Two notable alumni from Edinburgh Napier’s School of Arts and Creative Industries (SACI) are being recognised for their work since graduating by being inducted into the SACI Alumni Hall of Fame.
The 2023 Hall of Fame inductees are Oslo-based creative technology entrepreneur Johan Brand, and multi-award-winning interior designer, Karen Hay who is based in Hong Kong.
After graduating from the University, they have both gone on to achieve excellence in their careers and have made significant contributions to their profession. This honour serves as a tribute to their creative talents and recognises their professional achievements.
Johan and Karen will be formally inducted to the Hall of Fame at a ceremony on Wednesday 31 May at the University’s Merchiston campus. The evening also provides a chance for alumni, industry contacts and staff to view the creative talent on show at the Edinburgh Napier Degree Show, network with each other and reconnect with old classmates.
Before the induction ceremony takes place, Johan and Karen will share their insights with current Edinburgh Napier students as well as tour their old studio spaces to see what’s changed – or not!
A little bit more about this year’s inductees…
Johan Brand
BA (Hons) Photography, Film & Imaging 2005
Co-founder, Kahoot! and We Are Human
Johan Brand is a creative technology entrepreneur & investor based in Oslo, Norway. He co-founded Kahoot!,one of the world’s
dominating educational learning brands, used by millions each day globally. In 2017 he left the day-to-day operations and became strategic advisor.
As a Founding Partner at We Are Human he creates purpose driven organisations striving for sustainable social and commercial impact. The company partners with startups & big corporations and invests in its own IP, including what later became Kahoot!.
His latest venture is Founder & Chief Entrepreneur at EntrepreneurShipOne, a We Are Human company focused on the entrepreneurial opportunity of our oceans.The company owns a zero-emission sailboat that is used to engage people in learning about sustainable solutions as well as a small island with a research centre situated on it. They have ambitious plans to develop a physical campus in the Inner Oslo Fjord and have been awarded funding from The City of Oslo to move their plans to the next stage.
Johan is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, has been awarded Founder of the Year at the Norwegian Nordic Startup Awards, Digital Leader of the Year by Financial News E24.no and announced as one of the 100 most influential leaders in EdTech globally.
Learn more about Johan
Karen Hay
BA Interior Design 1991; Postgraduate diploma Administrative & Information Management 1991
Founder and Creative Director, IN-dulge 
Karen Hay is the Founder and Creative Director of IN-dulge, a Hong Kong-based boutique design studio specialising in luxury international hotel and entertainment environments throughout the Asia Pacific region. With 28 years of solid design experience covering Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, with projects as far ranging as London, New Zealand, Japan, Malaysia, China and Spain.
Karen leads IN-dulge with a cutting-edge focus on luxury Interiors for Hospitality, working with many of the world’s leading hospitality and leisure hotels and resorts, including Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts, Accor; Sofitel Hotels and Fairmont Hotels, Hilton, Intercontinental, Langham, Ritz Carlton, Four Seasons and Hyatt among a few others.
Recognised for her successful and award-winning projects Karen is regularly invited as a guest speaker at industry conferences throughout Asia, including talks to several of the hotels’ operation teams on F&B trends and design strategies. She has also been both a recipient and judge of the AHEAD Asia-Pacific Awards.
Learn more about Karen