Switzerland Champions Design Innovation, Precision and Integrity as Business of Design Week 2026 Partner Country
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Switzerland Champions Design Innovation, Precision and Integrity as Business of Design Week 2026 Partner Country
Signing Ceremony on 2 September 2025 Heralds New Chapter of Long-Term Design Collaboration
Hong Kong Design Centre and the Consulate General of Switzerland in Hong Kong to
Propel the Next Era of Design Thinking and Business Evolution
HONG KONG, 2 September 2025 – Business of Design Week (BODW), Asia's premier annual event on design, innovation and brands, organised by Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC) since 2002, is proud to announce Switzerland as the first-time collaborator and year-round Partner Country for BODW 2026. This landmark partnership will celebrate the globally influential Swiss design ethos – of innovation, precision and integrity; explore dynamic avenues of collaborations between Switzerland, Hong Kong and other countries and regions; facilitate knowledge exchange and leverage shared resources to promote design thinking and elevate businesses in the creative industries and beyond.
Renowned as the most anticipated design event in Asia each year, BODW is co-organised by Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), with Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR Government) as the lead sponsor. Additionally, BrandHK, Hong Kong Design Institute, Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) School of Design, InvestHK and PMQ are Strategic Programme Partners.
HKDC and the Consulate General of Switzerland in Hong Kong solidified their commitment to fostering design collaboration through a Letter of Intent signing ceremony held today (2 September 2025), with Mr Daniel Freihofer, Consul General of Switzerland in Hong Kong, and Prof. Viveca Chan, Vice-Chairman of HKDC & Member of BODW Steering Committee, signing on behalf of their respective institutions. The signing ceremony was also graced by the presence of government officials and industry leaders including Mrs Françoise Killias Zillweger, Deputy Consul General of Switzerland in Hong Kong, Miss Peggy Law, Head (Design), CCIDA of Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, Ms Anna Cheung, Assistant Executive Director of HKTDC, Mr William To, Executive Director of PMQ, Mr Keith Tam, Vice Principal of Hong Kong Design Institute, Prof. Henry Duh, Associate Dean (Global & Industry Engagement) of PolyU, and many others.
This partnership marks Switzerland’s debut as a year-round BODW Partner Country, bringing its legacy of precision engineering, design integrity, and avant-garde creativity to the forefront. Renowned for its minimalist aesthetics, functional innovation, and leadership in design authenticity and quality, Swiss design continues to shape global industries — from watchmaking and furniture to urban planning and communication design.
Mr Daniel Freihofer says, ‘Switzerland and Hong Kong share a strong commitment to excellence, innovation, and sustainability. This partnership with the Hong Kong Design Centre is a celebration of design as a transformative force — one that fosters creativity, strengthens dialogue, and inspires collaboration. We are proud to showcase the richness of Swiss design and to contribute to shaping a future built on creativity, sustainability, and shared vision, inspiring generations to come.’
Prof. Viveca Chan says, ‘Switzerland’s design philosophy — rooted in precision, functionality, and sustainability — resonates deeply with Hong Kong’s dynamic creative spirit. Together, we will explore new possibilities, drive creative development, and inspire the future of design in Hong Kong, Switzerland, and beyond.’
As the Partner Country of BODW 2026, Switzerland will bring its exceptional talent and creative vision to the forefront through renowned speakers and a series of exclusive design events taking place in Hong Kong — including the BODW Summit — throughout the year. This exciting partnership heralds the beginning of a long-term collaborative journey of mutual learning between the design communities of Hong Kong and Switzerland, with the aim of establishing enduring relationships, driving innovation, and inspiring continuous growth for design all around the globe. Stay tuned for more information on the partnership initiatives in 2026. Furthermore, HKDC is delighted to have the support again from HKTDC, marking the long-term partnership as both will co-organise BODW and DesignInspire concurrently in 2026. Together, we will showcase incredible creativity through a series of interactive exhibitions, InnoTalks and workshops.
Press Images:
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Mr Daniel Freihofer, Consul General of Switzerland in Hong Kong (Left), and Prof. Viveca Chan, Vice-Chairman of HKDC & Member of BODW Steering Committee, signed a Letter of Intent on behalf of Switzerland and HKDC at the signing ceremony on 2 September. |
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The signing ceremony was witnessed by esteemed government officials and industry leaders, including (Back Row From Left) Ms Françoise Killias Zillweger, Deputy Consul General of Switzerland in Hong Kong, Ms Anna Cheung, Assistant Executive Director of HKTDC, Miss Peggy Law, Head (Design), CCIDA of Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, Mr William To, Executive Director of PMQ, Mr Keith Tam, Vice Principal of Hong Kong Design Institute, and Prof. Henry Duh, Associate Dean (Global & Industry Engagement) of PolyU |
Media Enquiries
For further enquiries and requests for interviews, please contact:
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Yan Li Email: yan.li@hkdesigncentre.org Tel: +852 3793 8413 |
Jenny Tong Email:jenny.tong@hkdesigncentre.org Tel: +852 3793 8463 |
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About Hong Kong Design Centre (www.hkdesigncentre.org)
Hong Kong Design Centre is a strategic partner of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in leveraging the city’s East-meets-West advantage to create value from design.
To achieve our goals we:
- Cultivate a design culture
- Bridge stakeholders to opportunities that unleash the value of design
- Promote excellence in various design disciplines
About Consulate General of Switzerland in Hong Kong
The Consulate General of Switzerland in Hong Kong and Macau represents Swiss interests, guided by constitutional foreign-policy goals: supporting the economy, alleviating poverty, promoting rights, democracy, peace, and environmental protection. It assists Swiss citizens, manages consular services, spreads Swiss information, and is led by Daniel Freihofer.
About Business of Design Week (www.bodw.com)
Asia’s premier annual event on design, innovation and brands since 2002, Business of Design Week (BODW) organised by Hong Kong Design Centre (HKDC) gathers some of the world’s foremost design masters, brand leaders and entrepreneurs from Hong Kong as well as overseas, driving discourse on the value of design and innovation to inspire global audiences and explore new business opportunities.
About Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (www.ccidahk.gov.hk)
The Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) established in June 2024, formerly known as Create Hong Kong (CreateHK), is a dedicated office set up by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau to provide one-stop services and support to the cultural and creative industries with a mission to foster a conducive environment in Hong Kong to facilitate the development of arts, culture and creative sectors as industries. Its strategic foci are nurturing talent and facilitating start-ups, exploring markets, promoting cross-sectoral and cross-genre collaboration, promoting the development of arts, culture and creative sectors as industries under the industry-oriented principle, and promoting Hong Kong as Asia’s creative capital and fostering a creative atmosphere in the community to implement Hong Kong’s positioning as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange under the National 14th Five-Year Plan. CCIDA sponsors HKDC to organise various projects to promote Hong Kong design and design thinking.
Disclaimer: The Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region provides funding support to the project only, and does not otherwise take part in the project. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials/events (or by members of the project team) are those of the project organisers only and do not reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency, the CreateSmart Initiative Secretariat or the CreateSmart Initiative Vetting Committee.