Kim Helmbold sits down with host Adam Fromme in this episode of the Thinking through Design podcast. 

“You are designing 10, maybe sometimes 15, years ahead of the end of the life of that solution.” Kim Helmbold

In this episode Kim discusses how his understanding of design has evolved from developing useful products to positioning design as a strategic contributor to business and organizational decision making. Our conversation explores the role of designers moving upstream, where they can help organizations anticipate future needs, recognize emerging opportunities, and navigate the ambiguity that comes with innovation. Kim share how foresight, multidisciplinary collaboration, and design fiction can help organizations imagine possible futures and evaluate opportunities long before products reach the market.

A central theme is inclusive design and its ability to reveal opportunities that might otherwise go unnoticed. Kim shares examples from his work at Groupe SEB, including how designing for specific needs can lead to better solutions for a broader audience. This discussion should call other designers in thinking beyond established constraints, have a willingness to communicate across organizational boundaries, and level an understanding that innovation isn’t always about creating something disruptive.

Kim Helmbold is a French design and innovation leader and Vice President of Innovation, Insight & Foresight at Groupe SEB, with extensive international experience across Europe, Asia, and the United States. Trained in industrial design in Paris, he has held senior leadership positions at Philips and Groupe SEB, leading global design teams and advancing innovation across consumer products, healthcare, personal care, and mobility. His work brings together design, anthropology, consumer insights, and strategic foresight to better understand human needs and identify opportunities for meaningful innovation. Particularly interested in inclusive design and social innovation, Kim explores how design can challenge established perspectives, address overlooked needs, and create value for both people and businesses.

You can also listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts.