Join us at blooloop’s Festival of Innovation on Thursday 16 January 2025 at 2pm GMT for a panel session exploring innovation in Blue Sky thinking.
Guest speakers Kimberly Beneville, co-founder of Beneville Studios, Sam Bompas, director of Bompas & Parr, and Ben Wilson, head of architecture and concept design at MSC Cruises will discuss how to make the business case for new ideas, how attractions work differently on cruises, top trends they’re seeing, and what the future of the industry will look like.
At the end of the session, we will also reveal the winners of the Blue Sky category in the Innovation Awards, presented with AREA15.
This session is part of the blooloop Festival of Innovation, which is taking place online from 15 to 16 January 2025. This event will gather the worldwide visitor attractions industry to explore the most innovative projects, products and organisations that are driving our sector forward.
Sessions will be available on demand for 30 days following the event.
Meet the speakers
Kimberly Beneville, co-founder, Beneville Studios
Kimberly Beneville’s work at New York City-based ‘idea manifestation machine’ Beneville Studios is driven by her background in theatre and storytelling.
Beneville started working as an actress at an early age, and when she co-founded Beneville Studios, she discovered that her passion for storytelling shone when working backstage. Beneville now focuses on the studio’s projects to create commissioned artwork and one-of-a-kind artefacts for select clients and works to make their captivating stories tangible.
Her portfolio includes contributions to The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, which provides outstanding education to previously disadvantaged girls in South Africa, and AREA15, where Beneville has played a vital role in researching and securing tenants who will be the best fit for the development.
Sam Bompas, director, Bompas & Parr
Co-founder of Bompas & Parr, Sam Bompas serves as the company’s executive creative director. He focuses on developing concepts that have wide appeal, are engaging, and newsworthy. Press recognition includes TimeOut’s ’50 Best Londoners’ and the Evening Standard’s ‘1000 Most Influential People’.
He has given keynote addresses and lectures worldwide for organisations including Google, Unilever, Diageo, and Coca-Cola, as well as the Metropolitan, Royal Academy of Arts, and V&A.
Bompas collaborates with his diverse network of historians, chemists, microbiologists, artists, musicians, art directors, flavorists, chefs, professional noses, inventors, stage illusionists, pyrotechnicians, and others to create world-first experiences.
Key projects include a fireworks show where guests could taste the fireworks as they explode above their heads, and Alcoholic Architecture and Symphony in Blue (for Johnnie Walker Blue Label) which reached 3.7 billion and over 3 billion people respectively.
Ben Wilson, head of architecture and concept design, MSC Cruises
Ben Wilson joined the New Building department of MSC Cruises in 2021 as head of architecture and Concept Design and has since overseen the successful delivery of MSC World Europa, MSC Seascape and MSC Euribia. His responsibilities for the near future include leading the ongoing development of the modern MSC Cruises brand and designing, developing, and delivering exciting new staterooms, suites, and public spaces for MSC World America and MSC World Asia.
He previously worked for SMC Design in London, a renowned interior design studio specialising in cruise ship design. Here, he worked on the award-winning Viking Cruises prototype, Viking Star, and the first new build of Saga Cruises Spirit of Discovery, for which he was awarded the inaugural Seatrade Marine Interior Design of the Year award in 2019.
Innovation Awards
The blooloop Innovation Awards, presented with AREA15, recognise the remarkable vitality, innovation, and creativity that fuels the attractions industry.
The winners of the 2024 Blue Sky category will be revealed at this session. Attendees can view all of the entries during the event and vote for their favourite to win the Public Choice Award.
Register to attend here.
