Business of Design Week (BODW) 2026
Business of Design Week (BODW) 2026 takes place on 18–20 November 2026 at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong. It is organised by Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Hong Kong Design Centre, and B2DB lists 59 speakers and 45 sessions announced so far.
Business of Design Week (BODW) is Asia's annual event on design, innovation and brands, organised by Hong Kong Design Centre since 2002. The 2026 edition, themed "Design in Dialogue: Connect + Transform" and inspired by Swiss design culture, brings together international creative leaders, brand leaders and entrepreneurs to turn dialogue into practical pilots, strategic partnerships and impact for business and society. The BODW 2026 Summit takes place at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Key facts
| Dates | 18–20 November 2026 (upcoming) |
|---|---|
| Venue | Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Hong Kong, Hong Kong |
| Organisers | Hong Kong Trade Development Council, Hong Kong Design Centre |
| Series | Business of Design Week |
| Speakers | 59 |
| Sessions | 45 |
| Stages | BODW Summit, bodw Future Lab |
| Sponsors | 1 |
| Official site | 2026.bodw.com/en/programme |
Keynote speakers
- Andrea Anner Artist, AATB
- Sonya Sun Design Expert, Tencent
- Manuel Herz Founder, Manuel Herz Architects
- Annabelle Schneider Experience Designer & Artist, ANNABELLE SCHNEIDER
- Aurel Aebi Co-founder, atelier oï
- Charles Nix Global Head of Creative Strategy, Monotype
- Emily Yan Director, Studio Hong Kong (Asia Region), Snøhetta
- Enzo Enea Landscape Architect, Enea Landscape Architecture
- KyungEn Kim Director – House of Shinsegae, Heritage Project | Jaju, Shinsegae & Shinsegae Casa
- Prof Dr Joseph Press Vice Dean, SUES Design School, Shanghai University of Engineering Science
Speakers (59)
Compiled from the published agenda; speakers can claim and verify their own entry.
- Tiffany Lau Founder & Principal, APART Companies
- Prof Dr Ruffina Thilakaratne RIBA Trustee and International Councillor for Asia & Australasia
- Darren Chuckry Managing Director, HK Initiative
- Alice Wong Associate Director, Irene Lam Centre for Collaborative Projects, Saint Francis University
- Eugene Kan Co-founder, Adam Studios
- Charmaine Mok Culture Editor, South China Morning Post
- Elaine Yan Ling Ng Founder, The Fabrick Lab
- Kent Wong Founder, SCOPO CREATIVE
- Yona He General Manager, North Asia & Regional Head of Owner Relations, Oracle
- Andrea Anner Artist, AATB
- Louis Zheng Co-Founder & Futurist-In-Residence, FuturistCircle
- Sonya Sun Design Expert, Tencent
- Alix Arto Multidisciplinary Designer, Herding Wool
- Suyong Joh Founder & Publisher, Magazine B
- Manuel Herz Founder, Manuel Herz Architects
- Annabelle Schneider Experience Designer & Artist, ANNABELLE SCHNEIDER
- Aurel Aebi Co-founder, atelier oï
- Charles Nix Global Head of Creative Strategy, Monotype
- Emily Yan Director, Studio Hong Kong (Asia Region), Snøhetta
- Enzo Enea Landscape Architect, Enea Landscape Architecture
- KyungEn Kim Director – House of Shinsegae, Heritage Project | Jaju, Shinsegae & Shinsegae Casa
- Prof Dr Joseph Press Vice Dean, SUES Design School, Shanghai University of Engineering Science
- Thibault Brevet Artist, AATB
- Thilo Brunner Chief Design Officer, On
- Toby Ng Creative Director, Toby Ng Design
- Christian Haas Creative Director, Raffinerie AG für Gestaltung
- Garett Hwang Director, UNS
- Dr Anna Marešová Product Designer, Anna Marešová designers
- Tanja Grandits Chef & Owner, Restaurant Stucki
- Lydia Leung CEO, Belun
- Prof Yung Ho Chang Dean, Faculty of Architecture, The University of Hong Kong
- Zhang Lei Founder & Design Director, PINWU Design Studio & Róng Design Library
- Dong Gong Founder & Design Principal, Vector Architects
- Joe Cheng Founder, CCD/Cheng Chung Design
- Kinney Chan Co-president & Global Managing Partner, CCD/Cheng Chung Design
- Michael Fischbacher President, Fischbacher 1819
- Morgan Maillard Style & Heritage Expert, Vacheron Constantin
- Wim Walschap CEO & Senior Partner, Herzog & de Meuron
- Alfonso Miguel Caballero Associate, Herzog & de Meuron
- Chef Grégoire Michaud Founder, Bakehouse
- Janine Weiz-Bühler Navigator/ CEO, FREITAG lab. AG
- Michael Schindhelm Initiator, Life Bowl
- Prof Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari Director, Swiss Campus for Healthy Longevity, University of Basel
- Prof Markus Venzin CEO, EHL Group, EHL Hospitality Business School
- Prof Michael N. Hall Professor, University of Basel
- Alan Mok CEO, RETO Production Limited
- Angelia Teo Futurist & CSO, Genue
- Jacky Chan Head of Play Environment Development, Playright Children's Play Association
- Prof Bian Zhaoxiang Associate Vice-President (Clinical Chinese Medicine), Hong Kong Baptist University
- Betty Ng Founder, COLLECTIVE
- Chuck C.T. Ng Director, Wong & Ouyang (HK) Ltd.
