Design In Action sets sights on Singapore

The Meat & Livestock Commission has appointed Wiltshire consultancy Event Exhibition and Design to create its pavilion for the Royal Shows, starting with Edinburgh’s Royal Highland Show in June.

The Meat & Livestock Commission has appointed Wiltshire consultancy Event Exhibition and Design to create its pavilion for the Royal Shows, starting with Edinburgh’s Royal Highland Show in June.

Design In Action is establishing an office in Singapore to tap into design opportunities in the Pacific Rim. The move is being touted as the first stage of a global expansion.

The Lopex-owned DIA shed 36 staff in 1994 – described last April as a year of “hard medicine” by DIA managing director Barry Salter. Now Salter is buoyed by a successful 1995 and “fantastic” opportunities in south east Asia.

The launch of DIA Singapore follows a test period last year when DIA worked with Lopex sister agency Tropical Alliance in Singapore. The rate of generation of work convinced the consultancy to open its own office.

Nigel Smith, DIA’s director of corporate communication, heads up DIA Singapore. He is joined by Colin Goodhew as creative head. With local Singaporean designers, the staff now numbers seven. Projects underway include literature, packaging and corporate and retail identity.

“Without wanting to be over-optimistic, there is huge potential for growth over the next two years. Ideally we should be able to replicate the staff size of around 50 that we have in our London office,” says Salter.

Salter says the Singapore office is “part of a coherent strategy to create a genuinely international company”. He adds: “Hopefully, by the end of this year we will announce a formal relationship with a US consultancy – we are not looking at a start-up there.”

Smith’s London role is now handled by Lynn Hall, who has returned after four years in south east Asia working for various consultancies including Addison.

Start the discussionStart the discussion
  • Post a comment

Latest articles