Renny Ramakers has been at the leading edge of Dutch design since 1993, when she co-founded Droog with Gijs Bakker. Recognised for challenging the eye and the mind with highly innovative design projects, Droog embeds itself in social context, but adds a twist. A cornerstone of the design fraternity, Droog has championed the careers of designers the likes of Marcel Wanders, Jurgen Bey and Hella Jongerius.

Now director of Droog, Ramakers is leading into the next generation. In all her projects Ramakers focuses on creating interaction with the public, new collaborations, tools and systems. She believes that conceptual thinking has the ability to solve problems and open up new directions and possibilities.

Expanding beyond the Netherlands, the recently launched Droog Lab aims to define the next generation of global design by investigating local contexts, having thus far extended as far as New York, Dubai, Moscow and the far North of Canada. Droog is also developing an online creative platform for dead stock and another platform for downloadable design.

When Ramakers is not busy at Droog, she:

• Has guided governmental advisory boards, also as a member of the Dutch Council of Culture.
• Has contributed to numerous international books, magazines and catalogues, in a critical capacity.
• Is the author of several books.
• Serves on the board of THNK Amsterdam School for Creative Leadership.
• Is an art historian by training.
• Is a judging panelist on various design boards.

Renny Ramakers will be speaking at the 2011 Design Indaba Conference from 23 to 25 February.