Eight Inc. appoints Chris Dobson as new principal in Hong Kong

Experience design firm Eight Inc. has appointed Chris Dobson as principal to drive its growth across China’s Greater Bay Area. Dobson will work closely with Eight Inc. founder Tim Kobe to develop new business relationships and partnerships, while growing the team in the firm’s Hong Kong studio. He will also lead multi-disciplinary teams delivering the company’s projects in the region—from vision through to implementation.Dobson was previously managing director of Imagination Asia and Australia, working with clients including Huawei, General Electric and Jaguar Land Rover. His regional projects include the GE Ecomagination Center in Masdar City, and the GE Innovation Centers in Dharan, KSA, and Istanbul, Turkey.Eight Inc. CEO and founder, Tim Kobe said, “Chris will help us bring value to China’s Greater Bay Area, in a time of rapid growth for the region. His expertise will be instrumental as we work with clients to create customer experiences that are more engaging, more rewarding—and more memorable.”Overall, Dobson brings 20 years of strategy and design work experience to his new role. His diverse background covers brand and communication strategy, spatial design, advertising, technology design, content creation, and brand engagement. He is the current vice president of the Retail Design Institute’s Hong Kong Chapter, which develops educational, career-building and networking opportunities for retail professionals. He also judges several of Asia’s leading strategy, experience and creative effectiveness awards.Dobson himself commented, “The uniquely open and international environment of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area offers huge potential for organizations to re-imagine how they interact with their customers, and to enhance their competitiveness. Being in the most open and international city in the Greater Bay Area, we can be directly involved in the region’s design-led change, as it grows into an innovation and technology hub.”Dobson will make his first public speaking appearance as the principal of Eight Inc. at the Knowledge of Design Week (KODW) – taking place from 17-21 June – where he will join a line-up of high-profile international speakers at the event’s Future Retail and Lifestyles Forum.