John Thackara is a design expert, bestselling author and businessman best known for bringing design and business together to facilitate real world change. He challenges preconceptions and current thinking and constantly garners attention and interest in the motivational forward looking speaking arena. His legendary design experience and his abilities as a speaker make him a very valuable addition to any business gathering, design event or change programme agenda.

John's background

John Thackara is a former publisher and design journalist as well as a large scale events producer and passionate educator. His business, as he sees it, is in driving and facilitating social change through the application of design. He describes himself as a 'symposiarch' in this respect, as someone who designs organisations, projects and collaborative events.

John founded the design futures network and conference 'Doors of Perception' which now operates as an organisation in India and The Netherlands. John's career has been varied and impressive - he was the programme director of 'Designs of the Time' in 2007, which was the North East's new biennial. He also holds a similar position in France, as the commissioner of City Eco Lab in St Etienne, the design biennial of France in 2008.

John is also a former director of the Netherlands Design Institute, and has since become widely recognised as a key player at the forefront of the technology, design, business and sustainability fields. His passions and expertise lie in devising and promoting innovations that mesh together design with social change. Working in a consultancy capacity, John also works with corporates, governments and cities to entirely re-imagine and re-craft structures and services. He is also a senior advisor to the UK's own design council.

As a speaker

John has lectured for much of his lifetime to students, business people and government officials. He has spoken to diverse audiences in over 40 countries and brings incredible knowledge and passion to his delivery. His belief is that design projects must be firmly routed in reality and have a clear and defined purpose, rather than simply existing as pieces of art.

His attitude is always pragmatic and useful - beautiful design to create change and to challenge the way in which we engage with and see the world. He is a constant source of fresh ideas and new ways in which to combine business and design together as one co-existing entity, rather than viewing them as separate and distinct.

As a presenter, John will naturally speak on the subject of design and business - but he is highly accessible to non-design audiences as well as experts. His passion for bringing design into the commercial world, driving change and collaborative innovation makes him both engaging and inspiring. His audiences tend to be design experts, enthusiasts and business people who wish to learn more from this respected figure, and he is constantly re-booked.

Presenting in English, to audiences of all sizes, John Thackara is an ideal after dinner speaker, conference presenter or discussion board contributor. He will travel and is guaranteed to create a memorable impression on your guests, with thoughts and concepts that will remain with them long after the event has finished.