William Harald-Wong

With a legacy spanning over 39 years, William Harald-Wong occupies a unique design space where brand, culture, city, and community converge. His affinity for Southeast Asian culture—beliefs, traditions, aesthetics, and their contemporary evolution—is rooted in his formative years dedicated to capturing the visual essence of the region.

In the early 90s, he founded William Harald-Wong & Associates, pivotal in crafting brand identities, visual narratives, wayfinding and signage. He extends his expertise as a cultural advisor and curator for museums and exhibitions.

In a parallel venture, he co-founded Zakti Strategic Design, a holistic design and technology enterprise. Zakti crafts immersive experiences for museums and commercial spaces centred around storytelling and content, with project offices in Brunei, London and Dubai.

In 2000, William and Lindsey Harald-Wong co-founded The Design Alliance Asia. This platform fosters a deeper appreciation for Asian design’s intersection with culture.

William received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Malaysian Government, Design Leadership Awards from India and mainland China, and Design Awards from Hong Kong.

He co-founded wREGA, the Graphic Design Association of Malaysia and was its first president. He also served as vice-president of Icograda, an international design organisation based in Brussels, 2001–2003, and a committee member of the Emirates International Poster Festival (UAE), Design for Asia Awards (Hong Kong), Global Design Summit (Taiwan) and a Lifetime Friend of ico-D and Indigo (International Indigenous Design Network).

In his unassuming manner, William has played an integral role in shaping the design landscape in Malaysia and regionally.