Steve Honour

I lead Design for Luxury and Single Malts at Diageo, and I’ve spent the last 17 years working across some incredible brands — from Johnnie Walker, Guinness and Smirnoff, through to Lagavulin, The Singleton and Port Ellen. What’s kept me motivated all that time is a very simple belief: design isn’t decoration — it’s a growth engine. When it’s done properly, design shapes strategy, builds desire, creates differentiation and drives long‑term value for the business. It’s one of the most powerful commercial tools we have, especially in luxury. I’ve been lucky enough to work alongside some true creative icons — people like Philippe Starck, Ini Archibong and Sir Terence Conran — and those collaborations really cemented my view that the best design happens when creativity, craft and commercial thinking come together.