- Dr Daisy Yiyou Wang Deputy Director & Chief Curator, Hong Kong Palace Museum
- Dr Simon Tang Head of Business Development & International Liaison (Proton Therapy), HKSH Medical Group
- Emma Casella Product Designer & Co-founder, Herding Wool
- Prof Jeffrey Shaw Director, Visualization Research Centre, Hong Kong Baptist University
- Raymond Kwok Head of International Properties & Chief Digital Officer - Property Division, Nan Fung Group
- Rocky Yip Co-founder, Kith&Kin
- Stanley Siu Founder, Daydreamers Design
- H.E. Krystyna Marty Lang Ambassador of Switzerland to the People’s Republic of China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and Mongolia
Most represented companies
- AATB — 2 speakers
- CCD/Cheng Chung Design — 2 speakers
- Herding Wool — 2 speakers
- Herzog & de Meuron — 2 speakers
- Hong Kong Baptist University — 2 speakers
- University of Basel — 2 speakers
Agenda (45 sessions)
Day 1 — Wednesday 18 November 2026
- Opening Ceremony 09:00–09:30 · BODW Summit
- Design in Dialogue: Building with People, Place, and Purpose 09:30–10:10 · BODW Summit — Wim Walschap
- Nature Is Not a Luxury: Restoring the Balance Between Nature and the Built Environment 10:10–10:40 · BODW Summit — Enzo Enea
- Seeing into the Site 10:40–11:10 · BODW Summit — Dong Gong
- Rethinking Metabolism: A Systemic Approach to Design 11:10–11:35 · BODW Summit — Manuel Herz
- Cultivating Generosity: Designing Spaces That Give Beyond Themselves 11:35–12:00 · BODW Summit — Emily Yan
- The Co-Creation of Space: Site, Landscape, and Cultural Continuity in Architecture 12:00–12:30 · BODW Summit — Tiffany Lau, Manuel Herz, Emily Yan, Enzo Enea
- Meet The Speakers - Day 1: People • Place • Culture 12:30–13:00 · BODW Summit — Darren Chuckry, Manuel Herz, Annabelle Schneider, Emily Yan +1 more
- Where is Architecture? 14:00–14:30 · BODW Summit — Prof Yung Ho Chang
- Breathe with Me: Design to Reconnect 14:30–14:55 · BODW Summit — Annabelle Schneider
- From Deconstruction to Redefinition: Continuing the Quest on Future Traditions 14:55–15:20 · BODW Summit — Zhang Lei
- Designing Unique Experiences at the Hong Kong Palace Museum 15:20–16:05 · BODW Summit — Betty Ng, Dr Daisy Yiyou Wang, Stanley Siu
- Lab 1: The Future Design of Empathetic Spaces 15:30–17:00 · bodw Future Lab — Tiffany Lau, Manuel Herz, Annabelle Schneider, Garett Hwang +1 more
- From Museum to Lifestyle: Translating Korean Heritage into Contemporary Value 16:05–16:30 · BODW Summit — KyungEn Kim
- Robots as a Creative Medium 16:30–17:00 · BODW Summit — Andrea Anner, Thibault Brevet
Day 2 — Thursday 19 November 2026
- Reinvent Together: Designing the Analog Renaissance 09:30–09:50 · BODW Summit — Kent Wong, Alan Mok
- Interpreting Brand Truth in a Fast World: A 15-Year Dialogue 09:50–10:35 · BODW Summit — Eugene Kan, Suyong Joh, Janine Weiz-Bühler
- Form, Function & Future: How On Redefines Performance Shoes & Sportswear 10:35–11:00 · BODW Summit — Thilo Brunner
- Design in Dialogue: The Creative Story of On 11:00–11:30 · BODW Summit — Eugene Kan, Andrea Anner, Thibault Brevet, Thilo Brunner +1 more
- Crossing Disciplines: From Intimate Wellness to Public Transit 11:30–11:55 · BODW Summit — Dr Anna Marešová
- Beyond the Crust: The Creative Transformation of Bakehouse 11:55–12:30 · BODW Summit — Charmaine Mok, Chef Grégoire Michaud, Rocky Yip
