Irene Hakansson

Irene is the Senior Research and Impact Manager at the Design Council. She oversees research projects into the value of Design (Design Economy, in particular) and supports the development of the Design for Planet research agenda. In addition, Irene manages the strategic development of evaluation and impact assessments across the Design Council’s programmes work.

Before joining the Design Council, she worked within urban regeneration, leading on the impact of social and economic investment projects in London. She was also a Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne where she collaborated with local government and academic partners to investigate innovative responses to COVID-19 and the Climate Emergency. 

Irene holds a PhD from King’s College London. Her practice-oriented research combined urban and sustainability studies, exploring social innovations’ transformational effects on places and communities. Her work was embedded in a pan-European project, informing policy makers on transitions to sustainable, low-carbon societies. She has authored several publications. 

Irene enjoys spending her spare time in exhibitions, theatres, bookshops, and cinemas as well as on long bike rides and country walks.