Hong Kong Design Centre Names New Executive Director

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – 15 June 2021 – Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC)
announced today the appointment of Dr Joseph Wong as its new Executive
Director, succeeding Dr Edmund Lee with effect from 1 July 2021.

Dr
Joseph Wong, new Executive Director of Hong Kong Design Centre effective from 1
July 2021

Dr
Joseph Wong is a designer, academic and educator, bringing with him over 20
years of experience in design education to HKDC. He has most recently served as
the Vice Principal of Hong Kong Design Institute (HKDI) and Deputy Academic
Director – Design Discipline of the Vocational Training Council (VTC), where he
oversaw the strategic and academic development of a diverse portfolio of design
programmes and built relationships with local and international partners. His
contribution to design education has won him the Berkeley Prize International
Fellowship in 2014.

Joseph is
a Fellow of the Hong Kong Institute of Architects, and was elected its Council
Member in 2020. He has served on a number of professional and government bodies
related to sustainable design and development. Joseph holds a Bachelor of Arts in
Architecture from the University of California at Berkeley, a Master of
Architecture from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Doctor of
Education from the University of Leicester.

Prof.
Eric Yim, Chairman of HKDC, said that the Board of Directors was confident that
Joseph’s well-developed industry background and experience will steer HKDC’s
far-reaching mission to the next level, including fostering new opportunities
brought forth by the Greater Bay Area development.

“We
believe that Joseph’s vast industry experience, especially in design education
and fostering connections with industry and academic partners will be very
valuable for HKDC, bringing in fresh knowledge and perspectives as we continue
to push forward our mission of establishing Hong Kong as an international
design hub,” said Prof. Eric Yim.

Dr Joseph Wong remarked, “I am honoured to be named the new
Executive Director of HKDC, as I have long known and been impressed with its
wide range of programmes. It is also an exciting time to join the organisation
as it prepares to establish a new base in Sham Shui Po over the next few years.
I look forward to working with HKDC’s diverse stakeholders in carrying on the
design movement, and maximising its mission reach and impact.”

Hong
Kong Design Centre expresses its deepest appreciation to Dr Edmund Lee for his
excellent stewardship in the past 11 years. Under Edmund’s leadership, HKDC has
greatly expanded its portfolio of programmes and strengthened its institutional
structure, poising it for further growth. Edmund has also secured policy support
from the HKSAR Government, raising awareness of the value of human-centred
design thinking among the public service sector as well as the general public.

“As a design advocate, I am grateful for the opportunity to have
served the unique public mission of HKDC and advanced the design mission to one
increasingly strategic and human-centric for the city, businesses and the
community,” said Dr Edmund Lee.

Prof. Eric Yim and the Board of HKDC are thankful to Dr Edmund Lee
for his long-term service and significant contributions, and wish him the best
in his future endeavours.