Former Chief of Design for Nokia Corporation, 1995 – 2006 Vertu’s Principal Designer

Growing up in the creative and artistically diverse community of Monterey, California, Nuovo has maintained a variety of ways to explore creative expression.

Chief of Design, Nokia 1995 - 2006

As founding head of the Nokia Design organization since 1995, Nuovo spearheaded the company’s styling and global industrial design innovations. Nuovo initiated the building of an international design group of over 30 nationalities. Building and orchestrating a global design team that now can be found in multiple points in Finland, England, Denmark, Japan, China and the USA including Los Angeles and San Diego. During his time at Nokia, Nuovo was responsible for leading design strategy for what can be considered one of the most successful stories of growth and success in modern history. Innovations there combine technology, usability and style with user centered design. Nuovo and his team helped Nokia capture market share that maintained global leadership at levels more than twice that the nearest competitor's global market share. While at Nokia, Nuovo was very active in brand development and renewal resulting in Nokia’s position as the worlds 6th most valuable brand (Interbrand).

Founder, Creative Director and Designer, Vertu 1997- 2006

Frank Nuovo remains a visionary force behind Vertu – the new luxury communications company. Its products are the world’s most exclusive precision communications instruments. As Vertu’s creative director and designer, Nuovo led the team in making the dream of Vertu’s design and image excellence a reality.

Inspired by examples of dedication to precision craft and design, Nuovo had a mission to apply time-honored traditions and workmanship to proven mobile technology. In doing so, Nuovo has brought artistry and personal significance to his creation, aiming to equal or surpass the level of the finest timepiece. Applying his design expertise to everything from the company’s conceptualization, its environments, products and accessories to the final presentation of the product, Nuovo remains a vital part of Vertu as Vertu’s Principal Designer.

BMW/ Designworks 1986-1995

From Designer to Design Director of BMW / Designworks, Nuovo fine-tuned his skills while designing consumer electronics, medical instruments, general consumer products and automotive products for Fortune 500 companies. Many diverse programs were accomplished there including many types of seating for office and outdoor furnishings, exercise and rehabilitation equipment design, architectural interior and office accessory products, car interior and seating design. Early work included ergonomic testing and console design for air traffic, air defense and automated manufacturing control user interface and console design. Additionally, Nuovo led creation of marketing materials for the company
 
including multi-media and video productions. Early in the computer aided design era, Nuovo and his team developed hybrid design methods combining traditional hand modeling methods and computer-aided-design and rapid prototyping methods using Alias and CDRS systems. Nuovo started work for then client Nokia in 1989 where consumer category, lifestyle, colors and materials research was applied to Nokia and other clients.

Nuovo also designed futuristic communication device concepts exclusively for the movie ‘Minority Report’ that collected a panel of "futurists" to create a world as could be in 2054.

Nuovo has served on international jury panels for leading design awards such as IF (Industrie Forum Design Hanover), IDEA Award (Industrial Design Association of America), the IIDA Competition (International Interior Design Association) and the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian National Design Museum, National design Award.

Nuovo’s work has been featured in museums around the world including the Museum of Modern Art “Workspheres” (New York), and the Neus Museum Nurnberg Sammlung Design, The Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum permanent collection and as part of the design triennial the Essen Design Museum, Essen Germany.

Frank Nuovo has been featured and interviewed in various television and radio news programs and special features including: National Public Radio, CNN Live, CNN International, CNN Asia, CNN 360, CNBC, The Charlie Rose Show, CNET, The Fashion Channel, The Entertainment Channel, BBC News and Many others in Asia, Africa, the Middle east and throughout Europe.

Clients and speeches

Nuovo is an active lecturer and has been invited to speak at international venues including The World Economic Forum, Korean International Design Conference and has accepted keynote and corporate lectures for Intel Corporation, Liz Claiborne, The APAC Leadership Forum in Singapore and Hong Kong, The International Conference on Ergonomics and User Interface in Rome, Italy, and institutions such as British Design Museum, D&AD Presidents Lecture Series at the Royal Geographical Society (UK), Domus Academie and ULM in Milan, Italy University of Industrial Art and Design, Helsinki Finland, The Fashion Institute in Rome, the University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communication, The Art Center college of Design, Stanford University, The University of California Los Angeles Anderson School Of Business Management, Pepperdine University, and Les Echoes Conference on creativity “Embracing Complexity” in Paris, France, The TED Conference 2002 (Technology, Entertainment and Design), Monterey California, The Industrial Designers Association National Design Conference In New York and Los Angeles, and other conferences on design and technology in Japan, New Zealand, Sweden, Canada and Germany.

Book Frank Nuovo

To book Frank Nuovo for your event, or to discuss you requirements further with one of our consultants, contact us via the web, or call +44 (0) 1628 636 600