Learn, create and network with global brand leaders at the Pentawards Festival 2023

We all like to think we work hard in our jobs. But are you working effectively? Sometimes it's important to get away from your desk; to meet with like-minded individuals, make new connections, and gain new perspectives on your day-to day. And if you work in design and packaging, here's a great opportunity to do so.

Brought to you by the folks behind Pentawards, the world's leading packaging design competition, the annual Pentawards Festival 2023 will return to London's Science Museum on 9 November. And it promises to be a must-attend event for senior brand leaders, designers, marketers and design agencies.

Networking opportunities

While there are some stellar speakers at the event (which we'll get to shortly), in truth the main draw of the Pentawards Festival is the fabulous collaboration and networking opportunities, including the chance to arrange one-to-one meetings with top-tier brands.

More than 100 brands attended the 2022 Pentawards Festival, and this year's event is likely to exceed even that. So don't miss your opportunity to immerse yourself in the heart of the design community! Head to the Meet the Brands area in the main networking space, where you'll be able to book 1-1 meetings with international brands to discuss ideas, and opportunities.

The top-tier global names taking part in Meet the Brands this year include Puma, Carrefour and Microsoft. Keep an eye on the Pentawards Festival website for further additions to the year's line-up.

The opportunities to mingle and mix with fellow attendees are also not to be sneezed at. To give you an idea of the high calibre of this community, the audience at Pentawards Festival last year was 32% C-Suite, founder or partner, 26% designer, marketer or brand specialist, 21% director, 18% management and 2% other.

As Mauro Porcini, senior vice-president and chief design officer at PepsiCo, puts it: "These kinds of conferences are not just a stage to talk about innovation, but actually a stage to brainstorm, co-create and to think about new ideas, creating new perspectives and new point of views on things."

Keynote speakers

The festival will be themed on the topic 'Design with Purpose', and keynote speakers will include representatives of Disney, TikTok, Unilver and other big brands, not to mention headliner Steven Bartlett of Dragon's Den fame.

Attendees will also get to see an exclusive performance from visual artist and friend of Creative Boom Craig Black, who'll showcase his Acrylic Fusion technique, which involves hand-pouring layers of acrylic paint to create one-of-a-kind artworks.

Throughout the day, multiple keynote sessions will focus on 'Design with Purpose', exploring the following key themes: AI & the digital world, ESG & Sustainability, Engaging Gen-Z, the Cost of Living and Accessible Design.

All the keynote speakers are experts in their respective fields, and each will leave attendees with three key takeaways that they can take back to the office, share with their teams or implement into their next project.

The full list of keynote speakers is as follows:

• Steven Bartlett, entrepreneur and host of Europe's no.1 podcast, The Diary of a CEO
• Stefan Sagmeister, graphic designer at Sagmeister Inc
• Hannah Kops, head of experience at Transport for London
• Carola Seybold, head of global key accounts at Pantone
• Jeremy White, senior innovation editor at Wired Magazine
• Kris Keiller, brand design manager at Patagonia
• Anita Kuit, branding & packaging EMEA / global product creation at Disney
• Oksana Valentelis, creative director at TikTok
• Chloé Templeman, executive creative director at Big Fish
• John Glasgow, co-founder at Vault49
• Robert Taylor, director of sustainability at UPM Raflatac
• Mario Dughi, digital marketing & design director at Unilever
• Sarah Masters, digital & e-commerce director at Unilever
• Reuben Christian, festival host, UK

And the learning opportunities don't stop there! Pentawards Festival also offers interactive workshops to help you boost your skills and learn new techniques and strategies. For example, you'll be able to put your creative talents to the test in an interactive pop-up in partnership with Make a Mark. Supplies and materials will be provided, allowing you to turn your idea into reality and showcase your product on the display shelves.

To buy tickets to the event, see the full agenda, and get more information on the event features, visit the Pentawards Festival website.