John Thackara Cutting Edge Design Expert, Director of Doors of Perception (Doors)

John regularly consults with companies, cities, and governments to re-imagine services and structures and is currently a senior adviser to the UK Design Council. Having lectured in more than 40 countries around the world John is concerned that projects should be rooted in reality, and have a purpose other than high-falutin' idealism. He was programme director in 2007 of Designs of the time (Dott 07), a new biennial in North East England. In 2008 he became commissioner of City Eco Lab at Cité du Design in St. Etienne, the French design biennial.

What he offers you

A key player in the international dialogue on the future of the planet, John offers a resolutely pragmatic attitude and a fervent, not slavish, belief that design can be used to change the world. His model is a collaborative approach that meshes business with design, rather than have them live in separate worlds. He delivers tangible benefits including actionable insights into sustainability and resilience, a shared vision of "preferred states", opportunities for innovation in your organisation and the impetus to launch high impact projects. His talks are filled with inspiring stories about these real-life projects.

How he presents

In his invaluable presentations John creates an enormous buzz, showing that we should not think about the world of design, but always about the design of the world. John's obvious commitment to driving real change has helped him become one of the most highly sought-after speakers on design thinking today. A self-proclaimed type of bee, John explains that he cross-pollinates ideas, people and places.

Languages

He presents in English.

Want to know more?

Give us a call or send us an e-mail to find out exactly what he could bring to your event.

How to book him?

Simply phone, fax or e-mail us.

• Clean Growth: Not Bigger, But Different
• Life's Work: Opportunities in the Restorative Economy
• Leading from the Edge: The Dance of the Big and the Small
• Smart City? Sponge City?
• Cat Herding for Beginners

• The audience was extremely positive. John was great, very enthusiastic and driven - University

• 2009
  Clean Growth: The Things We Need More Of
• 2005
  In the Bubble: Designing in a Complex World
• 2002
  The Edge Effect: Designing the Contexts for Innovation
• 1999
  Winners - How Europe's Most Successful Companies Use Design to Innovate
• 1996
  Web Publishing Strategy
• 1994
  Lost in Space
• 1992
  Kajima (in Japanese)