John Thackara is a former design journalist and publisher, tireless educator and event producer. He is in the business of driving social change with design. A self-described "symposiarch" - someone who designs collaborative events, projects and organizations, John founded the international conference and design futures network Doors of Perception, which now has offices in Amsterdam and Bangalore. He was programme director in 2007 of Designs of the Time (Dott 07), a new biennial in North East England. In 2008 he was commissioner of City Eco Lab at Cité du Design in St. Etienne, the French design biennial.

A former Netherlands Design Institute director, John is at the forefront of business, technology, sustainability and design, where he meshes innovations that drive social change with design. John regularly consults with companies, cities and governments to re-imagine services and structures and is currently a senior adviser to the UK Design Council.

Having lectured in more than 40 countries around the world, John is concerned that projects should be rooted in reality and have a purpose other than "high-falutin’" idealism. He offers a resolutely pragmatic attitude and a fervent, not slavish, belief that design can be used to change the world. His model is a collaborative approach that meshes business with design rather than has them live in separate worlds.

In his invaluable presentations John shows that we should not think about the world of design, but always about the design of the world. John's obvious commitment to driving real change has helped him become one of the most highly sought-after speakers on design thinking today.