamless integration of brand and operations while expanding into emerging markets. He is currently helping Highlands Coffee optimise design and operations to support rapid expansion, targeting up to 2,000 new stores annually across Southeast Asia.