Holger Windfuhr

Born in the United States, Holger Windfuhr studied psychology at the University of Michigan and graphic design at the U5 Academy in Munich. In 2010, he completed the Kellogg-WHU Executive MBA Program. He started his career as a member of the development team at Focus magazine and then moved to the German edition of Forbes. After co-founding the digital consulting agency The Media Machine in New York, he joined Money magazine at Time Inc. and then House & Garden at Condé Nast. Returning to Germany, he redesigned impulse at Gruner+Jahr. From 2000 to 2016, he was the creative head of the German business weekly WirtschaftsWoche and directed the visual aesthetics of the brand. Holger Windfuhr is Art Director of the German daily newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, its Sunday paper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung and the Frankfurter Allgemeine Magazin. He is a member of the Art Directors Club and has won numerous design awards.  

Red Dot: How has the role of design in print media evolved in recent years?
Holger Windfuhr: Haptic qualities have not lost their significance – although an increasing number of readers are, of course, consuming digital content. But it’s a question of objectives. Complex concepts and ideas are still more easily digested on paper than in digital form. What matters is offering readers an intelligent mix of analogue and digital content and making the most of the strengths of each medium.

What makes your work as a jury member special?
Red Dot is a truly international competition. Time and again, it is fascinating and enriching to see projects from all over the world.