Brian McMurray, President of GM Korea R&D, shared his vision for the future of design as a keynote speaker at the 2024 Korean Society of Designers Spring International Conference, held at Yonsei University's Sinchon Campus on 8 April.
The Korean Institute of Design is a Korean academic organisation with a long history and tradition that has been established in October 1978 and currently has more than 7,200 members. In particular, the KIDA holds various events to raise the status and value of design in Korea, including the International Design Conference, the University Student Design Conference, and international invitational exhibitions.
At the 2024 Korean Institute of Design Spring International Conference, Brian McMurray, President of GM Korea R&D, delivered a keynote speech on the theme of 'design transformation to inspire innovations'. In his speech, Brian McMurray said, "Design transformation is a catalyst to inspire innovation and advance humanity as a whole." He emphasised the need for design transformation to create a more inclusive, sustainable and compassionate world for future generations.
In fact, GM is committed to a sustainable future, with a goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2040, and has announced plans to replace its automotive materials with 100% sustainable materials. The company is already using eco-friendly materials in some of its latest models, and plans to expand this to future models to demonstrate its commitment to sustainable design.
In particular, Brian McMurray discussed the elements that embody GM's future design philosophy, pointing to the recently launched Cadillac LYRIQ. As Cadillac's first all-electric SUV, LYRIQ is a milestone model that establishes a new design language for Cadillac, with a design inspired by "The Rhythms of Nature," blending elements of heritage and next-generation technology.
In Korea, GM is also exploring various ways to foster future talent through various industry-academia collaborations, including academic conferences. In April, GM signed an MOU with a global university to provide STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education programmes for local students, host seminars on new mobility technologies, hold mentoring sessions, and identify educational programmes to lead the industry of the future.
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