During an interview with Economy Middle East, Santino Saguto, the general manager of Inarea, recalls his experiences as a leading consultant and sheds light on his connection with the Middle East. Furthermore, he shares valuable insights into the industry of design, identity, and imaging and delves into the unique challenges and opportunities within the field, offering a genuine glimpse into his professional world.
An industry leader
Saguto is not just your ordinary entrepreneur, but a true leader in the industry. Throughout his extensive career as a Global Business Executive, he has collaborated with renowned organizations such as Deloitte & Touche, Strategy&, and A.T. Kearney, leaving his mark in the business world through an experience spanning over 60 countries and multiple continents.
As a consultant, Saguto’s primary focus is on promoting startups across the MENA region. This involves establishing local teams and crafting compelling brand strategies and value propositions for both the startups themselves and their clients and partners. His ultimate goal has always been “leading and being part of an international team of consultants and exceptional people driven by principles such as value, growth, ethics and collaboration.”
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According to Saguto, the Middle East and MENA region offer an exciting opportunity for businesses due to its significant role in a highly interconnected world. “The UAE and MENA have always been the scene where globalization truly happens, as East meets with West, and North with South. I have been able to work with companies from Europe, China, India, Levant, South and North Africa, and the Americas in successfully developing new business models through local presence.” His experience has allowed him to witness the tangible growth and expansion of these models at both regional and global levels. Moreover, Saguto’s enduring personal and professional relationships, nurtured over decades, continue to serve as a constant source of inspiration in this dynamic environment.
Simplifying design complexity
Inarea, an Italian design firm established in 1980, has made a name for itself by embracing the concept of “design in the plural” and creating identity systems. Their expertise lies in crafting and shaping the brand image and reputation of various entities such as companies, institutions, retail spaces, cities, and even entire regions. With a comprehensive range of services including brand architecture, product design, packaging, editorial work, and video design, they cater to clients from diverse sectors and industries. Some notable brands they have collaborated with include AC Milan, Al Masa Group, Musei Vatican, New Cairo’s City of Arts and Culture, Pompeii, and Telecom Italia Mobile, among others.
Saguto, currently, the general manager of Inarea, is actively involved in expanding the firm’s commercial footprint and bolstering the local team. So, what drives the management approach at Inarea? Both in business and design, Saguto strongly believes in the power of simplicity. This philosophy is clearly evident in Inarea’s own brand identity, as their website boldly states, “Even the most complex identity can be designed with simplicity.”
He expands on this by saying, “The complexity of the world we live in has dramatically increased in the last two decades. The convergence of quantity, as a consequence of the industrial era, and complexity, introduced by digital, have given rise to a significant rethinking of design … Simplicity more easily wins the adhesion and consent of the public.” By simplifying complexity, Saguto and the entire design firm deliver meaningful and reputable services to clients, enabling them to establish a connection with design, even if they may not come from a design background.
Inarea specializes in the creation and management of identity systems, catering to a broad range of identities. They uplift the identities of organizations, encompassing businesses, groups, communities, and institutions. They also focus on the identities of places, whether they are on a large or small scale, such as cities, regions, workplaces, and both public and commercial spaces. Lastly, they delve into the identities of both tangible and intangible entities. Distinguishing themselves from typical design firms, Inarea works on crafting an identity that seamlessly bridges the physical and non-physical realms.
What constitutes identity?
Inarea stands out in the realm of branding trends by embracing the art of storytelling and offering experiential journeys, their adaptability serving as a key factor contributing to their longevity. When discussing their process, Saguto sheds light on their primary objectives, which involve engaging both themselves and their clients in a holistic approach that blends imagination and method. Or as Saguto likes to call it, “design in the plural.” By leaning toward a human-centered approach, Inarea is able to support any organization at any point in its journey of growth.
Ultimately, the goal of the firm under Saguto, aims to do is to create customer experiences that are perfectly aligned with the current state of the economy ¬– connected, immersive and interactive. He emphasizes on the importance of inspiring and exciting the customer, just enough to ensure an ongoing dialogue with the brand. And according to Saguto, the key lies in “the ability to formulate the right message, to the right person, at the right time.”
Inarea’s human-centered approach, coupled with their commitment to immersion and imagination, allows them to bring a distinct perspective to the industry of design, identity and imaging. Their ability to revolve around the concept of simplicity in an increasingly complex world serves as a testament to their versatility and ingenuity.
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