Invited Speakers

Onny Eikhaug is a Programme Leader at the Norwegian Centre for Design and Architecture, responsible for pioneering and developing the Centre's activities in the field of people-centred design and Design for All. She is also responsible for the Centre's government funded Innovation for All programme promoting Design for All to business and design as an effective strategy for innovation. Central to the programme is knowledge transfer and exchange, competence building, focusing on projects with industry, trade and government, research, seminars, workshops, and international conferences as well as building lasting networks in the field.

She is committed to sustainable, people-centred design and aims to demonstrate the potential and benefits of this approach. A key aspect of this is presenting motivating and effective methods and tools that can be easily adopted and implemented in everyday practice. Central to this is delivering Executive Education in Inclusive Design targeting decision makers and executives in public sector, business and design. She writes, publishes, and lectures both in Norway and internationally, and works closely with designers, education, industry and government. She is responsible for the Centre’s book "Innovating with people –The Business of Inclusive Design» - distributed worldwide as a design school curriculum and the platform for the Executive Education concept.

She has a broad experience in international marketing, sales, innovation, product development and design management in the fields of personal products, ergonomic lighting, and contemporary furniture having worked for companies such as Unilever and Luxo across Europe and the US. She was also Managing Director of a Norwegian Graphic design company and holds an MBA from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration.