Business of Design Week (BODW) is an annual week-long design event organised every December by the Hong Kong Design Centre. BODW was launched in 2002. It includes a design conference, forums, seminars, exhibitions and award presentations.
BODW annually invites designers, business leaders and educators to speak and share their opinions in various forums. Past speakers include Marcel Wanders, Rem Koolhaas, Raman Hui, Rossana Hu, Richard Hutten, Zaha Hadid, Tom Dixon, Michael Young, Jimmy Choo, Sir John Sorrell, Karim Rashid, Ross Lovegrove, Marc Newson, and Vivienne Tam.
Each year, BODW forms a partnership with a different country. The country is invited to bring a group of designers to Hong Kong to give presentations at the conference. The country can also hold exhibitions and seminars about its national design.
BODW has main events which occur each year including the BODW Forum where designers give presentations. There is also the HKDC Award Gala Dinner where the HKDC Awards are presented. These awards include the Design for Asia Awards, the World’s Outstanding Chinese Designer Award, the Design Leadership Award, the Design for Asia Award, and the Hong Kong Young Design Talent Awards.
| Partner City/Country | Theme | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | The Netherlands | Game Changers | |
| 2022 | The Netherlands | Design for Change[1] | |
| 2021 | United Kingdom (Strategic Partner) | Global Design Reset | |
| 2020 | United Kingdom (Strategic Partner) | Vision 20/21 | |
| 2019 | United Kingdom | Design the Future, Create Tomorrow | |
| 2018 | Melbourne | "Think ∙ Collaborate ∙ Create" | |
| 2017 | Italy | Italy makes a difference | |
| 2016 | Chicago | ChicagoMade | |
| 2015 | Barcelona | BARCELONA INSPIRES | |
| 2014 | Sweden | Living Design: Live it. Work it. Do it. | |
| 2013 | Belgium | Belgian Spirit | |
| 2012 | Denmark | Design Society Denmark | |
| 2011 | Germany | Brand New Germany | |
| 2010 | Japan | Lost and Found | |
| 2009 | France | France Forward | |
| 2008 | The Netherlands | Open Minds | |
| 2007 | Italy | – | |
| 2006 | United Kingdom | Designs for Life | |
| 2005 | Scandinavia | LifeStyleAsia | |
| 2004 | Sweden | LifeStyleAsia | |
| 2003 | – | LifeStyleAsia | |
| 2002 | – | Solution |