Antony Cestra is an entrepreneur, design leader, and business development executive with over 20 years of experience in hospitality, luxury residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments. He brings a holistic design approach rooted in the conviction that the built environment can shape human behavior and enhance social well-being.
Educated primarily in Italy, Antony earned his first professional degree in Civil Engineering, followed by a degree in Architecture and Interior Design from La Sapienza University in Rome. He later relocated to the United States, completing a Bachelor of Architecture at the New York Institute of Technology, where he graduated magna cum laude.
From his early apprenticeship at his family’s construction company in Italy to leading cutting-edge design initiatives worldwide, Antony blends technical rigor with entrepreneurial vision, crafting environments that are innovative, impactful, and deeply meaningful.
Passionate about purposeful design, sustainability, and business strategy, he is dedicated to shaping environments that elevate the human experience while creating lasting value for people, places, and the planet.
As Partner & Chief Development Officer at Stroop Design, Antony leads business development, strategic partnerships, and global growth initiatives while contributing his design expertise to the firm’s expanding portfolio. He is instrumental in shaping Stroop’s presence across the U.S. and internationally, ensuring the delivery of projects that merge creativity, authenticity, and sustainability.
Previously, Antony served as Principal, Studio Leader, and VP of Development at Lemay_id, where he led the New York studio and guided the firm’s U.S. market expansion. He played a key role in advancing immersive, brand-centric hospitality and residential projects, while helping shape the firm’s Net Positive™ approach and broader sustainability goals.
Prior to Lemay_id, he was a Senior Associate of the celebrated Rockwell Group, where he worked on a wide array of experience-driven spaces that blend architecture, interior design, and narrative. His work there strengthened his focus on placemaking and hospitality, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to bring globally recognized concepts to life.
Earlier, at Foster + Partners, Antony served as a Project Architect, contributing to the design and delivery of high-profile projects across the globe. He was responsible for concept development, consultant coordination, and ensuring design integrity through all project phases across commercial, residential, cultural, and retail typologies.
His global experience also includes a formative collaboration with IBUKU in Southeast Asia, where he contributed to sustainable bamboo structures for local communities and the award-winning Green School, recognized by the USGBC as the greenest school on Earth.
In 2016, Antony founded Studio Antony Cestra, a design practice originally focused on high-end residential and food & beverage projects. While the studio remained dormant during his leadership roles at global firms, today it has evolved into a platform for Antony’s entrepreneurial ventures, integrating design, development, and real estate strategy with a strong emphasis on hospitality and lifestyle. Guided by a shared vision, the studio operates at the intersection of creativity and purpose, shaping environments that are both innovative and enduring in value.