The beginning of the second semester started off with
a bang with the Trend Roadshow presented by Els Dragt.
As an extension of the close relationship between The
IIE’s Vega School and the Fontys Academy for Creative
Industries in Tilburg, the Netherlands, Els Dragt, a leading
Dutch trend author and expert and also a lecturer at Fontys,
presented two-day trend analysis workshops with our senior
level students and navigators on each of our four campuses.
Els has been researching trends professionally for over fifteen years and her style
is practical, time inspiring and innovative. She has worked at several agencies and for
various clients, ranging from non-profit to commercial ones such as Viacom, ABN AMRO,
Nike and the Dutch Ministry of General Affairs. Creating trend reports, presenting trends at
events, moderating trend workshops and co-creating trend-based strategies are all part of
her daily work. As a lecturer she shares her trend expertise with future trend professionals
including her students at Fontys Academy for Creative Industries at Fontys and around the
globe.
For more about Els click here.
The Vega Durban campus hosted Tony Bynum, Growth and
Innovation Strategist from Chicago.
For over 25 years Tony has worked with clients and organisations
on the development of user-centred products, services, and
experiences. Both a student and practitioner of Design Thinking,
Tony serves as Director of Client Innovation & Strategy in RTC’s
Retail Strategy & Innovation Group. He applies the principles of
Design Thinking to growth and innovation challenges faced by his
clients.
Tony holds a Master’s Degree in Design Thinking and Innovation Planning from IIT’s
Institute of Design, an MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School and has completed
Master’s coursework in Organisational Psychology & Development at The Chicago
School of Professional Psychology. He serves as an adjunct professor at the
Institute of Design in Chicago and is a visiting professor at Rutgers University in
their DesignThinking Certificate Programme. Tony teaches Design Thinking and
Innovation and a Master’s class in Retail Innovation at CEDIM in Mexico.
Tony frequently presents on the subjects of design thinking, innovation, and
consumer experience.
For more about Tony click here.