At ‘Global Design Reset,’ Business of Design Week 2021: Centres on Moving Forward and Building a Better Post-Pandemic World

Over 80 speakers from leading innovative companies such as Animoca Brands, Archi-Tectonics, Cathay Pacific Airways, Christie’s, Daikoku Design Institute, Epic Games, Elevate, FILA China, Heatherwick Studio, Herzog & de Meuron, Het Nieuwe Instituut, Jason Bruges Studio, JLL, Lenovo Group, Massive Change Network, MillerKnoll, MPlus Museum Limited, Power Station of Art, Refik Anadol Studio, Six Senses Hotels Resorts & Spa, Snøhetta, Studio Zhu-Pei, Tatler Asia Group, The Coca-Cola Company, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, World’s 50 Best Restaurants, Xiaomi, and many more

Business of Design Week (BODW) 2021, Asia’s premier annual event on design, innovation and brands since 2002 organised by Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC), presents an exciting line-up of key panel sessions drawing on the theme ‘Global Design Reset’, signifying the need for fresh thinking, decisive leadership and collaborative creativity across disciplines as we continue to navigate in a state of flux under the new normal. Over 80 renowned brand leaders, design masters and entrepreneurs from various sectors in Hong Kong, Asia as well as overseas will inform and inspire audiences on how to look beyond the present as the world collectively moves into our post-pandemic future.

Following last year’s success, the BODW 2021 Summit on 1 – 4 December will be held as a hybrid programme simulcast online, with selected sessions streamed on ViuTV, social media, and partner locations. The curated programme will explore eight main pillars of topics relevant to our society today, namely Brand Rejuvenation, Connected Health and Wellbeing, Creative Mindset & Innovation Leadership, Culture & the City, Designing an Intelligent Future, Hospitality with Purpose, New Urban Models, and Phygital Reality.

With the UK and ViuTV as strategic partners, BODW 2021: Global Design Reset aims to shine a light on how we can thrive amid crisis, co-create a sustainable future, and make meaningful impact through human-centred design and techology.

Among the livestreamed panel sessions, those slated for live broadcast on ViuTV Channel 96 are:

• Keynote: How Design Changes the World (1 December, 8:20pm – 8:40pm) – Quality of life and respect for nature are complementary goals. Built projects that convey urban prosperity, sustainability, and human wellbeing can address the growing challenges of urbanisation. Here, world-renowned design guru Bruce Mau (Chief Executive Officer, Massive Change Network and Founder, Bruce Mau Design, US), talks about how designing for nature is synonymous to designing for success, with Dr Joseph Wong (Executive Director, Hong Kong Design Centre, HK) and Darren Chuckry (Chair HK of Marketing Society and Managing Partner of HK Initiative, HK) to moderate.

• Media Disruptions (1 December, 8:40pm – 9:20pm) – Moderated by Julia Clyne (Head of Media Sales & The Trust, APAC, at Dow Jones, HK), this discussion brings together media heavyweights, James Chambers (Asia Editor & HK Bureau Chief, Monocle, HK), Lofai Lo (Director & General Manager, ViuTV, HK), and Michel Lamunière (Chairman & CEO, Tatler Asia Group, HK), to share insights on creative programming and the future of print, digital, and broadcast media.

• Future Mobility & Transportation (1 December, 9:20pm – 10:00pm) – With the advent of AI and IoT, we live in a world where seamless connectivity and autonomous navigation are fast becoming a reality. This panel gathers Paul Priestman (Designer & Chairman, PriestmanGoode, UK), Andrew Mead (Head of Architecture, MTR Corporation Limited, HK), and Edward Bell (General Manager of Brand, Insights, and Marketing Communications of Cathay Pacific Airways, HK) to discuss how integrated design and technologies are shaping the future of mobility and the economy, with Annouchka Behrmann (Head of Brand, Edelman Hong Kong and Chairperson, PRHK) to moderate.

• Sustainable Hospitality: Making Sustainability Palatable (2 December, 8:00pm – 8:35pm) – With sustainable food systems gaining ground in Asia and across the world, leading restaurateurs are eager to make their mark in this space and help reverse climate change. Peggy Chan (Principal Chef-Consultant of Grassroots Initiatives and Executive Director of Zero Foodprint Asia, HK) and Richard Ekkebus (Director of Culinary Operations and F&B, The Landmark Mandarin Oriental, HK) talk about advancing the new normal in hospitality with well-respected food writer and moderator Janice Leung Hayes (Food writer, Producer & Sustainability Advocate, Honestly Green, HK).

• Keynote: Rewilding Urban Space (2 December, 9:05pm – 9:25pm) – Cities as well as businesses are increasingly aware of dwellers’ desire for access to green spaces. Keynote speaker Thomas Heatherwick CBE (Founder, Heatherwick Studio, UK) discusses future trends in urban models with moderator Prof. Eric Schuldenfrei (Founding Partner, ESKYIU and Head of the Department of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong, HK).

• Creative Placemaking of the World (2 December, 9:25pm – 10:00pm) – Moderated by Alexandra Seno (Founding Partner, AXS Asia Partners, HK), this panel delves into cultural strategies and initiatives specifically crafted to improve the built environment and create more vibrant and inclusive spaces, together with Robert Greenwood (Partner and Managing Director Asia , Snøhetta, HK) and Zhu Pei (Dean, Professor of Central Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture and Founder of Studio Zhu-Pei, Mainland China).

