Huge, a global experience agency, part of Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG), today announced that Fura Johannesdottir has been appointed to the role of Chief Design Officer. Effective February 3, 2020, Johannesdottir will report directly to Pete Stein, Global Chief Executive Officer of Huge. In this role, she will be responsible for the agency’s design leadership across 13 international offices. Johannesdottir joins from Publicis Sapient where she spent two years as Chief Design Officer of the Experience practice across EMEA, Middle East and Asia.
Stein commented, “I'm impressed by Fura’s vision for the future of design and customer experience. Like Huge, Fura has been on the forefront of innovation, helping clients to embrace what lies ahead and to produce some of the industry’s best work.”
The agency’s global Experience Design team of designers across 13 Huge offices. The team leads human-centered and innovative experiences through the disciplines of interaction, interface, experiential, physical product, visual, brand, and motion design. In addition, they guide fortune 500 clients through strategic initiatives employing user experience strategy, service design thinking, and collaborating closely with integrated creative, business strategy, research, and tech partners at Huge.
“Huge's work has always been deeply rooted in design, craft and creativity, and I'm excited to be a part of shaping the agency's future” said Johannesdottir. “I believe that companies like Huge, that are born out of user centricity, have an important role in our industry and will be instrumental in helping clients evolve their businesses by leading with design. Huge and the industry are going through exciting changes right now and I’m eager to be a part of their next chapter.”
In Johannesdottir’s previous role at Publicis Sapient, she oversaw work that won multiple awards in the industry’s leading international shows such as the ANDYs, The One Show, Digital Impact Awards, BIMA, OMMA and more. The award-winning worked spanned everything from rethinking ecommerce through immersive product storytelling for B&O to creating the next generation of hearing aid experiences for Amplifon, making it possible for people to optimize their hearing through the use of data. Her team at Publicis Sapient in London also created The Sending Machine, a vending machine that displays what’s needed at a local food bank, giving people the power to actually purchase and donate what’s truly needed at any given point of time.
Prior to Publicis Sapient, Johannesdottir worked at R/GA for 12 years. During this time, she oversaw the vision and execution for Nike’s DTC and brand business, creating true omni-channel experiences through Nike’s ecommerce platforms, NIKEiD, retail spaces and Nike’s Digital Brand experiences. She is best known for her work on Nike.com as well as her work on NikeWomen and other Nike brand assets.
Johannesdottir has lived and worked across different markets, spanning everything from North America to Scandinavia, United Kingdom, Middle East, Turkey and throughout Europe - giving her a true global perspective and experience.
“Fura is a key addition to our global executive leadership team. As Huge grows in the U.S. and internationally, having our leadership across the Huge network in different offices helps us drive innovation, design thinking and technology for our global clients,” said Raj Singhal, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Huge.
Throughout her 20-year career, Johannesdottir has worked on a range of leading brands such as Nike, Volvo, Walmart, Samsung, H&M, Heathrow Airport, B&O, Luxottica, Galeries Lafayette, Akbank, Turkcell, Carrefour, Amplifon and many more.
Currently, she is a trustee for the D&AD and a member of Adobe's Design Circle. Also this year she is serving as President for the Eurobest 2019 Digital, Mobile and Digital craft category. Johannesdottir has won a number of the top international awards, such as Clios, Webbys, The One Show, ADC, LIAs and many more.
