Michel
Brokke is…
… an independent thinker, your mirror, a father, a friend, an opponent, a chatterbox, a mediocre birdwatcher, and everything else that wouldn’t fit on a polished résumé.
For some, Michel is a useful nobody in the world of design. After studying Hotel Management, he obtained a Master of Business Innovation in Imagineering. He then spent years spreading the sense and nonsense of “design thinking” within organizations and worked extensively on hotel concept development. Today, he is a senior lecturer and researcher at Breda University of Applied Sciences.
Design
In 2017, Michel realized he was living a life largely dictated by the expectations of others. So, what do you do? You sell your house, quit your job, wave goodbye to your partner, and start over. People lovingly call that “a drastic decision.”
From that moment on, Michel did everything he could to think independently. Along the way, he discovered that sharing stories about design encouraged people to live more freely.
And so, Michel immersed himself more and more in a broader interpretation of design-driven innovation, viewed through the lens of science, art, and philosophy. He writes and speaks on this theme, both on and off stage. As a lecturer and researcher, he shares his observations with students and professionals alike.
Jennifer stands beside him and, if necessary, gives him a push over the edge. His son is his greatest guru. His smile is disarming, and when he wakes up at three in the morning, with a single look he reminds Michel that he doesn’t matter at all. That keeps a man free from his ego.
Michel lives in Haarlem and prefers a thick book, a good lunch, or a walk on the beach over sitting in a train or car. Yet sometimes he ventures out to meet his beloved students and fellow design seekers, like you. He much prefers face-to-face conversations over digital bells and whistles. Feel free to call him, or just keep dreaming; either way is perfectly fine.
Behind the scenes
Two people keep the circus running: Jennifer and Michel’s son.