Design category added to Asia Spikes

The Spikes Asia Festival will introduce a Design category this year. The inaugural Design Jury will be chaired by design expert Rodney Fitch CBE, Chairman and CEO of Fitch Worldwide.

With a distinguished career in design that has spanned nearly 40 years, Fitch has served as a member of the Design Council and as a past president of the Chartered Society of Designers, D&AD and Cannes Lions in 2008. In 2005 he was inducted into the Legion of Honour and Hall of Fame of the American Institute of Store Planners, the most prestigious award in retail design for an individual, and in 2006 was a finalist for the Prince Philip Designer’s Prize. He was awarded a CBE in 1990 for services to the British Design industry.

Fitch founded the Fitch agency in 1972 and now has 19 studios in 12countries around the globe. His work embraces brand development,packaging design and corporate branding, and specialises in delivering”consumer experience” in the retail environment across all retailsectors. Clients worldwide include Amazon, Bentley Motors, BP, Dunlop,DHL, Hewlett-Packard, IKEA, L’Orèal, Lego, Marks & Spencer, Nokia,Microsoft, P&G, Starbucks, Toys ‘R’ Us and Unilever.

“Highly respected by his peers and a source of great knowledge, we areprivileged to have Rodney chair the first Design Lions jury – a trulygreat start for this new category,” said Terry Savage, Chairman ofCannes Lions who with Haymarket are joint organisers of the Festival.

Rodney Fitch, commenting on his role, said, “Design is at the veryheart of all creative work; from ads to film, from digital to shops,design is the glue that holds the creative industries together. Asiandesigners have a growing worldwide reputation for great work, so I’mnaturally delighted that their efforts will be showcased at Spikes andhonoured to be inaugural president.”