“I have really enjoyed being part of IKEA during these six years, to have the opportunity to drive change and work with some great people. I came back to IKEA in a time when we decided to become more transparent and open up for more and bigger collaborations, which has been very inspiring and I hope this has contributed to that even more people have found IKEA interesting and vital”, says Marcus Engman.
Marcus Engman started working part-time at the IKEA store in weekends and summer breaks during high school. In the mid-1980s he was a home furnishing apprentice and continued in roles like Communications & Interior Design Manager in Swedish stores, Global Range Strategist and Marketing Manager FOR IKEA Retail Sweden. After 12 years outside of IKEA, Marcus came back in 2012 as Head of Design, a role in which he has focused on broadening the way of working with design at IKEA, involving more people and opening up the design process to share how IKEA works and what the brand stands for.
“My passion lies in the connection between design and communication, not as separate areas but together. When we share our curiosity, how we work and why we do it, people will understand what we stand for and what we are trying to change for the better. Ramping up our external collaborations has been a great arena to explore and work this way. It feels good to know that I will continue to have a relation to some of the IKEA collaborations but in a different and even more creative role”, says Marcus Engman.
The Head of Design at IKEA has a central role in driving Democratic Design through the design team as well as establishing and leading external collaborations. It´s all about ensuring that IKEA is relevant and attractive to both existing and new customers through the ways of working with the IKEA range.
“IKEA believes in making good things accessible for the many people. We want to show the world that it’s possible to create affordable products with good form, function and lasting quality in a sustainable way. Marcus Engman has been a true asset to IKEA during these years. We wish him the best of luck and look forward to continue the collaboration in a new way. IKEA will continue to be explorative and curious but the exact organization and setup is something that will be defined in the coming period, says Peter van der Poel, Manager IKEA Range & Supply and Managing Director for IKEA of Sweden AB.
