Foreign Design Leader
Beijing Detao Masters Academy
Shanghai China
I moved in early 2012 to Shanghai China to setup Detao Studio Esslinger, a startup in strategic design, focusing on high quality design education cross-linked with consulting services for companies in the high tech industry.Head of the studio is world famous founder and former CEO of frog design, Hartmut Esslinger.The strictly selected 4 year undergraduate program with 50+ students is located on the campus of Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts (SIVA) http://www.siva.edu.cn in the District of Songjiang, Shanghai /China.As the Studio Manager I was initially in charge of the studio setup, supervising constructions of Studios and Rapid prototyping facilities, managing logistics, including the import of model making machinery from Germany. Further more I established the curriculum and developed the cooperate identity for the studio as well as the academy. Being the studio manager for almost five years, I hired, trained and lead the team, maintained the curriculum and taught Strategic Design, Ideation, Rapid prototyping, high end model making and presentation. As the Academy was quite new I also consulted the Academy in educational affairs beyond our studio and assisted them on the bigger picture.I conducted company workshops with Companies like Muji, Siemens, Arcelik Beko,conducted special education weeks with guest lecturers from overseas including Axel Thallemer, Alex Buck, Patricia Moore.My press & PR responsibilities were:The studio’s website setup and frequent updates, creating press material, curating frequent exhibitions, participating in advertising campaigns at provincial High Schools for student recruitment, and assisted Hartmut Esslinger publishing his second book “Design Forward”Next to the undergraduate program Studio Esslinger consulted diverse companies in the high-tech industry with cooperate design, business strategies and product innovation, where I was in charge of project management, product design & development.
