Alexandra Deschamps-Sonsino
Chief Design Officer (maternity cover) at Design Council- Claim this Profile
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English Native or bilingual proficiency
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French Native or bilingual proficiency
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Italian Professional working proficiency
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Bio
Ugo Vallauri
Alex is a fantastic critical thinker, and a great board member of The Restart Project, the organisation I co-lead. Her insights, questions, support and system change perspectives are an excellent way to connect her extensive design experience with the challenges that organisations face to be relevant and effective at the time of a climate crisis. I've known her for many years, and appreciate the breadth and depth of her work, from creating the IoT London community to her more recent important work on the Low Carbon Design Institute
Tom Higham
Alex is an instinctive, immensely intelligent, empathetic leader. She has been a huge catalyst for change since joining our board of Trustees, and been a huge personal support and mentor navigating Mediale through a period of change and development. Alex has huge domain expertise in design and creativity, but perhaps more importantly balances an entrepreneurial instinct and drive with vast emotional intelligence and an empathetic approach to leadership. Most inspiring leader I've worked with, bar none.
Ugo Vallauri
Alex is a fantastic critical thinker, and a great board member of The Restart Project, the organisation I co-lead. Her insights, questions, support and system change perspectives are an excellent way to connect her extensive design experience with the challenges that organisations face to be relevant and effective at the time of a climate crisis. I've known her for many years, and appreciate the breadth and depth of her work, from creating the IoT London community to her more recent important work on the Low Carbon Design Institute
Tom Higham
Alex is an instinctive, immensely intelligent, empathetic leader. She has been a huge catalyst for change since joining our board of Trustees, and been a huge personal support and mentor navigating Mediale through a period of change and development. Alex has huge domain expertise in design and creativity, but perhaps more importantly balances an entrepreneurial instinct and drive with vast emotional intelligence and an empathetic approach to leadership. Most inspiring leader I've worked with, bar none.
Ugo Vallauri
Alex is a fantastic critical thinker, and a great board member of The Restart Project, the organisation I co-lead. Her insights, questions, support and system change perspectives are an excellent way to connect her extensive design experience with the challenges that organisations face to be relevant and effective at the time of a climate crisis. I've known her for many years, and appreciate the breadth and depth of her work, from creating the IoT London community to her more recent important work on the Low Carbon Design Institute
Tom Higham
Alex is an instinctive, immensely intelligent, empathetic leader. She has been a huge catalyst for change since joining our board of Trustees, and been a huge personal support and mentor navigating Mediale through a period of change and development. Alex has huge domain expertise in design and creativity, but perhaps more importantly balances an entrepreneurial instinct and drive with vast emotional intelligence and an empathetic approach to leadership. Most inspiring leader I've worked with, bar none.
Ugo Vallauri
Alex is a fantastic critical thinker, and a great board member of The Restart Project, the organisation I co-lead. Her insights, questions, support and system change perspectives are an excellent way to connect her extensive design experience with the challenges that organisations face to be relevant and effective at the time of a climate crisis. I've known her for many years, and appreciate the breadth and depth of her work, from creating the IoT London community to her more recent important work on the Low Carbon Design Institute
Tom Higham
Alex is an instinctive, immensely intelligent, empathetic leader. She has been a huge catalyst for change since joining our board of Trustees, and been a huge personal support and mentor navigating Mediale through a period of change and development. Alex has huge domain expertise in design and creativity, but perhaps more importantly balances an entrepreneurial instinct and drive with vast emotional intelligence and an empathetic approach to leadership. Most inspiring leader I've worked with, bar none.
Experience
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Design Council
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United Kingdom
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Design
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100 - 200 Employee
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Chief Design Officer (maternity cover)
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Aug 2022 - Present
Taking over from Cat Drew until June '23. Supporting the team on our Design for Planet Festival, championing efforts, skills building programmes, thought leadership in the systemic design community and more. Taking over from Cat Drew until June '23. Supporting the team on our Design for Planet Festival, championing efforts, skills building programmes, thought leadership in the systemic design community and more.
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designswarm
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United Kingdom
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Design Services
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Consultant
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Jan 2011 - Present
Independent consultant focussing on climate change, ethics and the internet of things. I often provide strategic planning, project management or industry research capabilities either in-house or on a project basis. Clients: American Express, Arup, BBC Research & Development (North Lab), Braun, British Film Institute, British Gas, British Telecom, Dare Digital, Digital Catapult, Danish Ministry of Urban & Rural Affairs, EDF R&D (France), EDF Energy (UK), EIT Digital, ING Labs, Innovate UK, Mozilla Foundation, Nokia, National Geographic, Proctor & Gamble, Superflux, The European Commission, The Evening Standard, The Victoria & Albert Museum, The Wellcome Trust, UCL Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis, ustwo, Wired US, W+K, Y&R
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Low Carbon Design Institute
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United Kingdom
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Initiator
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Oct 2019 - Present
An institution in the making where climate change, education and creative communities meet. A residency, events, workshops. Applications open for the June 2022 program. https://lowcarbondesigninstitute.org/ An institution in the making where climate change, education and creative communities meet. A residency, events, workshops. Applications open for the June 2022 program. https://lowcarbondesigninstitute.org/
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Library of Things
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United Kingdom
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Retail
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1 - 100 Employee
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London Project Lead
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Aug 2020 - Jul 2021
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Curator and Organiser
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Nov 2011 - Jun 2020
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Bulb
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United Kingdom
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Utilities
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200 - 300 Employee
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Head of Labs
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Oct 2018 - Apr 2019
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The Good Night Lamp
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London, United Kingdom
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Founder
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Mar 2012 - Mar 2019
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Really Interesting Group
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Design Services
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Associate
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Jan 2011 - Aug 2012
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Tinker London
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Design Services
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CEO and Co-Founder
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Jul 2007 - Jan 2011
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Education
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2004 - 2006
Interaction Design Institute Ivrea
Master's Degree -
2000 - 2004
Université de Montréal
BA. Sc
Community
