Design Council is delighted to appoint Edward Hobson as Director of Place, joining the Executive Team. Edward will take up the role in the Autumn, building on his relationship with Design Council over the last 10 years as a Built Environment Expert.
Whilst Deputy Director at the Commission of Architecture and the Built Environment, he helped establish CABE Space, the first design-led body promoting investment in parks and public spaces. He also led CABE’s progressive Sustainable Cities programme, working with cities across the UK on appropriate design responses to climate change.
Edward will join us from his current role as Head of Design and Innovation Effectiveness at KTN, the UK’s innovation network. There he has shaped and delivered national frameworks and opportunities for UK companies to grow through deploying human centred design in innovation. Edward previously worked as Deputy Director at the leading UK environmental think tank, Green Alliance, helping to steer policy development across energy, land use, resource circularity and many other sectors.
The Director of Place role will be pivotal to Design Council, championing the importance of design in placemaking, green infrastructure and the built environment across the social, public and private sectors.
Minnie Moll, Chief Executive of Design Council, said: “We are delighted to welcome Edward to Design Council. He brings a great breadth of knowledge and experience in the built environment with a particularly strong focus on sustainability. We look forward to him transitioning into the team from our network of Experts and playing a key role in our dynamic senior leadership team.”
Edward Hobson said: “It is a privilege to be taking on the role of Director of Place for Design Council. I am keen to build on my longstanding relationship with Design Council and develop their work and reputation for using design to address some big issues facing society, particularly how we live on this planet. I look forward to getting to know everyone and working together to develop impactful and lasting change to the built environment by making life and places better by design.”