Design Bridge and Partners launches as new WPP design partnership

Design Bridge and Partners has launched as a new WPP global design company, following the merger of Design Bridge and Superunion which was announced in 2022.

John Morris, who was formerly CEO of Design Bridge, will serve as Group CEO while Jim Prior, who was previously CEO of Superunion, will serve as chairman. Mark Budden, the company's APAC chairman, on the other hand, will pick up duties as chairman for Asia Pacific.

Design Bridge and Partners will pull together talent from across its 850-person strong network which operates in 12 countries to unlock potential for brands, businesses and people alike.

In Asia, Design Bridge and Partners currently has studios in Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand and China with clients such as Diageo, HSBC, Tencent, Colgate-Palmolive, The Coca-Cola Company, Trust Bank, Resorts World, Unilever, Mondelēz and Shangri-La in their remit.

Don't miss: WPP merges Design Bridge and Superunion

The business will have a cultural focus on collaboration and nurturing talent while forging deep and long-lasting partnerships with clients and operating as a seamless global entity.

“We fundamentally believe that design is one of the most powerful tools in business, and yet it’s historically been underutilised. As Design Bridge and Partners, we’re on a mission to change that, and simultaneously help shape the future of organisations worldwide by unleashing the full power of design,” said Morris. For Design Bridge and Partners, it’s not just a matter of what design is, but also what design can do, for brands, businesses, people and the planet —and the role design can play in answering the fundamental questions of the world today, he shared.

It’s no secret that the world is at a tipping point, globally tied together and yet fragmented in ways which we might not have imagined previously, Morris said. "Design will not only help answer the big questions, how we progress as people, as businesses, but ultimately help to create both harmony and connection as well," he added.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out for more information. 

Last July, WPP created a new unit called Design Bridge and Partners, formed by the merger of design agency Design Bridge, and Superunion, a brand and design consultancy. The company launched in January 2023 and is enabling clients to "leverage a full range of industry-leading design expertise", driving growth and transformation through consumer, business, lifestyle and experience design.  

According to WPP, with its existing skills and client bases, Design Bridge and Partners will have centers of excellence in key locations worldwide.

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