The DesignThinker of the Year award is given to Canadian corporate leaders who have incorporated design thinking into their organizations to achieve business objectives and drive innovation.

 

Noura is the third generation in a family of jewellers and has a background in Industrial Engineering. Tired of the narrative that fine jewelry is an occasional purchase typically marketed to men, Noura leveraged her learnings to create the next-generation jewelry brand.

 

 

At Mejuri, design thinking has always been a primary consideration for Noura. She hired a Creative Director during the brand’s early days and built an in-house creative agency to guarantee high standards, a fluid flow of information and the delivery of hyper-specialized creative content. Through a focus on design, Mejuri doesn’t just sell products, they create narratives and experiences around their pieces — and more importantly — a genuine relationship with their community. “Mejuri’s nation-wide success is a perfect example of what happens when design is a valued and actively utilized part of the business” says Nicola Hamilton RGD, Communications Committee Chair. “We are thrilled to recognize Mejuri as a DesignThinker of the Year for the strong visual narrative they incorporate at every touchpoint of their business.”

 

Anthony Green led Greenhouse’s growth from a single location store in Toronto to a rapidly growing, vertically integrated CPG beverage business. Prior to the launch of Greenhouse, Anthony was a multi-award-winning filmmaker; he has directed documentaries on musicians including The Rolling Stones and Beyoncé.

 

From the very start, Greenhouse cofounders have put design at the forefront of the company, from product and packaging design, to retail environments, e-commerce experience and digital engagement.

 

Anthony, Emma and Hana have assembled a team of creative talent who integrate design and innovation across the business. This includes an internal creative team (an in-house designer, copywriters, photographer and food stylist), an architecture firm, packaging agency and e-commerce specialists.

 

“Greenhouse’s success stems from more than just their quality products; their commitment to design in all aspects of the business is what puts them over the top,” says Wendy Millard RGD, President of RGD. “By awarding the Co-Founders with a DesignThinker of the Year award, we are acknowledging the impact their investment in design has made.

Noura Sakkijha and Anthony Green attended the DesignThinkers Toronto Conference on October 24 to accept their awards and also took part in an on-stage conversation about how design has helped put their companies on the map.