- Meet The Speakers - Day 2: Innovation • Cultural Connection• Future Impact 12:30–13:00 · BODW Summit — Darren Chuckry, Andrea Anner, Aurel Aebi, KyungEn Kim +5 more
- Vacheron Constantin: Innovation and Breakthroughs in Over 270 Years 14:00–14:25 · BODW Summit — Morgan Maillard
- From Object to Space: The Power of Transdisciplinary Creation 14:25–14:50 · BODW Summit — Aurel Aebi
- From Core to Horizon: The Evolution of EHL in the Age of Experience, Hospitality and Human Connection 14:50–15:30 · BODW Summit — Yona He, Aurel Aebi, Prof Markus Venzin
- Beyond Design, Beyond the Present: Redefining the Future of Global Hospitality 15:30–15:55 · BODW Summit — Joe Cheng, Kinney Chan
- Lab 2: Future Thinking - Navigating the Big Shifts Reshaping Our World 15:30–17:00 · bodw Future Lab — Louis Zheng, Prof Dr Joseph Press, Angelia Teo
- Redefining Luxury: Modernising Craft, Space, and Retail Experience 15:55–16:30 · BODW Summit — Darren Chuckry, KyungEn Kim
- Weaving Beauty: Swiss Attention to Detail in a Cultural Dialogue with the World we Live in 16:30–16:55 · BODW Summit — Michael Fischbacher
- Foundation for Future Crafts: Translating Artisanal Know-how Across Cultures 16:55–17:30 · BODW Summit — Elaine Yan Ling Ng, Alix Arto, Zhang Lei, Emma Casella
Day 3 — Friday 20 November 2026
- From Molecule to Experience: Interactive Design as a Catalyst for Healthy Aging 09:30–10:20 · BODW Summit — Michael Schindhelm, Prof Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari, Prof Michael N. Hall, Prof Jeffrey Shaw
- From Digital Touchpoints to Intelligent Participation: Designing for Continuous Health Support 10:20–10:45 · BODW Summit — Sonya Sun
- Healing by Design: Toward a More Humane Hospital 10:45–11:25 · BODW Summit — Prof Dr Ruffina Thilakaratne, Alfonso Miguel Caballero, Chuck C.T. Ng
- Designing Longevity: How Sciences, Space and Systems Shape Vitality 11:25–12:00 · BODW Summit — Lydia Leung, Dr Simon Tang, Raymond Kwok
- Olive Oil: Taste & Health 12:00–12:30 · BODW Summit — Tanja Grandits
- Meet The Speakers - Day 3: Creativity • Storytelling • Wellbeing 12:30–13:00 · BODW Summit — Darren Chuckry, Sonya Sun, Charles Nix, Toby Ng +2 more
- Mental Health in Fashion & Beyond: New Perspectives, New Approaches 14:00–14:25 · BODW Summit
- Helvetica: The Art of Typography 14:25–14:55 · BODW Summit — Charles Nix
- Driven by Concept, Design for Impact 14:55–15:20 · BODW Summit — Toby Ng
- What Happens Between Us – 8 Stories of Design, Dialogue, Transformation 15:20–15:45 · BODW Summit — Christian Haas
- Lab 3: "East-meets-West" Approach to Longevity 15:30–17:00 · bodw Future Lab — Michael Schindhelm, Prof Heike A. Bischoff-Ferrari, Prof Michael N. Hall, Prof Bian Zhaoxiang
- The Power of Essence: Storytelling in Visual Systems 15:45–16:10 · BODW Summit — Alice Wong, Toby Ng, Christian Haas
- Foresight x Design x AI: Design-Driven Leadership for Better Futures 16:10–16:35 · BODW Summit — Prof Dr Joseph Press
- Designing the Future: The "Learning by Making" Paradigm Shift 16:35–17:15 · BODW Summit — Alice Wong, Charles Nix, Prof Dr Joseph Press, Prof Yung Ho Chang +1 more
- Closing Ceremony 17:30–18:00 · BODW Summit
Organisers, sponsors and partners
Organiser (1)
Co-Organiser (1)
Hong Kong Trade Development Council
Sponsor (1)
Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency
Source: the published agenda. See how B2DB compiles its records.