Advocacy

As a leading light in the design industry–locally, nationally and internationally, Peter Florentzos LFDIA is renowned for his design advocacy, big-picture vision, energy and passion.

Peter has also been a sessional Lecturer and Tutor at Queensland College of Art Griffith University, and QIBT Griffith University, where he taught Branding, Graphic Design 2, Typography, Design In Advertising and Principles of Marketing. He has guest lectured across various educational tertiary and secondary institutions in Australia, Asia and Europe and has assisted with the judging of numerous professional and academic awards.

Peter has long served the design profession as a volunteer in numerous past roles including AGDA (Australian Graphic Design Association) Queensland Treasurer, AGDA National Director, DIA (Design Institute of Australia) Queensland President and DIA National Director.

He currently serves the industry locally on DIA Queensland Council as Immediate Past President, Design Advocacy Co-chair and Communication Design Portfolio Co-chair.

In 2013, Peter was elected as Executive Board Treasurer of icograda in Montréal, Canada where he travels the world extensively, advocating for the advancement of the design profession. As treasurer, Peter is responsible for the financial management, operations and governance of this international body headquartered in Montréal, Canada with a secretariat of 8 staff.

In 2015, Peter was again re-elected Executive Board Treasurer of ico-D in Gwangju Korea, after a significant and successful financial transformation and turnaround period where icograda grew into a renamed multidisciplinary design body–ico-D (International Council of Design).

An important part of ico-D’s advocacy role is its active partnership with other international design and economic organisations. This is highlighted by its collaboration with the urban design and landscape architecture disciplines to deliver the World Design Summit in Montréal Canada in October 2017. This interdisciplinary and collaborative partnership between ico-D, IFHP (International Federation of Housing and Planning) and IFLA (International Federation of Housing and Planning) underpins Peter's collaborative philosophy from local to global levels, with of the importance of design disciplines working together in order to achieve better collective outcomes.

Peter’s main areas of international advocacy with ico-D include Design Accreditation and National Design Policy where he represents Australia in these important forums as Accreditation Chair and NDP Workgroup Participant.

In 2015, Peter’s achievements were honoured with Life Time Fellowship of the DIA and his appointment as a DIA Ambassador, an important ongoing advocacy role.

In 2016, Peter was honoured to provide the opening remarks at the inaugural Queensland Design Policy Summit at QUT, and as a local industry representative is assisting the profession by liaising with local, state and federal governments in advocating for the design profession.

In 2017, Peter has been appointed Adjunct Professor at QUT, Queensland University of Technology, Design Lab.