Ben Watson of Herman Miller Named Top Design Influencer

Fast Company has released its

Annual Design Issue

featuring a list of the

top 50

innovators currently shaping the future of design. Following Dutch fashion designer Iris Von Herpen and Vanke Group founder Wang Shi,

Herman Miller

‘s executive creative director, Ben Watson, is third on the list of designers, educators, and executives who aren’t afraid to push the envelope.

Watson joined Zeeland, Michigan-based Herman Miller in 2010 when he assumed his current position, which was newly created at the time. Previously, Watson had held other leadership positions in the furniture industry including CEO of Italian furniture-maker

Moroso.

Watson heads up all creative decision for Herman Miller, from design and engineering to merchandising and branding. View a video of him speaking about the company’s recent pop-up shop in New York

here

.

After reading Fast Company’s top 50 list, tell

us

who you think is missing from the list.

Photo by

Gerald Forster

.