• Talking to Refik Anadol: Mastering the Craft of Crypto Creation (3 December, 3:30pm – 4:00pm) – Learn about the emerging trends worth watching in the world of fine art, such as crypto assets and digital art, with Sara Mao (Director of Christie’s Education Asia Pacific, Vice President and Auctioneer at Christie’s, HK) and Refik Anadol (Director & Media Artist at RAS.Refik Anadol Studio, US) in a discussion moderated by Jehan Chu (Co-founder & Managing Partner, Kenetic, HK).

• Unlocking Potential in Metaverse (3 December, 8:00pm – 9:00pm) – The line between physical and digital is rapidly blurring. In this panel, Bernt Johannessen (Industry Manager, Epic Games, Sweden), Henri Arslanian (Crypto Leader & Partner, PwC Hong Kong, HK), and Yat Siu (Co-Founder & Chairman, Animoca Brands, HK) discuss the fusion of these two worlds in the metaverse, and how this influences our lived experiences and economic activities, with moderator Darren Chuckry ( Chair HK of Marketing Society and Managing Partner of HK Initiative, HK).

• Carving Out Future WorkSpace and Living (4 December, 8:00pm – 8:55pm) – Offices and built environments are fast adapting to our working habits and redefining the nature of work with a new digital infrastructure. Moderator Dr Edmund Lee (Former Executive Director, Hong Kong Design Centre, HK) explores the future of work and living with Prof. Jeremy Myerson (Director of WORKTECH Academy, UK), Jesper Jos Olsson (Group CEO & Founding Partner, White Peak & Stey, Mainland China), Ryan Anderson (VP of Global Research and Insights, MillerKnoll, US), and Tiffany Lau (Executive Director, APAC Head of Urban Ecosystems, JLL, HK).

Attracting a global audience of over 380,000 to exchange ideas and explore new business opportunities last year, BODW 2021 is accompanied by a series of concurrent citywide events with partners and collaborators. They include deTour (26 November to 12 December), BODW CityProg (27 November to 5 December), Fashion Asia Hong Kong (30 November to 7 December), DFA Awards, DesignInspire, Business of IP Asia Forum (2 – 3 December), Congress of the International Association of Societies of Design Research (IASDR) (5 – 9 December) and Guangzhou Design Week (9 – 12 December), etc. to foster a citywide design vibe and raise Hong Kong’s status as an international hub of design excellence.

BODW is organised by Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC) and co-organised by Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), with Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR Government) as the Lead Sponsor.

Participants can physically attend the BODW 2021 Summit in Hong Kong by ticket purchase. An Early Bird Premium Package is offered until 14 November at only HKD 360 (original price: HKD 600), which allows participants access to all forum sessions on one full day of their choice from 2 to 4 December. BODW 2020 Full Pass and Premium Pass holders can also enjoy a 50 percent discount on these tickets.

For registration and programme updates of BODW 2021, please visit the official website at 2021.bodw.com and follow BODW on the following social media channels: Facebook (bodw+), Instagram (@bodwplus), Twitter (@bodwplus), LinkedIn (bodw+) and YouTube (bodw+ ). Registrants can also sign up to become a bodw+ member free of charge and enjoy exclusive content, access to Knowledge of Design Week’s and Business of Design Week’s archives, and more.

About Hong Kong Design Centre

Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC) is a non-governmental organisation, and was founded in 2001 as a strategic partner of the HKSAR Government in establishing Hong Kong as an international centre of design excellence in Asia. Our public mission is to promote wider and strategic use of design and design thinking to create business value and improve societal well-being, with the aim of advancing Hong Kong as an international design centre in Asia. Learn more about us at www.hkdesigncentre.org.

About Business of Design Week (BODW)

Asia’s premier annual event on design, innovation and brands since 2002, Business of Design Week (BODW) organised by Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC) gathers some of the world’s foremost design masters, brand leaders and entrepreneurs from Hong Kong as well as overseas, driving discourse on the value of design and innovation to inspire global audiences and explore new business opportunities.

About bodw+

Launched by Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC), bodw+ originates from Business of Design Week (BODW), Asia’s premier annual event on design, innovation and brands since 2002. bodw+ is an interactive design knowledge platform that promotes and celebrates design excellence, inspiring and engaging the local and international design community. It is envisioned to become Asia’s leading online design portal, providing evergreen content, featuring the latest insights on seminal design trends, and exclusive interviews with creative leaders and emerging talents.

About Create Hong Kong

Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) is a dedicated agency set up by the HKSAR Government in June 2009. It is under the Communications and Creative Industries Branch of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau and dedicated to spearheading the development of creative industries in Hong Kong. Its strategic foci are nurturing talent and facilitating start-ups, exploring markets, and promoting Hong Kong as Asia’s creative capital and fostering a creative atmosphere in the community. CreateHK sponsors HKDC to organise the Business of Design Week (BODW) and other projects to promote Hong Kong design. CreateHK’s website: www.createhk.gov.hk.

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For further enquiries or interview requests, please contact:

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Manica Tiglao +852 2807 0899 [email protected]

Matthew Lai +852 2807 1119 [email protected]

Disclaimer: Create Hong Kong of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides funding support to the project only, and does not otherwise take part in the project. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials/events (or by members of the project team) are those of the project organizers only and do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Communications and Creative Industries Branch of the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, CreateHong Kong, the CreateSmartInitiative Secretariat or the CreateSmartInitiative Vetting Committee.