Selection Committee

Every cycle, five international experts are appointed to the WDC Selection Committee.

WDO leverages their expertise in the fields of design, urban planning, and economic and social development to assess the applications received from cities vying for the WDC designation. The WDC Selection Committee vets each bid based on a number of criteria, including the opportunities in which citizens benefit from the use of design in city planning; the city’s capacity to organize and finance a year-long programme of design events; the mobilization and participation of the wider local design community, large sectors of the population and visitors; and the city’s capacity to foster of a wider dialogue on urban revitalization strategies.

Click here to see a list of past committees.

WDC 2022 Selection Committee

Luisa Bocchietto
President
World Design Organization

Get to know Luisa

Luisa works as a designer and architect in both the public and private sector, carrying out projects aimed at local development, urban reclamation, and renovation. Her projects and products are published on various specialized magazines. She has contributed texts on architecture and design for various publications, has organized exhibitions (Pop Design, D come Design) as well as attended conferences and served on international juries. Luisa also cooperates as visiting professor with universities and design schools.

As a past president, Luisa serves on the governing council of the Associazione per il Disegno Industriale (ADI). She is also a past president of the Association of Architects in Biella and was a member of the organizing committee for World Design Capital 2008 Torino.

James Anderson
Head of Cities
Bloomberg Philantropies

Get to know James

James Anderson leads Government Innovation programs at Bloomberg Philanthropies. The portfolio helps city leaders solve their most vexing challenges through innovation, data and evidence, and collaboration. More than 250 cities worldwide are currently supported through grants, technical expertise, and educational and networking programs. Before joining Bloomberg Philanthropies, James served as communications director to New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. During that time, he was the chief architect of NYC Service, the City’s high impact citizen service strategy. Previously, he served as senior advisor to the commissioner of the City’s homeless services agency, and as communications director for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network.

Mauro Porcini
SVP and Chief Design Officer
PepsiCo

Get to know Mauro

Mauro Porcini joined PepsiCo in 2012 as its Chief Design Officer.  In this newly created position, Mauro is infusing design thinking into PepsiCo’s culture and is leading a new approach to innovation by design that impacts the company’s product platforms and brands.

In 2016, the Italy America Chamber of Commerce awarded him with the Business and Culture Award. That same year he received the US Design Brand Leader Award. In 2015, “Il Giornale” named him “One of the 10 Italians that will change the world”. In 2014,  Mauro was included in Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business 1000”. Since 2013 Mauro has been part of the “Italian Talents in a Foreign Country” community of the Aspen Italia Institute. In 2012 Fortune Magazine listed him in the “40 under 40” ranking – its list of “the business’s hottest rising stars” and the PoliMi of the University Politecnico of Milan has recognized him with the AlumniPolimi Awards 2012 (area Creativity). In 2011, Fast Company recognized him as one of the “50 Most Influential Designers in America” and “Master of Design” while the World HR Forum in Mumbai presented him with its “Award for Leadership and Innovation.”

Prior to joining PepsiCo, Mauro served as Chief Design Officer at 3M, where his mission was to build and nurture a design sensitive culture in a technology driven and global corporation.  His teams, based in the U.S., Italy, China and Japan, won many of the world’s most prestigious design and innovation awards. Mauro sits on the Board of Directors of the Design Management Institute, on the Board of Directors of the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce and on the advisory council of other design and art institutions. He currently lives and resides in New York City.

Frédérique Seels
Vice President
Lille Metropole

Get to know Frédérique

Ms. Frédérique Seels is Vice President at Lille Metropole in charge of Economic Development, Trade and Crafts and World Capital of Design 2020. She represents Mr. Damien Castelain, President of the Lille Metropole. Ms. Seels has also been appointed Vice President of the Lille Metropole Organizing Committee, World Capital of Design. In addition to her elected activities, she is also the General Manager of a company specializing in the construction of wooden buildings. She is also President of the wood trades at the Buildings Federation, north of France.

Anne Stenros
Chief Executive Officer
Creative Catalyst

Get to know Anne

Dr Anne Stenros, architect SAFA is a Creative Strategist on Design Leadership, Future Foresight and Smart Urbanization, acting and speaking around the world.
Anne Stenros graduated as Master of Architecture from the Univ. of Oulu and the Univ. of California, Berkeley. She has the doctorate in technology in the field of architectural theory. She has acted as a Managing Director of Design Forum Finland between 1995-2004 and the Executive Director of Hong Kong Design Centre in 2005. In 2005-2015, she was the Design Director at KONE Corporation, a world leading elevator and escalator company. In 2016-2018 she was appointed as the first chief design officer CDO of the city of Helsinki. Currently, she is the founder and CEO of Creative Catalyst, a strategic design consultancy. She has been rewarded with the Top Chief Design Officer (2018) by WIDC and CIDA; the Gold Estlander Medal (2015) and the Gold Medal of the City of Helsinki (2013). She is a founding member of WIT Women in Tech Finland.