Chuck Pelly's Speech at "Innovations that Transform the World" design conference, Beijing, China. 2016.7.22

CHUCK PELLY, Chief Creative Officer, Intersection-Inc.

Chuck Pelly is a 45-year veteran of the design industry and is a world-renowned product, seating, auto and transportation designer. He is the founder/former President of Designworks/USA, which grew to be one of the world’s top 10 design consultancies and became a wholly owned subsidiary of BMW Group.

Under Chuck’s management, Designworks/USA was instrumental in the design of the BMW X5 and the award-winning BMW 3 Series. Chuck is the designer of the original Scarab sports car for Lance Reventlow and original Chaparral racecar and has been awarded by Eyes on Design for race car design.

He has led design efforts of noted branded products for almost all major industries. Nominated 4 times for the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Lifetime Achievement award, Chuck has pioneered the development of comfort ergonomics in office seating, industrial equipment, medical equipment and automobiles.

Chuck has been awarded more than 40 U.S. and foreign patent, has received numerous awards for his design work, has taught and lectured broadly, served on many boards, has been President of the Industrial Design Society of America, and an IDSA Fellow since 1994. As a distinguished alumnus, Chuck has been involved with the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA since 1968 and is Alumni Chair for San Diego. He has received their George Jorgensen Design Achievement award for his significant contributions.

Along with his partner, Joan Gregor, Chuck is co-founder of Intersection-Inc., a design innovation consultancy. Chuck is Chief Creative Officer and remains committed to improving businesses outcomes and experiences through human centered design. Intersection-Inc accelerates innovation through its’ collaboratory, The Design Academy, Inc.

The Design Academy, Inc., an education and knowledge center. trains multi-disciplined teams on human centered design and advances research and provides thought leadership through its’ Power of Collective ThoughtTM global network of talented professionals from industry, academia, government and organizations.

Chuck is passionate about humanizing technology by increasing comfort, beauty and function to people through a better understanding of humans in their universal context.