WDBF 2026 Opening Key Note | Singapore’s Design Masterplan | Lynn Khoo

At the World Design Business Forum, the Deputy Executive Director of DesignSingapore Council, Lynn Khoo emphasized that the design industry is undergoing a pivotal transition in response to an increasingly complex world. She detailed the "Design 2035 Master Plan," a decade-long strategic roadmap shaped by over 6,000 global engagements to establish design as a proactive driver of innovation and economic value. Rather than merely reacting to disruptive forces like AI and climate change, designers are stepping into roles requiring uniquely human traits—taste, empathy, and strategic judgment—while AI takes over repetitive tasks. To support this shift, DesignSingapore introduced the Good Design Research and Development (GDRD) program to fund commercialized design concepts, alongside new initiatives to upskill mid-career designers for strategic boardroom roles. Ultimately, she urged designers to harness their intrinsic optimism, turning technological and societal challenges into opportunities to build a more livable and lovable future. Read more: https://wdbo.org/dpi/dpi-2026/ #WDBF #WDBO #DesignThinking #LeadingDesignTransitions