6 - 14 july 2019

Michael Thomson | Design Connect

Program Board Design talks Business Summit

As an independent design strategist and facilitator, Michael helps teams, businesses and organisations around the world evolve their visions and strategies for growth. As President of the Bureau of European Design Associations, Michael initiated and led the high-level lobbying that persuaded the European Commission to include design in its Innovation Strategy in 2010 and subsequently authored its seminal report, ‘Design for Growth and Prosperity’. A former Board member of the World Design Organisation, Michael created and directed ‘Shaping the Global Design Agenda’, the first ever international conference on national design policy held as a part of Torino World Design Capital 2008. In 2103, Michael was appointed the inaugural Japan Design Ambassador by the Japan Institute of Design Promotion and in 2014 he became an Honorary Fellow of Aalto University. The University of Brighton recently awarded Michael an Honorary Doctorate in recognition of his significant contribution to design.