STEVE BATY
CEO, Australian Design Council
Chair, Meld Studios
Steve has focused on advocating for Design and the role it can play across a career spanning 25 years. He is deeply experienced in the business of design, having worked in and led design organisations before co-founding and growing Meld Studios from three founders in 2009 to twenty-five Designers across four studios today. The company has a string of accolades, winning the Australian Good Design Team of the Year in 2022 and becoming the first Australian headquartered company to become Employee-Owned by Trust in 2021.
Steve has played a critical role in the growth of Interaction Design, User Experience, Service Design and Strategic Design as communities of practice in Australia and around the world. Steve is a Good Design Ambassador and served on the Jury Panel for the Australian Good Design Awards from 2012-2016. He currently serves as the CEO of the Australian Design Council, alongside his role at Meld Studios.
An accomplished speaker and presenter, Steve has also recently published a book on Strategic Design, Designing Tomorrow, co-authored with Dr. Martin Tomitsch of UTS.