New Horizons: Design Leaders Navigating the Shifting Business Landscape

Join us for an evening of design innovation at the Voorhees Theater, home to the Entertainment Technology Department and Theatreworks, the resident theatre company at New York City College of Technology. Conveniently located at the convergence of the Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges, this venue is set in the dynamic DUMBO area—a vibrant hub that seamlessly blends artistic spirit with breathtaking architecture.

”New Horizons: Design Leaders Navigating the Shifting Business Landscape” will delve into the evolving role of design leadership, featuring pioneers from the Golden Age of human-centered design and design thinking, an era propelled by Apple’s successful model of elevating design as a core business strategy.

As companies reassess and cut back on their investment in design amidst technological advancements and market volatility, it becomes imperative for design leaders to adapt and proactively articulate and leverage the value of their expertise. In a business world that values scalability and innovation, these shifts offer both challenges and opportunities, leading to deeper integration and a renewed understanding of design’s role in defining business strategies and outcomes or, conversely, reducing design to a subordinate function within businesses.

Our moderator for the night, Robert Fabricant, a regular contributor to Fast Company and a seasoned design leader with over 25 years of experience, has explored these topics in his recent articles. He will steer the conversation among our esteemed speakers:

Katrina Alcorn, a global product design executive and award-winning author, led one of the world’s largest design practices at IBM. There, over 3,000 designers created software, hardware, brand, and web experiences powered by AI and used by millions worldwide. Under Katrina’s leadership, IBM Design drove major improvements to customer satisfaction and won a record number of product design awards.

Maria Giudice, co-author of “Rise of the DEO: Leadership by Design” and “Changemakers: How Leaders Can Design Change in an Insanely Complex World,” is known for founding the pioneering experience design firm Hot Studio and selling it to Facebook. After Facebook, she led global teams as VP of Experience Design at Autodesk. Maria has dedicated herself to cultivating the next generation of creative leaders and unlocking the potential hidden in executives and the people they lead.

François Nguyen, an Executive Design Leader and former CDO of frog North America, is known for his hands-on leadership style and passion for designing beautiful products, crafting inspiring narratives, and breaking paradigms. His work has influenced major companies such as Apple, Google, Amazon, Disney, Microsoft, and AT&T. François was featured in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for the industrial design of the original “Beats by Dr. Dre” headphones.

David Beath, the Head of Business Development at Neol, represents a community of Creative Leaders looking to do the most important work of their lives with forward-thinking companies, organizations, and governments. Before Neol, he held key positions at Capital One in the US and DBS Bank in Singapore and led IDEO’s initial expansion into the Middle East.

Doors open at 6:30 PM for light refreshments, and programming starts at 7:00 PM. Following the discussion, attendees will have the opportunity to engage directly with the speakers during a Q&A session and network with one another throughout the evening. This will provide a platform to explore ideas further and share perspectives.