Moves and changes: design industry news

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Landor & Fitch has appointed Liz Wilson as its new group chief integration officer. Wilson’s previous roles have included Accenture Song Europe managing director of growth and Karmarama chief operating officer.

She brings over 25 years of expertise in advertising, branding, digital and customer experience to Landor & Fitch. In her new role, Wilson will be responsible for bringing together Landor & Fitch’s brand and design specialist agencies – including ManvsMachine (motion design), Fitch (experience design), Bdg (workspace design) and most recently, Amp (sonic branding) – to ensure it delivers integrated design solutions.

A month after its official launch in the APAC region, brand and digital studio Koto has appointed Melissa Baillache as executive creative director for its Sydney studio. In her new role, she will spearhead Koto APAC’s creative efforts, working closely with Koto APAC managing director Damian Borchok and senior strategy director Gerald Torto. Their primary objective is to expand Koto’s presence in key regional markets, including Australia, India, Singapore and South Korea.

Brand and design consultancy Conran Design Group has made three senior London hires. Ex-Landor & Fitch creative director Nathan Watts joins as head of consumer and will focus on driving and developing the consumer offer following recent wins, including Ferrero and Cow & Gate.

Sally Robson joins as head of corporate and investor communications, bringing over 25 years’ experience having worked with clients like Beiersdorf, Mondi, Bank of Ireland, BP and Cargill. Ex-Wolff Olins strategy director Ludwig Duran joins Conran Design Group following roles at Wolff Olins and Google, where he recently worked as EMEA brand planner.

British creative Dave Brown has joined Scandinavian design studio Everland as non-executive director. His aim will be to strengthen and expand the studio’s international reach and bring a fresh perspective to its consumer branding.

Brown has more than three decades of experience in brand building and design and was Brand Union’s UK Chairman and Global Head of FMCG for many years.

Experience design specialist Household has appointed Jess Black as strategy director, as it continues to grow its strategy team. Other recent hires in the team include Shaan Bains as a senior strategist and Anna Floyd as a brand and experience strategist, while Heather Stewart was also promoted to insights strategist.

Black joins Household from Imagination London where she oversaw consulting and destination projects for clients including Pernod Ricard, Rolls Royce and Universal Studios. She also previously led strategic initiatives for Mastercard at Imagination New York, including their seven global innovation centres.

Soho-based studio Kitchen has announced Danny Mitchell as senior designer. He will be responsible for steering the agency’s design direction and leading on client projects in collaboration with creative director Baz Hayman.

Mitchell has worked in the industry for over 13 years at various studios, including Elvis and RAPP, working on design and brand briefs for brands such as Corona, Stella Artois, Virgin Media, Cadbury FC and the experiential Creme Egg Camps.

Eurostar’s former head of creative Darren Chittock is joining brand and social impact consultancy We Are Futures as design director. Chittock will head up the agency’s creative department and look to expand its creative offering.

Consultancies

Blacksheep has announced the restructure of its management and leadership team and recently launched a new website showcasing the studio and its expertise across strategy, branding, interior design and architecture. Blacksheep’s three directors, Paul Mann, Toni Black and Brian Turner, are now partners and legal shareholders of the company and will continue working closely alongside founder Tim Mutton to grow and develop the business.

“After celebrating two decades of design this past year, I’m thrilled for our studio to embark on this exciting chapter with an amazing and supportive leadership team by my side, who will continue to build upon the Blacksheep name, leading our teams to create meaningful brands, ideas and future design environments for our clients” says Mutton.

Jamie O’Donnell, Antony Barkworth-Knight and Ricky Hewitt have opened spatial design agency Caravan after working as part of other agencies on joint projects for many years. Interior designer O’Donnell brings over 23 years’ experience working with clients in London, Amsterdam, Manchester and Dubai, while visual artist Barkworth-Knight has been producing work with creatives for 15 years. Designer and art director Hewitt brings over 19 years’ experience working in the retail sector on branding and digital design.

O’Donnell says: “With plenty of experience working as part of other people’s brands and collabs over the years, now felt like the right time to do our own thing. We’ve got great chemistry as a team, we know each other’s skill sets and strengths really well, and can’t wait to join forces and make brilliant spaces for brands.”

Independent UK creative company Wonderhood Studios has launched its fifth studio Wonderhood Design, which will work across branding, advertising and television. Wonderhood Design will be based within Wonderhood’s Soho office, operating with its own revenue stream and new business strategy and working with both new and existing clients.

The studio has picked up its first global branding and identity project this summer for a new luxury travel brand, following a competitive pitch process. Wonderhood Design will be headed up by co-founders Simon Elvins and Roy Barker.

Wonderhood Design has simultaneously launched the Neighbourly Fund, devised to help small businesses stand among chain restaurants and retailers in a bid to give them a higher chance of succeeding in London. The annual project will be undertaken pro bono and all small businesses in Soho can apply. The first partnership is already underway and will be launching in the New Year.