Piers Roberts is an original thinker and do-er, a pioneer of design festivals, the founder of Riskkit – helping organisations identify opportunities and make great ideas come alive - and a champion of the Neurodiverse. For over 20 years, Piers has played a significant role in contributing to East London’s success as an inspirational beacon of creativity and innovation.
Piers founded Designersblock, which launched in September 1998 at the Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane - 5 years ahead of the London Design Festival. Over 19 years the pioneering and much imitated event showcased over 4000 creatives from 38 countries in 65 events across ten countries.
His latest venture, Riskkit (www.riskkit.com) is focussed on helping organisations and individuals navigate change and bring ambitious projects to life – of particular relevance in these uncertain times.
Rather than seeking to eradicate uncertainty Riskkit invites us to accept and embrace the non-linear space; for it is here that we discover new, exciting and optimistic possibilities. It’s then that we work with simple relationship patterns to frame and model opportunities, manage challenges and make great ideas come alive.
Passionately interested in Creativity and Entrepreneurship, Piers has written, curated and produced critically acclaimed conferences for Southbank Centre, the Oxo Tower and Europe House. A regular speaker at Universities he also co-develops workshops and training programmes for public and private clients.
Piers headed operations for the first 3 editions of the London Festival of Architecture, now the world's leading architecture festival.
Now more than ever we need diverse voices and perspectives. Diagnosed Autistic 7 years ago, Piers champions the valuable contribution made by people who feel, see and think different.
Projects
- Why Art and Science are more alike than we may assume.There is a commonly held misconception that art and science exist at polar opposites to each other; that science is about rationality and art is... irrational? The truth is that art and science share many common traditions and characteristics; both seek to understand and describe the world around us. Yes we can explore the differences but we also have much to gain from contemplating the relationship between the two.
Work history
founder and directorDesignersblock
- London, United KingdomFull Time
Piers founded Designersblock, which launched in September 1998 at the Old Truman Brewery on Brick Lane - 5 years ahead of the London Design Festival. Over 19 years the pioneering and much imitated event showcased over 4000 creatives from 38 countries in 65 events across ten countries.
Designersblock made a difference for the designers that were supported, creative festivals became exciting and essential, we brought contemporary design to far wider audiences, and introduced ways to organise festivals that have been imitated all around the world.
Skills
- Location Management
- Budget Control
- Curating Content
- Communication Activities
- Business Development
- Innovation Strategy
Education
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Bachelor of Arts (BA) University of Kent
- Canterbury, United Kingdom
Economics and Industrial Relations History