Design Launchpad: Launch Your Next Career Move
Part of World Design Business Forum (WDBF)
A 4-part station to help young professionals evaluate their starting market value and shape it further through portfolio review, intellectual property, personal branding, coaching and career advisory.
Who should join us?
Design students & fresh graduates preparing to enter the industry
Early-career designers looking to strengthen their portfolios
Mid-career designers seeking new opportunities or career progression
Designers transitioning into a new discipline or role
Anyone looking for an industry perspective on how to better present their work
Limited to 70 pax only.
1. Portfolio Critique
Put your best work forward. Get personalised 1-on-1 feedback from experienced design practitioners on your portfolio, project storytelling and how you communicate your design process. Whether you're preparing for your next role, seeking new opportunities or looking to strengthen your professional profile, gain practical insights to make your portfolio more relevant and compelling to the industry.
Design Mentors:
Chris Chua
Creative Practitioner
Chris Chua is a veteran multidisciplinary practitioner with 29 years of design and studio-founding experience. His diverse expertise bridges corporate and public branding with motion graphics, interactive UI/UX optimisation, and instructional frameworks. Seamlessly managing assets from concept to final production, Chris leverages his deep industry insights to mentor emerging talent.
Jonathan Yap
Founder, Design Pay Asia
Jonathan founded Design Pay Asia, championing pay transparency across Southeast Asia's design community. By day he leads content and design ops at a Singapore bank. He mentors designers on portfolios, interviews, and career transitions, and is training as an ontological coach. Bring a half-formed question; that is usually where the good conversations start.
Rudi Lim,
Head of Digital and Innovation, AGAPro
An experienced Product and Design Leader, who works on insurtech and making insurance accessible. I enjoy the zero-to-one journey of experimenting and innovation. I build, design and vibe-code products which deliver business, user values and optimises tech effort.
Zhiliang Chen,
Creative Technologist
Zhiliang is a Creative Technologist, an experimental role within the GovTech Design Practice team. He previously led product design at a fintech company and ran his own venture, working with brands like Seedly, StraitsX, and FirstCircle. His current focus is AI-native design engineering, blending design and code.
2. Career Advisory in collaboration with E2I
- 20-minute sharing by e2i covering resume writing, interview preparation, identifying and addressing skills gaps, and positioning oneself for career transitions.
- 10-minute sharing by e2i on the curated design job opportunities for design professionals.
3. IP in collaboration with Singapore IP Week 2026
Personalised consultations with IP experts focusing on trade marks and branding, helping participants understand IP considerations, strengthen brand protection, and address specific questions about their brand identity and trade mark strategy.
4. Personal Branding & Executive Coaching
30-Minute Rotation Structure
- 5 mins: Coach introduction & topic overview.
Navigating Professional Transitions
Personal and Professional Branding
Executive Presence and Confidence
- 20 mins: Spot coaching & Q&A session.
- 5 mins: Wrap-up & transition.
If you like to join the World Design Business Forum, get your tickets here: https://luma.com/spij4lha