Speakers

Harsha Kotak is an international interior designer, workplace strategist, and advocate for sustainability and gender equity in design industry. In 2024, she was appointed to the UK Design Council Experts Board, contributing to the Design for Planet initiative—shaping policy, education, and industry engagement to drive net-zero goals.

With over 20 years of experience across the US, India, and the UK, she has worked on prestigious projects, including designs for the White House and Pentagon in the US, as well as FedEx and the US Embassy in New Delhi, India. Currently, Harsha serves as Director of Projects at K2 Space in London, where she leads workplace strategies for global clients in the finance, tech, and media sectors.

In 2018, Harsha founded Women in Office Design (WOD), a global networking platform that connects and empowers women in the workplace design industry. WOD has since expanded with chapters in the UK, Spain, Italy, and India, providing a platform for knowledge sharing, mentorship, and professional development.

Building on her passion for sustainability, she launched the Sustainable Design Collective (SDC), an initiative under WOD dedicated to advancing sustainable practices in workplace design through education and industry collaboration.

She also serves as the Editorial Director of Sustainable Design Magazine, which promotes sustainability awareness and inspires young designers toward a greener future.

A sought-after speaker, Harsha has been invited to present at leading international design events, including the Saudi Arabia Sustainable Design Conference, Singapore Corenet APAC Sumit, London Festival of Architecture, Valencia Habitat Fair, Barcelona Design Museum, and Clerkenwell Design Week. She has also been a jury member for prestigious design awards across the UK, Europe, and India, such as the British Institute of Interior Design Awards (BIID), Designer UK Awards, Irish Times Fit Out Awards, and the Economic Times Design Awards (India).

Recognized for her contributions to design and advocacy, she was nominated as the NRI of the Year by the Times of India and her work has been published in several industry publications like Works, Design Insider, Designer (UK), Darc magazine and many more, as she continues to champion diversity, innovation, and sustainability in the design industry across the globe.