What’s New

Oct 2 2018

BODW 2018 partners with Melbourne to dive deep into the topic of design, innovation and brands

Save the date to join international masters of design and luminaries of businesses at BODW from 3-8 December 2018 at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre

[HONG KONG – 2 October 2018]

Organised by Hong Kong Design Centre, co-organised by Hong Kong Trade Development Council and sponsored by Create Hong Kong, Business of Design Week (BODW), Asia’s leading annual design event, will be held in Hong Kong from 3-8 December, 2018. Delivering a host of international innovators and creative powerhouses from across a multitude of disciplines, the 17^th edition of BODW continues to provide a platform to present the latest industry insights and to promote the wide and strategic use of design for cities, the economy, culture and the living.

The 2018 edition of BODW will take on the theme ‘Think ∙ Collaborate ∙ Create’. Presented in collaboration with partner city Melbourne – the world’s most liveable city for seven consecutive years, according to The Economist Intelligence Unit, this year’s programme will focus on design and innovation in branding, space, communication, product, culture and the city. In addition, new sessions focusing on Digital & Design, Greater Bay Area & Design and more, will be introduced this year.

Melbourne’s approach to design is thoughtful and strategic; driven by the formation of productive partnerships and deep connections; working collaboratively towards solutions; innovations and designs that inspire and create meaningful impact. These are key values that BODW endorses and looks to promote throughout the event.

BODW has invited leading design practitioners from Melbourne to present at the event, including Prof. Rob Adams AM, veteran architect and urban designer who serves as the director of city design of Melbourne; Suzanne Santos, chief customer officer of Aesop, who has been involved in the critical aspects of the brand’s successful development; Ken Wong, the founder and creative director of craft games studio Mountains; and Leah Heiss, a brilliant designer combining design research and technology to benefit the health industry.

BODW 2018 will also showcase the most influential thought leaders in design with a stellar line up of speakers including: industry leading trend forecaster Li Edelkoort from Trend Union (France); Ron Arad, industrial designer, artist architect and co-founder of Ron Arad Associates (UK); Martha Thorne, scholar and the executive director of Pritzker Architecture Prize (US); Ben van Berkel, founder and principal architect of international design network UNStudio (The Netherlands); Charles Renfro, partner of Diller Scofidio + Renfro (US); Antonio Colombo, president of Milan-based bicycle manufacturing brands Cinelli & Columbus (Italy); and Marc Cansier, founding partner of branding and design agency Marc & Chantal (Hong Kong).

The BODW City Programme, an annual creative community activation programme featuring exciting happenings, will debut in Wan Chai and other districts in Hong Kong to engage business industries and the public. As an extension of the main BODW event, the annual City Programme aims to foster stronger collaborations between local designers, businesses and brands. The annual programme will take place from November to January.

Launched in 2002, BODW has brought international design masters and the world’s most influential business figures into Hong Kong. Providing a forum for global exchange, BODW continues to champion design as a key driver of innovation and stimulus for economic growth.

For the latest information about ticketing and this year’s programme, please visit bodw.com. 

NOTES TO THE EDITOR

Details of ticket sales is now available. Register on BODW’s official website now to receive Early Bird Offer.

About Hong Kong Design Centre
Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC) is a non-profit organisation founded in 2001 as a strategic partner of the HKSAR Government in establishing Hong Kong as a centre of design excellence in Asia. HKDC continues its public mission in using design and innovation to drive value creation of business development and improve the well-being of society, through the provision of diverse innovation-oriented knowledge sharing and exchange platforms, anchored by five major work directions: CONNECT, CELEBRATE, NURTURE, ADVANCE and ENGAGE.

HKDC’s flagship programmes include Business of Design Week (since 2002) – Asia’s leading annual conference and event on Design, Innovation and Brands; DFA Awards (since 2003) – the most recognised design awards from an Asia perspective; Design Incubation Programme (since 2012) and Fashion Incubation Programme (since 2016) – 2-year incubation programmes to nurture future design and fashion entrepreneurs; FASHION ASIA HONG KONG (since 2016) – a new initiative combining conversations, interactions and cultural exchanges to energise the city’s image, and positioning it as an Asian hub for fashion trade and business development; Knowledge of Design Week (since 2006) – an annual thematic design knowledge sharing platform on how design can solve complex challenges of our society.