David Labistour is Chief Executive Officer at Mountain Equipment Co-op. He started his career in apparel design before moving to product management, then merchandise management and on to general management, working globally in manufacturing and retail. Since joining MEC in 2004, David has been the driving force behind the revitalization of their product lines. 50% of Mec’s sales come from the MEC brand, which is designed, developed and tested by the in-house team in Vancouver. MEC is a national icon, as recognizable as the Canadian flag to backpackers and travelers abroad.
Keynote Considering Design
There are impacts and consequences to all actions. Positive and negative, intended and unintended. Design is no exception. Successful brands are adept at delighting their customers while delivering on the bottom line. This challenge has become exponentially more difficult as we consider the unbounded access to information, our finite environment and the global community in which we live. David speaks to the tolerance for ambiguity, sense of irony and innovation required in striving to design and develop product that delivers on the “triple bottom line”.
