Michael König on Revitalising Iconic Brands Through Storytelling and Design Leadership

Episode 18 of The Design Journeys Podcast hosted by Chris Whyte. New episodes every Wednesday!In this episode, Chris Whyte interviews Michael König, a design leader whose career journey spans two decades across digital and physical product design. From launching a digital design studio fresh out of university to leading design at Bang & Olufsen and Fiskars, Michael has tackled challenges at some of the world’s most iconic heritage brands. Now, as the founder of a new consultancy, Michael shares how he’s helping legacy brands modernize through storytelling, innovation, and agility.Listeners will hear about Michael’s creative approach to leading cross-functional teams, building consumer-centric products, and navigating the complexities of balancing tradition with modern market demands.Key Takeaways:Career Adaptability: Michael’s career demonstrates the power of being adaptable, moving from digital design to physical product innovation and leadership.Importance of Storytelling: Michael emphasizes storytelling as a critical tool for connecting heritage brands with modern consumers.Leading Cross-Functional Teams: Michael shares how collaboration across design, marketing, and engineering drives impactful innovation.Consumer-Centric Product Development: From prototyping in Airbnbs to reducing time-to-market by 50%, Michael shares lessons on keeping consumers at the center.Modernising Legacy Brands: Michael highlights the unique challenges and opportunities of elevating design for long-standing, iconic companies.Connect with Michael König on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelkonigcph/Connect with Chris Whyte on LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrchriswhyte/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Learn more about Kodu Recruitment: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://teamkodu.com/⁠