At the occasion of the closing of the Foshan Creative Week (2009), a forum was held on the 24th. It bore the theme of How Dutch Design may Contribute to the Value Creation by Chinese Enterprises. Eight Dutch designers representing eight Dutch design firms as well as Alliance-NL, a consortium made up of eight Dutch organizations presented with seven topics:
1. What is Dutch design? By Jorg van den Hoven, Deputy Head of Economic Affairs, Dutch Consulate General
2. Why Western industrial design can help conquer European market? By Boukje Koch, Technical Director, Ask4Me Group Ltd
3. How Unilever utilizes design? By Barbera Keukens, Unilever
4. How design can enhance marketing? By Danny Fang, Director of Fang Studio Ltd
5. What kind of retail outlet design satisfies branded retail marketing? By Sjoerd Hoekstra, Director of Three Dogs Studio Ltd
6. How 25 Chinese manufacturing breaked into European market with the assistance of Dutch design? Matthijs Pot, Director of Bureau CQ
7. Alliance approach to design, Bert Tjhie, Director of Tekton Architekten and Eric Vreedenburgh, Director of Archipelontwerpers
Dr. Han served as the moderator and interpreter for the forum. Lively exchanges ensued between audience and presenters during the Q&A session even though there was no break and the forum lasted for over two hours.
Under the auspices of the Bureau of Economic & Trade Affairs of Chancheng District Government, FCIP organized the event at its International Exchange Center in 1506 Creative City, its newly named park which previously was called Nanfeng Ancient Kiln Creative Industry Park. Mr. Hu Anquan, the Director of the Bureau of Economic & Trade Affairs greeted the speakers and audience, and called for more such events to take place. Over 130 attendants mostly from the local businesses made up the audience, which also included people of media, government agencies and professional associations. Feedback from the audience is that this is practical and refreshing, different from many other forums and seminars they attended.
