In the current landscape, many design leaders feel like they've hit a wall. The industry buzzes with stories like 'The Great Design Freakout,' reflecting the widespread anxiety over shrinking innovation budgets and their impact on design teams. What does this mean for those at the helm of design?

This talk is a blend of reality check and pep talk. It may be a tough time to be a design leader, but it's also a time to shine.

Great design leaders are inherently great problem solvers. The skills and mindsets that drive success in design are equally effective in addressing broader organisational challenges.

Drawing from her journey from journalist to designer, to leading one of the world's largest design practices, and eventually becoming a business executive, Katrina shares insights on how design thinking can be a game-changer beyond traditional boundaries. For some, this may be a liberating opportunity to explore roles like CPO, COO, startup founder, or CEO. Because at the core, every challenge is a design problem, and a human-centred approach to leadership can transform our careers and our organisations.

This talk was recorded at Leading Design London 2024.

Leading Design is a supportive community nurturing design leadership through inspiring and engaging events, conferences and retreats. Find out more about Leading Design on our website - https://leadingdesign.com/