Kevin Bethune

Kevin Bethune, a renowned design leader and author with over 25 years in engineering and footwear design, shares his transformative journey from nuclear engineering to innovative design at Nike. He discusses the vital role of curiosity and mentorship in career growth. The conversation highlights the impact of design on corporate culture, emphasizing diversity and collaboration. Kevin also champions lifelong learning in design, hinting at his upcoming book, 'Nonlinear,' which will explore innovation intricacies.

Former Air Jordan designer, Kevin Bethune, discusses strategic innovation, transition from engineering to shoe design, empowerment through curiosity, cultural impact of Air Jordan, industrial design intricacies, first principles thinking, and building a strong brand promise.

Kevin Bethune, multidisciplinary design executive, discusses the importance of embracing creative approaches and the need for bold leadership to optimize curiosity and creativity. They also highlight the lack of diversity in design and innovation, particularly in black representation. Kevin's book, Reimagining Design: Unlocking Strategic Innovation, explores the cone of possibility and the S curve as models of thinking. They discuss rewiring organizations to embrace design thinking and the concept of opening the aperture in strategic foresight. Additionally, they emphasize the importance of diversity, intent, and belief in design, as well as handling ambiguity and navigating non-linearities.