Designworks’ group CEO and director Sven Baker wins Black Pin at Best Design Awards 2012

The Designers Institute of New Zealand has awarded its coveted ‘2012 Black Pin for Outstanding Achievement’ to Designworks’ Group CEO and Director, Sven Baker (left). Granted to an individual who has made a lasting and valuable contribution to the design profession and to design in general, the Black Pin was presented to Sven at the Best Design Awards 2012 event held in NZ over the weekend.

In giving the prestigious Award, the Institute paid tribute to Baker’s outstanding portfolio of award winning graphic design work, and his role as a leader in the NZ design community.

Baker has worked with leading agency Designworks, part of STW Group, for more than a quarter of a century. During this period he has progressed to a senior leadership role and made a significant contribution to its sustained success and ongoing development as one of the largest design practices in New Zealand, and now Australia.

As a creative director he and his team have worked with many of New Zealand’s leading companies, and organizations including Air New Zealand, Auckland Airport, Silverfern Farms, Gallagher Group, Tait Electronics and Kiwibank. Baker’s work in helping to establish the Designworks Sydney office is a further endorsement of his standing as a creative leader and advocate for the internationalisation of New Zealand design business.

In accepting the award, Baker said that helping companies to innovate is not about design as a superficial add on or afterthought.

Says Baker: “Design has to be informed and imbedded in a company’s values and business approach if it is to succeed. Our passion and purpose as a business is very clear. To design the most successful down under brands in the world.”

Baker has a catalogue of awards to his name – including two New York Art Director Awards for Typography and Corporate Identity, and two Best Awards ‘Stringers’. He was also an important member of the Designworks team that won the Supreme Award at Vero’s Excellence in Business awards.