INTERVIEW Entering a new era Greg Walton of Studio DADO explains to Rebecca Gibson how investing in the right people and prioritising clientcentric design is helping the design firm to win new projects and expand its business Originally trained as a therapy dog to bring comfort to hospice patients and the elderly, Enzo the Italian greyhound is now a familiar sight in cruise lines’ board rooms, at shipyards, onboard cruise ships and at industry events. “Enzo has become somewhat of a celebrity in the cruise world and people are always disappointed if I turn up without him!” says Greg Walton, his owner. “He’s made friends with many people in the industry and given us lots of funny moments.” Enzo has also become the mascot of Miami-based design firm Studio DADO, which was co-founded by Walton, Javier Calle, Jorge Mesa and Yohandel Ruiz in November 2016. The firm has quickly established a reputation for designing bespoke, luxury guest accommodation, dining and entertainment venues for cruise ships. “We’ve delivered designs for some of the world’s most luxurious cruise ships,” says Walton. “We’ve also had consecutive years of growth and profitability, survived a pandemic and we’re on track to achieve record financial revenue in 2024. When we started the firm, I never imagined that we would accomplish so much in a such a short space of time.” Walton attributes this success to the hard work and determination of the Studio DADO team, explaining that every individual is dedicated to pushing “ Enzo has become somewhat of a celebrity in the cruise world and people are always disappointed if I turn up without him!” 162
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