HKDC Unveils Global Speakers for its Business of Design Week (BODW) 2014 in Beijing
Including David Polfeldt, Don Norman, Ho Kwon Ping, Lars Falk, Margareta van den Bosch, Peder Clason, Shigeru Ban and Tommy Palm
(from left) Ms. Elina Lee, Director, Partnership & Marketing Communications of Hong Kong Design Centre, Mr. Song Tao, former speaker from BODW, Ms. Elaine Chow, Director, Programme of BODW 2014, Mr. Jörgen Halldin, Swedish Consul-General in Hong Kong and Macao SAR, Dr. Edmund Lee, Executive Director of Hong Kong Design Centre, Mr. Lars Fredén, Ambassador of Sweden and Mr. Liu Feng, former speaker from BODW attended BODW 2014 press briefing at the Swedish residence of Ambassador of Sweden in Beijing.
[BEIJING - September 19, 2014] Hong Kong Business of Design Week, has been Asia's leading annual event on design, innovation and brands since 2002. Every year, BODW partners with a different country to bring the best and brightest creative minds to Hong Kong, in order to discuss the design logic behind their innovative, successful products and services. Previous partner countries include: Belgium, Japan, the Netherlands and England.
Organised by Hong Kong Design Centre, BODW has lined up stellar speakers this year, and serve as a global platform for cooperation and exchange. For the first time, BODW is teaming up with a previous partner country: attendees and industry leaders had such a positive experience hearing from Sweden's brightest designers in 2004, HKDC believes that local and international participants will enjoy another collaboration between Sweden and Business of Design Week.
Business of Design Week presents its press briefing today at the Swedish residence of Ambassador of Sweden in Beijing, and is officially commenced by the Guests of Honour Mr. Lars Fredén, Ambassador of Sweden and Dr. Edmund Lee, Hong Kong Design Centre’s Executive Director. Other guests including Mr. Jörgen Halldin, Swedish Consul-General in Hong Kong and Macao SAR and Ms. Elaine Chow, Director, Programme of BODW 2014, have also attended.
Stellar Speakers from Sweden and Beyond
Speakers from Sweden who will grace the BODW this year include Swedish designer Lars Falk, Vice President of Design for Volvo Cars, China, Peder Clason, Absolut Vodka’s Director of Brand Strategy, Tommy Palm, games guru of King, the company behind Candy Crush Saga, David Polfeldt, CEO of Massive Entertainment, the company behind the upcoming role-play game Tom Clancy’s The Division, Marcus Engman, Head of Design at IKEA of Sweden, Margareta van den Bosch and Catarina Midby, H&M's Creative Advisor and Head of Fashion and Sustainability Communication, respectively. A number of other award-winning experts from around the world will be also invited, such as Ho Kwon Ping,
Founder & Executive Chairman of Banyan Trees Holdings, Prof. Don Norman, Director of Design Lab at University of California, San Diego and Co-founder & Principal of Nielsen Norman Group, Shigeru Ban, Architect and Founder of Shigeru Ban Architects who also awarded for the 2014 Pritzker Architecture Prize, Aaron Yung-Chen, internationally-acclaimed graphic artist from Taiwan, as well as Koen Olthuis, Founder of Waterstudio. Bringing the best of the global creative world to Hong Kong, BODW is returning this December for its 13th year in order to encourage businesses to unleash the power of design by focusing on the vital relationship and complex interplay between design and business.
(from left) Mr. Lars Fredén, Ambassador of Sweden and Dr. Edmund Lee, Executive Director of Hong Kong Design Centre attended the BODW 2014 Beijing press briefing as Guests of Honour.
A Platform for Global Exchange and Knowledge Sharing
The design conference will be kicked off with the session “Technology for Design” on 1st December. Under the theme “Global Game Business & Innovations”, a pair of Swedish gaming tycoons,
Tommy Palm of King, the company that created the most popular games hitting the top spot of digital and mobile - Candy Crush Saga and David Polfeldt, the CEO of Massive Entertainment, the company which designed the forthcoming role-playing game Tom Clancy's The Division, will discuss how pairing design thinking with business sense optimises deliverables, user experience and ultimately, how combining the two schools of thought help their bottom line. Dr. Edmund Lee, Hong Kong Design Centre’s Executive Director believes the BODW will bring forward-looking visions to the design and innovation industry in Hong Kong, mainland China and the world.
