(məˈdu sən, -zən, -ˈdyu-)

adj.
1. Of, relating to, or resembling the Gorgon Medusa.
2. Of, relating to, or resembling a jellyfish.

Medusan was founded by Waad El Hadidy to create meaningful spaces and visceral experiences. Waad is an interior designer with an anthropologist’s mind. She started her design career at Starwood Capital in 2012 at the launch of three luxury and lifestyle brands, 1 Hotels, Baccarat Hotels and Resorts, and Treehouse.

A seasoned design professional, Waad has the ability to manage hospitality development projects from concept to completion while both protecting owner interests and the integrity of the design. Prior to joining Starwood Capital, Waad was a public policy researcher at NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service where she published on social change organizations and collective leadership. She holds a Masters in Social Anthropology from the University of Cambridge, UK and a degree in interior design from Parsons School of Design. Her past and current lives converge as she designs with humanity in mind.

Thriving on the urban energy of New York, Waad finds her roots in Cairo, Egypt where she admired the vernacular fabric of the city and the natural desert landscape of the rest of the country. She traveled extensively as a child and fell in love with hotels at an early age. Her first name means “Promise” and her last name “Of Steel”, so she was destined to work on buildings and their interiors.