Corporate Design Longevity and Impact

Chris Hacker is a trailblazer in corporate design, shaping its role in business long before it became widely recognized. From leading design atHerman MillerandAvedato founding the Global Strategic Design Office atJohnson & Johnson, Chris has spent decades navigating the evolving landscape of corporate design at the highest levels—including reporting directly to the Chairman of J&J.

In this member-exclusive fireside, we will explore Chris’s journey, learn first-hand how it all unfolded, what mistakes should be avoided to ensure the longevity of strategic design leadership.

‍Critical themes and lessons for today’s Chief Design Officers’ that will be explored include: ‍

• The challenges of establishing and scaling corporate design programs
• The shifting expectations of design leadership over the decades
• Navigating executive relationships and influencing business strategy
• The biggest pitfalls that threaten design’s long-term impact in corporations
• What modern CDOs must do to ensure design remains a strategic, enduring function

With over three decades of experience at the intersection of design and business, Chris will offer a rare perspective on what it takes to build a design legacy inside global companies.