Brad Wilson grew up working for his mother in events and catering, and later opened a family-owned group of artisanal American bakeries. A graduate of Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, Wilson’s first jobs with major hospitality brands like Hilton International, Park Hyatt, and Westin honed his instincts, but he missed the creative spirit he was weaned on. He was recruited to launch the first W Hotel and helped guide the fledgling Starwood brand’s early days, rising to Vice President of Operation for W Worldwide, overseeing 20 properties and a corporate team of support and creative staff. From there, he helped build James Hotels from the ground up, serving as CEO and introducing sophisticated, warm, modernist design principles, focused on organic materiality and authentic craft details.

Today, Wilson is president and co-partner of Atelier Ace and the Ace Hotel Group, where he oversees growth and operations, and helps create new hotels, brands, and collaborative projects. Back to his roots, surrounded by innovative energy, he joins the Atelier team in developing culture and creative processes that seek to transform the industry.