Johan Pihl grew up surrounded by art and creativity, with a father who was a successful art director, agency director and later book publisher. While still a teenager, he has the opportunity to intern at Rönnberg & Co, where he meets art director Lars Liljendahl. Lars’ exuberant creativity and generous, open-hearted personality affect Johan deeply...Read more. At university, he studies art history, but his growing interest in graphic design leads him to pursue further studies at the Rhode Island School of Design. This in turn leads to several years working as an art director at various advertising agencies abroad. Once back in Sweden, Johan starts at recently founded Annonsbyrå 3, an agency consisting entirely of green 20-somethings. Thereafter, he spends several years working in Sweden for major agency networks, first Euro RSCG and then Publicis. In 2004, he starts his own company based on several patents and focusing on packaging solutions. It is later acquired by Bonnier Entertainment. When Johan is around 40, he decides to pursue an MBA in Berlin. This is a turning point, and alters the course of his professional life. His focus shifts to innovation through combining creative communications concepts with long-term value-creating business models. He also grows interested in increasing the responsibility of brands for transparency and contributing to the positive development of society. His first Golden Egg is for Civil Rights Defenders, an innovation aimed at protecting civil rights advocates with the aid of innovative technology. A variety of noteworthy projects follow: the Humanium Metal Initiative, Åland Index, DO Black and the 2030 Calculator. With these, Johan shows how global challenges can be addressed through purpose-driven innovation, enabling commercial motives to be combined with positive global change. All of these projects win not only Golden Eggs but Grands Prix at Cannes. One of the projects also becomes the basis of a company, Doconomy, which Johan founds together with Mathias Wikström. Doconomy seeks to accelerate the transition to a sustainable society by helping both individuals and companies understand and reduce their climate footprint. Another inspiring example of how communications and creativity are essential elements of innovation and social change.

– J.N.