Through this global platform of knowledge sharing and business cooperation, participants gain first-hand and innovative ideas for development and foresight into future trends ahead of others. It is also vital for Hong Kong designers to showcase its strength in design and learn from the valuable experience of other countries.
Sweden & HKDC: Celebrating 10 Years of Partnership
Hong Kong Design Centre is teaming up with Sweden this year to bring a group of reputable Swedish designers and innovators to the event. Sweden was BODW’s partner country back in 2004. 10 years on, this ever-progressive country is yet again invited to showcase their great achievements made during the past decade, under the theme “Living Design: Live It, Work It, Wear It, Do It”. Mr. Jörgen Halldin, Swedish Consul-General in Hong Kong and Macao SAR expresses that they are enthused to join hands again with Hong Kong Design Centre.
Hong Kong is really important being the first place where Swedish companies set foot in the Asian and Chinese markets. Swedes’ design focuses on more than just aesthetics: it's a way of living life, expressing one's fusion of style and function during day-to-day activities. Many of their most iconic products (such as products from Volvo, IKEA, Electrolux, Ericsson and Scania) are smart, sustainable and ultimately, practical-yet-stylish.
Since Sweden is one of the frontrunners in consumption and production of organic produce, green technology and organic fabrics, one of this year’s BODW themes will be 'Designing for a Sustainable Future'.
(from left) Dr. Edmund Lee, Executive Director of Hong Kong Design Centre and Ms. Elaine Chow, Director, Programme of BODW 2014 were interviewed by Beijing media about BODW 2014.
Awards Presentation and Exhibitions in Recognition of Design Talents
To honour and recognise those who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to promoting design excellence and have generated business success through innovative designs, a series of awards including DFA Lifetime Achievement Award (DFALAA), Design Leadership Award (DLA), World’s Outstanding Chinese Designer (WOCD), Design For Asia Awards (DFA Awards) and Hong Kong Young Design Talent Award (HKYDTA) will be presented during the week of BODW. The remarkable achievements of these brilliant design works will also be showcased in “Inno Design Tech Expo”.
Lastly, BODW also appreciates for the overwhelming support from W Hong Kong which being the Media Partner Hotel, by offering accommodation for international media, inviting the unique role of W INSIDER – the Hotel’s ambassador that is always on the lookout for everything cool and next in Hong Kong – as the press conference host, offering full support for VIP hospitality for speakers at HKCEC, as well as providing a Swedish themed food promotion-crossover with local designers in December.
From now on, BODW is offering over 30% promotional registration until November 1, 2014. Act now and register! Please visit http://www.bodw.com for enquiries and registration.
If you want to get inspired by business leaders and design masters from all around the world, and stay on top of the latest ideas in design, technology and brand management, BODW 2014 is definitely an event not to miss!
About Business of Design Week
The Hong Kong Design Centre has been the organiser of Business of Design Week (BODW) since 2002. It is an annual international event aimed at promoting design and strengthening ties between the design and business communities. Each year, BODW attracts design and business elites from around the world to Hong Kong. The world's attention is drawn to current design issues through various international forums, exhibitions and outreach activities tailored to provide designers, business leaders, educators, SMEs and the public with communication opportunities to build strong business and commercial development. It is a world-class platform for the exchange of ideas, and an internationally renowned annual design event.
About Hong Kong Design Centre
Design for Society is the major undertaking of Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC). HKDC is a non-profit organisation and a strategic partner of the HKSAR Government in developing Hong Kong as an international design hub in Asia. Since 2002, HKDC has been on a public mission to (i) champion strategic and wider use of design for creating business value and community benefits; (ii) promote and celebrate design excellence; and (iii) educate the professions and the community to be resourceful champions for sustained developments through design and innovation.
This press release is issued by Mazarine Asia Pacific on behalf of the Hong Kong Design Centre. For further media enquiries, please contact:
Mazarine Asia Pacific
Esther Chan Nancy Chan
Tel: 3678 0109 Tel: 3101 4683
Fax: 3101 4681 Fax: 3101 4681
Email: esther.chan@mazarineap.com Email: nancy.chan@mazarineap.com
Hong Kong Design Centre
Wing Cheung
Tel: 3793 8403
Fax: 2892 2621
Email: wing.cheung@hkdesigncentre.org
