The Future of Design Leadership

“Design Leaders are evolving from problem solvers to problem owners.”

Join James Hall, Company Director of international consultancy PARK and his guests John Duggan, Head of Design/Deputy Creative Director at Johnson Controls; Karen Hanratty, Founder and Strategic Design Director of Path; Ciara Ní Bhrolcháin Design Team Leader and Project Manager at Progress Systems and David Wall, Creative Director at Tines, as they look to tomorrow’s global Design Leadership Landscape, how the future will look, the scope for change, trends and opportunities and maybe even who will be the most celebrated design leaders!

The event will include a discussion, Q&A and time to connect with peers over a glass of something nice!

This is an in person event being held at the Spencer Hotel, Excise Walk in Dublin.

Speakers

James Hall, PARK Company Director

James Hall is an international Design leader specialised in building design capabilities for global companies, in-house design teams and small and medium-sized design businesses. James is the director of PARK and leads the PARK Academy Design Leadership programmes and the Professional Diploma in Design Leadership and Management in partnership with Design Skillnet. With a degree in industrial and product design, James has a depth of corporate design experience, directing, managing and leading design, in roles including Acting Vice President of Design at Hasbro and Senior Design Director at LEGO.

James Hall began his design career after graduating as an Industrial Design graduate in LEGO designing new toy-based play experiences and progressed from design manager to design director, leading and managing small and large teams and became one of the founders of the LEGO Academy.

In 2010, James moved to Hasbro as Sr Design Director, and as the Company Director of international consultancy PARK now works on design leadership across many different industry segments including Bosch, Grundfos, Unilever, Bang & Olufsen, Adidas, Heineken and LEGO, with a specific focus on design strategy, design organisation, processes and tools.

John Duggan, Johnson Controls Head of Design and Deputy Creative Director

John Duggan is the Head of Design and Deputy Creative Director at Global Creative, the in-house creative department for Johnson Controls. 

Ciara Ní Bhrolcháin, Progress Systems Project Manager and Design Team Leader

Ciara Ni Bhrolchain is a seasoned design leader and digital project manager with almost a decade of experience in the industry. As the Design Team Leader and Project Manager at Progress Systems, she leads cross-functional teams to deliver first-class digital products. Ciara has a talent for managing high-performance teams and complex projects to keep everyone in sync.

Her versatile leadership skills go beyond the workplace and when she’s not driving innovation with her team, you can find her on the rugby field, bringing the same energy and leadership to her local women’s team in Clontarf.

From her extensive industry experience, working both in-house and in Design agencies combined with her strong theoretical foundation in design leadership, covering essential aspects such as strategic thinking, innovation management and leadership skills tailored specifically for the design industry from her Professional Diploma in Design Leadership and Management (formerly Design Management professional diploma), Ciara has accumulated a wealth of knowledge and practical insights to understand the evolving trends, challenges and opportunities in the forever changing industry.

David Wall, Tines Creative Director

David Wall, the Creative Director at Tines, brings a wealth of experience from both agency and independent studio environments to his current role, where he oversees the company’s creative vision and direction. Thanks to his broad perspective on design stemming from his deep understanding of the nuances and demands of various clients, projects and teams, David has led and collaborated on award-winning work for a diverse range of organisations across technology, hospitality, design, culture and publishing.

A prominent figure in the Irish design industry, David’s dedication shines through his active involvement in the design community and his ability to inspire others. As the President-elect of the Institute of Designers in Ireland (IDI), he is strongly committed to advancing the design profession, contributing to industry standards and advocating for the role of design in business and society. Co-founding the 100 Archive is further testament of David’s proactive approach to fostering a sense of community and historical awareness within the field.

As another esteemed alumnus of the Professional Diploma in Design Leadership and Management, we could see no better fit to share his strategic vision and insights on influencing the future of design leadership.

Karen Hanratty, Path Founder and Strategic Design Director

Karen Hanratty is the Founder and Strategic Design Director of Path, an award-winning consultancy based in Dublin, focused on using human-centered design to improve the effectiveness, user-centricity and accessibility of online services for government-funded and public sector organisations.

An alumni of the Professional Diploma in Design Leadership and Management, Karen is an expert at merging creativity and with strategic goals, aligning business goals and user needs to craft successful outcomes that solve complex problems with user-friendly online experiences. Karen also plays a significant role in shaping best practices and setting standards within the design community. Her influence extends beyond her immediate work, contributing to the broader discourse on the role of design in public services.

Her work has earned accolades from various industry awards, including the IDI Irish Design Awards, eGovernment Awards, Net Visionary Awards and more.

Actively engaged in the design community, Karen participates in industry panel discussions, helped to found the Design Leaders Conference and has served on the IDI Council and Design Skillnet Steering Committee. Karen is also engaged with Design Education, volunteering as external examiner and programme review panels for level 8 and 9 design programmes.

Fees

Tickets:

Current Members of IDI can avail of a complimentary ticket for this event.

€25 non-members.

Find out how to become a member and avail subsidies on our training and events or email info@designskillnet.ie