MBB APPOINTED DESIGN FOR EUROPE AMBASSADOR IN MALTA

The Malta Business Bureau has been appointed as the Ambassador for the European Commission’s (EC) Design for Europe programme in Malta.

Design for Europe is the public name of the EC’s ‘European Design Innovation Platform’ (EDIP). The three-year, €3.8 million programme aims to help people use design to accelerate innovation across Europe – boosting economic growth and job creation. The European project is being led by the Design Council in the UK.

The MBB was selected because of its broad local market knowledge and network of contacts and will now be responsible for increasing the reach of the programme in Malta by helping to share Design for Europe messages and resources. It will also provide a local voice for the project and help source content from Malta- such as design-led innovation case studies – for use on the Design Europe web portal.

Through this project, MBB CEO Joe Tanti will join a number of Design for Europe Ambassadors who are being appointed in each of the 28 EU member states.

“In applying Europe’s best practices to the local scene in Malta, the MBB is now undertaking related initiatives together with the support of the Design Council. The project aims to encourage and support businesses to innovate through design in more ways than one. Design is fundamentally important not only for products, branding and services but to the core of any business,” Mr Tanti commented.
Annabella Coldrick, Design for Europe programme coordinator and Director of Policy and Research at Design Council said: “Design for Europe aims to showcase to business and public services the benefits they can achieve by integrating leading-edge design. Our network of ambassadors will be vital in helping us extend the reach of the project and ultimately help more of Europe’s enterprises to understand how design can help them provide better products and services and increase the standard of living for EU citizens.”
To kick-off the initiative, the MBB is organising an event in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy, Investment and Small Business and the Enterprise Europe Network. The Innovation through Design conference will be held on the 6th of November at the Palace Hotel, Sliema. The aim is to provide participants with a golden opportunity to innovate further, network and learn how to tap existing support measures.
Guest speaker and International expert Kamil Michlewski, Senior Consultant at the Value Engineers London will be showcasing the benefits that can be achieved by integrating leading-edge design in any business model, service or structure. Dr Michlewski said: “Design and designers have always had a tremendous impact on organisations of all sizes. There is no industry that is immune to the forces of disruption sweeping the world today. As a consequence, all sectors and industries have an acute need to do something about it. Design and designers offer a way to focus more precisely on meeting the needs of the consumers that is relevant, actionable and ultimately more beneficial to everybody”.

To register you interest for this event kindly e-mail your request to Ms Ana Vella on avella@mbb.org.mt or call +356 21251719. Programme details may be downloaded from the MBB website www.mbb.org.mt