Malcolm Prescott formerly a key project director at global media giant Reuters and more recently Business Manager of design-led SME, Barefoot Botanicals has been appointed Managing Director of British Design Innovation (BDI).
Malcolm's appointment signifies the end of BDI's three year transition from design body to design and innovation knowledge transfer network.
Malcolm will lead BDI and its members, sponsors and partners into a unique licensing programme to be rolled-out across the nation through key corporates; design and innovation intermediaries including RDAs; Business Links, Universities; Innovation Centres and private sector businesses.
BDI is already in preliminary Franchise talks with organisations in Scotland; North East, North West and London.
The popular BDI Open Innovation Challenge programme designed to enable corporate brand owners to source external innovation cost efficiently will be formally licensed to industry under a set of Best Practice Intellectual Property terms and conditions and accredited tools, templates and techniques.
Says Prescott "The emerging new world economic order provides no time or place for complacency. We are entering a challenging period for British industry and in particular how the IP trading model will impact on the UK's regional, national and international economic performance. The design and innovation experts will play a critical role in determining whether UK plc leads or lags"
Prescott will drive the facilitation of collaborative innovation across the membership base utilising BDI's accredited processes; tools, templates and techniques coupled with its already extensive audience of over 30,000 registered businesses and over 700,000 unique user audiences through its national and 12 regional design and innovation portals.
He continues, " I firmly believe that BDI's ethical and equitable profile of collaborative innovation, provides a safe environment for innovators; designers; brand owners and investors alike to exchange knowledge and create, develop and trade Intellectual Property"
The distinguishing factor to ensure success for BDI; its partners; members and intermediaries will be their collective willingness to network their networks and to view their offers as collaborative rather than competitive. In that regard BDI is already working directly with NESTA; IPO, CSD, IPI, Hidden Art, MAS, PERA and many other organisations both public and private sector.
Maxine Horn, BDI CEO, says: 'I am delighted to welcome Malcolm; and his skills and 25 years of first hand industry experience into BDI to directly benefit our members; affiliates and partners.
We aim to triple membership within the next 12 months as well as significantly increase our partners and sponsors, through the accredited collaborative innovation vehicle.
Malcolm's objectivity and change management experience coupled with his specialist business skills will enable us to achieve our expectations"
BDI is currently undertaking a brand overhaul and re-positioning through Glasgow based design firm Skratch. The new identity will launch in June 2008.
The re-brand includes accredited processes, tools, templates and techniques which will be implemented across all three of BDI's core innovation programmes.