25 June 2008
MetaDesign opens office in Beijing

MetaDesign, Germany’s leading branding and corporate identity agency, has recently opened offices in China. A MetaDesign team has been working for some time with Volkswagen on the redevelopment and design of VW’s dealerships as part of a global realignment of the brand at its dealerships. The MetaDesign offices are now officially open in Beijing’s Central Business District effective immediately.

Henri Garbers has joined MetaDesign as Managing Director in charge of establishing and managing the new site. The 33-year-old interior and furniture designer already has considerable international experience as store planner and team leader for IKEA in Italy and as founder and General Manager of Interior–lighting–colour in Cologne, Hong Kong and Beijing. With a three-member team and the support of the designers from the Berlin headquarters, he is responsible for the development and implementation of several Volkswagen dealerships in China. Current projects are already underway in Beijing and Xi’an. He will also communicate MetaDesign’s portfolio and competencies to attract other international and local clients in greater China.

Tobias E. Phleps, Chief Operating Officer of MetaDesign, comments: “Our experience in China for our client Volkswagen has shown that there is a great need among international companies in the Asia-Pacific region for strategic branding skills combined with cross-cultural understanding. We are delighted that we have found a partner in Henri Garbers who combines both a high standard of quality in brand management and strategic design implementation with a deep understanding of Asian culture and their needs.”