Business of Design Week 2021 Kicks Off, with Over 80 Speakers Across Sectors Uncovering Big Ideas for Rebuilding Our Post-Pandemic World

Join the Big Conversation on 'Global Design Reset': Over 30 Sessions Simulcast Online and on ViuTV, Covering timely topics like Brand Rejuvenation, Hospitality with Purpose, and Connected Health and Wellbeing

HONG KONG, Dec. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 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), officially kicked-off its 19^th edition on 1 December. Presented jointly with Strategic Partners the UK and ViuTV, the week-long summit features a compelling line-up of cross-disciplinary speakers and exciting TV sessions that paint the context for this year's theme, 'Global Design Reset'. Gathering local and international speakers and produced in hybrid format, the BODW 2021 Summit is simulcast online, on ViuTV, and at partner locations including PMQ, making the summit accessible to viewers all over the city and around the world.

The Honourable Mrs. Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, GBM, GBS, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Guest of Honour for BODW 2021, stated in a speech: "The Hong Kong SAR Government is honoured to be the Lead Sponsor of BODW again through the CreateSmart Initiative, our dedicated funding scheme for the creative sectors. With a new $1 billion injection into the CreateSmart Initiative earlier this year, we will continue with our efforts to assist the trade in talent nurturing, capacity building and skill upgrading, with a view to enhancing the long-term competitiveness of our trade under the 'new normal'."

To officially kick off BODW 2021, Prof. Eric Yim, JP, Chairman of HKDC said in his welcome remarks: "After this turbulent period all over the world, a new chapter awaits us all. Business of Design Week 2021 revolves around one word: Reset. It's all about rethinking and resetting our world and the way it works, hence our theme: Global Design Reset. As we reimagine our collective future, we'll need big ideas, collaborative creativity, decisive leadership, and plenty of wisdom. We hope BODW can show us how we can thrive amid crisis, and create a meaningful and sustainable future together through design and technology."

BODW 2021: Global Design Reset provides a unique programme accessible for all, from anywhere in the world. In addition to being livestreamed online, key sessions will be aired on ViuTVsix every night from 1 to 4 December at 20:00 GMT+8. Featuring over 30 insightful sessions, the BODW 2021 Summit offers a rare opportunity for viewers to catch some of the most powerful and prolific visionaries in business and design. Among this year's highlight sessions are:

• Keynote: How Design Changes the World (1 December, 20:15 – 20:40 GMT+8, also live on ViuTVsix) – For over 30 years, world-renowned design guru Bruce Mau (Chief Executive Officer, Massive Change Network and Founder, Bruce Mau Studio, US) has collaborated with leading brands, companies, heads of state, and more to affect positive change and innovation across a broad range of projects. At BODW 2021, he talks about how designing for nature is synonymous to designing for success – and the significance of design in today's world.
• Sustainable Business Leadership (2 December, 15:45 – 16:30 GMT+8) – Apart from improving a company's reputation, can commitments to sustainability targets impact the bottom line? Business leaders Eric Quint (Former Senior Vice President, Chief Brand & Design Officer, 3M Company, The Netherlands), Ronna Chao (Chairman, Novetex Textiles Limited, HK), and Ian Spaulding (Chief Executive Officer, ELEVATE, HK) discuss the merits and challenges of advancing sustainability in business.
• Keynote: Rewilding Urban Space (2 December, 21:05pm – 21:25 GMT+8, also live on ViuTVsix) – Keynote speaker Thomas Heatherwick CBE (Founder, Heatherwick Studio, UK), the award-winning and prolific British designer behind some of the most iconic architecture projects of our time – including Zeitz MOCAA in Cape Town, Coal Drops Yard in London, and Little Island in New York – talks about his vision to bring nature back into urban spaces and other ideas for designing for the future.
• Celebrating Chinese Aesthetics in World Architecture (3 December, 10:45 – 11:30 GMT+8) – The nature-infused aesthetics of Chinese architecture is an emerging force to be reckoned with in the world of design. Hua Li (Founder and Principal, Trace Architecture Office, Mainland China) and Tiffany Dahlen (Associate Partner, MAD Architects, Mainland China) discuss the cultural, aesthetic, and environmental nuances of Chinese architecture with moderator Betty Ng (Founder and Director, COLLECTIVE and Adjunct Associate Professor, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, HK).  
• The Future Vision of Museum (4 December, 16:00 – 16:45 GMT+8,) – On the heels of the successful opening of Hong Kong's highly anticipated M+ museum, Suhanya Raffel (Museum Director, M+, HK),  Gong Yan ( Director, Power Station of Art, Mainland China), and Lilli Hollein (General Director and Artistic Director, Museum of Applied Arts, Austria) delve into the the experiences offered by museums and its role in the socio-cultural landscape of cities.

An exciting new addition to HKDC's programme is bodw+, an interactive design knowledge platform envisioned to become Asia's leading online design portal. bodw+ will be home to evergreen content such as live broadcasting of flagship programmes including BODW, interviews with design icons and emerging talent, and knowledge in different engaging formats.

To catch some of the region's most well-respected personalities live at BODW 2021, participants can physically attend the BODW 2021 Summit in Hong Kong by purchasing a Premium Pass. Registrants can also sign up to become a bodw+ member free of charge for live online access to the Summit. 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+ ).   

BODW 2021 is supported by a series of concurrent citywide events with partners and collaborators. Fostering a citywide appreciation for design, these events 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 to 3 December), Congress of the International Association of Societies of Design Research (IASDR) (5 to 9 December) and Guangzhou Design Week (9 to 12 December), all highlighting Hong Kong's status as an international design hub.

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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. 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.

Press Contact
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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.

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