Back to basics: UK design and product studio Brilliant Basics launches in Singapore

Brilliant Basics (bb), a global design and digital product studio headquartered in London, has launched an office in Singapore. The firm creates intelligent, simple-to-use digital products centred on customers and innovation.

bb counts several global brands such as HSBC, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, BNP Paribas and Investec among its clients – their largest Asia- Pacific project involved the design and development of HSBC’s global mobile banking platform that provides easy ways for customers to manage finances. The product today impacts millions of consumers across 37 markets. The mobile app topped the App Store for free apps in Hong Kong and London, and received the Hong Kong government’s Gold Award for Accessibility.

bb’s APAC operations is helmed by Ted Kilian, General Manager and Chief Experience Officer, who reports to Anand Verma, Founder and Global CEO of bb. Kilian is an industry leading customer experience strategist who has spent over 15 years building digital products and finessing service experiences for global companies. He specialises in experience design, product development and qualitative research.

bb’s unique proposition lies in creating customer-centric products that make life simpler and better. The company was founded two years ago in London by a team of senior executives in global consultancies and design studios, who had a desire to reduce the clutter of agency business processes that often undermined end products. Combined with a passion in innovation, and expertise in simplifying and optimising products, bb has been a part of many successful global products that places the customer at the core.

“Placing a focus on the product and the customer should be fundamental to every organisation’s business engagement,” says Kilian. “We simplify that process by taking it back to basics, innovating and creating the best physical and digital products that deliver real results.”

As part of its Asia expansion on the back of new client wins in banking, education and travel sectors, bb also operates in Hong Kong and counts China as a key growth market. In the next year, the company will be focused on identifying and working with regional brands and government organisations that have strong focus in user experience and developing best-of-class technology solutions.

Kilian will also lead the charge in establishing a centre of excellence for bb, developing specialisations in facilitating innovation, wearables and industrial design. bb is in the process of strengthening its team with additional talent in UX design, front end development and project delivery. Singapore, the product design studio has recently created the brand identity and designed the digital platform for Kaligo, a travel loyalty product that is turning travel booking on its head. bb has 80 employees worldwide and also operates in London, Norwich and Dubai.