Design Leader of the Year Award a chance for Africans to showcase their talents

LONDON - British event company Johnson is organising in February 2021 the Design Leader of the Year Award which seeks to reward the most gifted individuals in the design industry worldwide.

The event will gather multiple industry leaders and professionals to exchange knowledge and expertise while giving an opportunity to hidden talents to prove themselves before well experienced judges.

Said Sahardeed, managing director of the London-based event company, told Middle East Online that the event was the best opportunity for Africans to prove their skills.

The judging panel is made of design directors, Design and Innovation Advisory Board Members and carefully selected industry influencers.

Ivy Ross, Vice President, Design for Hardware Products of Google and Nicholas Skytland, Deputy Chief, Exploration Technology Office of NASA, are among the thirteen-member panel.

The selection of judges was based on their experience and expertise as they represent various sectors, which is highly beneficial for candidates, according to Sahardeed.

“The event will help African designers showcase their hidden talents and be recognised by top-notch judges in a continent that is way behind in the design sector,” said Sahardeed.

“Design helps solve problems and change people’s lives. Anyone can submit their application,” he added.

The award ceremony will take place during Johnson’s second Change by Design conference as candidates will be competing in eight categories: Young Design Leader; Cultural Transformation; Design Inclusion Leader; Design for Good Initiative; Women Lead Initiative; Digital Transformation; Brand Transformation and Business Model Transformation.

The event has a special focus on women thanks to the “Women Lead Initiative” category which celebrates their achievements in the design industry.

The winning individual must exhibit a dedication to the world of design, having frequently contributed to society as a result of their design achievements.

“The Design Leader Award brings people’s names to the forefront and recognises the designers' creativity,” said Sahardeed after noticing a lack of recognition in the design industry.

The winning case is required to display the innovative creation and optimisation of digital products and services, an acknowledgement of existing internal infrastructure and the ability to enhance processes besides usage of emerging technology navigation methods.

Candidates have to meet several criteria, including being employed by their company at the time of applying and having experience in a role where they can exhibit the design leadership described.