• Design, Innovation and Technology for the New Normal
• Meet over 40 international forward-thinking leaders and innovators in one virtual event
• Join our FREE Community and Networking platform

The pandemic has catalysed the rapid adoption of digital technologies to keep businesses going, information flowing and peoples connected. As life returns to normal and economies begin to slowly revive, technologies must be interweaved with human-centred design to reimagine and reinvent a better future and society.

Hong Kong Design Centre’s (HKDC) major annual event, Knowledge of Design Week (KODW), will make its debut as a virtual event for international audiences this year. With Create Hong Kong (CreateHK) of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR Government) as the Lead Sponsor, and under the theme “Designing Digital Futures for the New Normal”, KODW 2020 will be held from 26 to 29 August 2020 to explore how digital transformation and human-centric design can help us navigate uncertainty and thrive in the pandemic world.

More than 40 local and international speakers will share their views and critically relevant insights about emerging cross-industry trends, with an emphasis on the post-pandemic outlook and how design can shape change with empathy, creativity and resilience. In addition, KODW participants can automatically join a free community and networking platform which enables them to connect with speakers and start conversations with others in the KODW community, offering a unique networking aspect to the virtual event.

Throughout the 4 days, 15 free virtual thematic sessions of talks, conversations and discussions and 4 interactive virtual workshops will explore the value of design, innovation and technology relating to these key themes: Global Health and Wellbeing; AI, Big Data and Ethics; Creativity and Design Leadership; Smart Cities and Liveability; Future of Work; Brand Resilience; Retail Experience and eCommerce; Content Creation and Media; and Gen Z. Simultaneous intepretation in English, Cantonese and Putonghua is provided for most sessions.

KODW 2020 – Event Details
Date: 26 – 29 August 2020
Format: Virtual
Language: English, Cantonese and Putonghua (with simultaneous interpretation)
Registration: https://2020.kodw.org/pr
 
KODW 2020 – Key Speakers

• Eric Quint, Former Chief Brand and Design Officer of 3M Company (US), showing how to navigate change and ambiguity to drive progress and brand relevancy by collaborative creativity
• David Chow, General Manager and Partner of Global Business Services of IBM (Hong Kong), helping organisations drive AI-powered innovation and define next-gen business model through the concept of cognitive enterprise
• Romeo Durscher, Senior Director of Public Safety Integration of DJI (US), exploring how drones, AI and data-driven insights can help save lives in times of emergencies and disasters, from wildfires to the coronavirus pandemic
• Tatiana Gomez, Workplace Consultant of Herman Miller (Hong Kong), offering a sneak peak at workplace strategies and trends after Covid-19
• Carlo Ratti, Director of MIT Senseable City Lab and Founding Partner of Carlo Ratti Associati (US/Italy), world-renowned architect and innovator who will introduce CURA, an open-source project to convert shipping containers into plug-in intensive care pods for the Covid-19 pandemic
• Sean Carney, Chief Design Officer & Head of Healthcare Transformation Services of Royal Philips (The Netherlands), reimagining healthcare at the intersection of emerging design and health tech and why there is a need for decentralised healthcare
• Tim Stock, Co-Founder & Managing Partner of scenarioDNA (US), trends analysis expert discussing how to make sense of an elusive world and stay ahead in these complex times
• Simon Mitchell, Co-Founder of Sybarite (UK), unpacking luxury store design in the new-normal context
• Wes Ng, CEO & Co-Founder of CASETiFY (Hong Kong), Hong Kong-based global tech accessories brand partnering with NASA, DHL and Coca-Cola, sharing insights on connecting with millennials and Gen Z around the world through creative collaborations, customisation and the power of social media
• Alan Chan, General Manager of Group Branding Centre of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Limited (Hong Kong), discussing a predicted shift from product centric to people centric marketing strategies and how brands can increase relevancy
• SK Lam, Founder of AllRightsReserved (Hong Kong), Hong Kong-based creative studio which successfully launched its e-Commerce platform, who will explore the future of creativity, content curation and exciting possibilities for experimentation amid changes

Please download the high-resolution images of the key speakers at:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8ftt1fs1aq7bp6o/AABdI-UA1NOvvq2ZhpUo-vIBa
 
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 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 the HKDC to organise KODW and other projects to promote Hong Kong design. CreateHK’s website: www.createhk.gov.hk.
 
Media Contact
For further enquiries or interview requests, please contact:

Tiffany Ho | tiffany.ho@fleishman.com | (852) 2586 7867 / 6089 9273
Charlie So | charlie.so@fleishman.com | (852) 2586 7850 / 9326 8267
 

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