NOVEMBER 18-19 2025 | DOWNTOWN TORONTO
NOVEMBER 18-19 2025 | DOWNTOWN TORONTO
NOVEMBER 18-19 2025 | DOWNTOWN TORONTO
North America's Favorite
Your Favorite
North America's Favorite
Design Leadership Conference
Design Leadership Conference
Design Leadership
Gathering
Experience DLS November like never before. Three unique experiences are designed to connect you with peers, sharpen your leadership skills, and leave you inspired to lead with vision.
Experience DLS November like never before. Three unique experiences are designed to connect you with peers, sharpen your leadership skills, and leave you inspired to lead with vision.
Experience DLS November like never before. Three unique experiences are designed to connect you with peers, sharpen your leadership skills, and leave you inspired to lead with vision.
A global community of leaders, represented
2 Days
250+ Leaders
Toronto, Canada
16+ Sessions
12+ Roundtables
16+ Speakers
Not just another
Conference
Two focused days for design leaders—balanced between big-stage perspective, small-group depth, and time to think. We start together to frame the big questions facing design teams today, then move into curated discussions where peers trade approaches and pressure-test ideas. You’ll leave with clearer direction and tactics you can put to work right away.
Theatre Talks & Panels
Candid main-stage playbooks and panels with live Q&A. Practical frameworks for org design, metrics, AI, research at speed, and systems at scale. Recorded—with speaker control.
Curated Roundtables
8–12 peers, facilitated, under Chatham House Rule. Bring real problems; leave with 2–3 next-week experiments and a few speed-dial allies. Off-record.
Socials & Off-Record
Late-night bar hangs, design debates, and micro-meetups. No agendas, just trust and good conversation. People > pixels.
Not just another
Conference
Theatre Talks & Panels
Candid main-stage playbooks and panels with live Q&A. Practical frameworks for org design, metrics, AI, research at speed, and systems at scale. Recorded—with speaker control.
Curated Roundtables
8–12 peers, facilitated, under Chatham House Rule. Bring real problems; leave with 2–3 next-week experiments and a few speed-dial allies. Off-record.
Socials & Off-Record
Late-night bar hangs, design debates, and micro-meetups. No agendas, just trust and good conversation. People > pixels.
Not just another
Conference
Two focused days for design leaders—balanced between big-stage perspective, small-group depth, and time to think. We start together to frame the big questions facing design teams today, then move into curated discussions where peers trade approaches and pressure-test ideas. You’ll leave with clearer direction and tactics you can put to work right away.
Theatre Talks & Panels
Candid main-stage playbooks and panels with live Q&A. Practical frameworks for org design, metrics, AI, research at speed, and systems at scale. Recorded—with speaker control.
Curated Roundtables
8–12 peers, facilitated, under Chatham House Rule. Bring real problems; leave with 2–3 next-week experiments and a few speed-dial allies. Off-record.
Socials & Off-Record
Late-night bar hangs, design debates, and micro-meetups. No agendas, just trust and good conversation. People > pixels.
NOVEMBER 18-19 2025 | DOWNTOWN TORONTO
Two Days.
We're a Community.
Not just another
Conference.
One Connected
Experience ↗
NOVEMBER 18-19 2025 | TORONTO
A Community
Experience↗
We're a Community.
Not just another Conference.
NOVEMBER 18-19 2025 | DOWNTOWN TORONTO
Two Days.
We're a Community.
Not just another
Conference.
One Connected
Experience ↗
Who is this for?
Whether you’re a Staff Designer, Design Manager, or Director of Product Design, this summit is built for senior design professionals navigating the nuances of leadership. Expect content, connections, and conversations that match your level—and your pace.
Who is this for?
Whether you’re a Staff Designer, Design Manager, or Director of Product Design, this summit is built for senior design professionals navigating the nuances of leadership. Expect content, connections, and conversations that match your level—and your pace.
Who is this for?
Whether you’re a Staff Designer, Design Manager, or Director of Product Design, this summit is built for senior design professionals navigating the nuances of leadership. Expect content, connections, and conversations that match your level—and your pace.
Past Speakers
Our January edition featured leading voices in design leadership who inspired and challenged our community with fresh ideas and bold perspectives.
Our January edition featured leading voices in design leadership who inspired and challenged our community with fresh ideas and bold perspectives.
Our January edition featured leading voices in design leadership who inspired and challenged our community with fresh ideas and bold perspectives.
TIFF Bell Lightbox
Toronto, ON, Canada
For the November edition, DLS will once again be hosted at TIFF Bell Lightbox, the iconic cultural hub in Toronto’s entertainment district. Known for its inspiring architecture and state of the art facilities, TIFF offers the perfect environment for our main stage programming and networking moments.
What fellow design leaders are saying
DLS 2025 felt less like a conference and more like a room full of sharp minds pushing each other to think deeper. The depth of conversation stood out the most. It wasn’t just about talks or frameworks. It was about the kind of questions that shift how you think. If you care about design leadership, this is where you’ll find the people asking the right questions and challenging the easy answers.
Umar Rehman
Head of Design
I attended DLS summit in Toronto this year, 2025. I was one of the speakers. But it was much more than an opportunity just to speak. I got to meet friends, new faces, people that I have known for a long time via the Internet, never met in real life. So it was a really good opportunity to network, get to know individuals, learn new pieces of information and connect as a group.
Meghan Logan
Staff Product Designer
I spent the past weekend reflecting on the 2025 Design Leadership Summit hosted by the DesignX Community last week. The packed schedule of talks and roundtable discussions left me energized and overflowing with ideas and topics to explore further with my team and our collaborators. Congratulations to Preet and the team for organizing such a great event.
Justin Godard
Design Director
I leave Toronto refreshed and encouraged. My greatest thanks to Preet Singh and the DesignX Community for hosting me at Design Leadership Summit this week. Their kindness and generosity are unparalleled.
Ryan Rumsey
Chief Executive Office
What an incredible two days at the DesignX Leadership Summit last week! I am so deeply grateful to this incredible community of designers and leaders. A huge thank you goes out to Preet, Aïko and the DesignX Community team of volunteers for putting together such a thoughtful, invigorating and thought provoking summit. They created a space for 250+ design leaders that was about human connection and felt more like a large gathering of like-minded friends sharing stories then a typical conference.
Natasha Green
Design Manager, Experience Design
Thank you for bringing together the design community in Toronto. The conference was incredibly insightful, and I had many amazing conversations that wouldn't have happened without it 🧠
Lennie Lu
Insights-Driven UX & CX Leader
The conversations at DLS were in large part not only answers to these questions, but invigorating solutions to a bigger picture that ensures designers not only stand the ground despite this season of rapid change, but evolve into a necessity for every successful business. Among the speakers, Ryan Rumsey stood out with his refreshing approach on positioning design and recognizing a rational vs. relational problem to solve. These prompts feel like they encompass a main theme across the event and speakers, human connection, even in technology. Thank you Preet Singh for putting this event together, your hard work does not go unnoticed!
Hillory Summitt
Senior Design Manager
What fellow design leaders are saying
DLS 2025 felt less like a conference and more like a room full of sharp minds pushing each other to think deeper. The depth of conversation stood out the most. It wasn’t just about talks or frameworks. It was about the kind of questions that shift how you think. If you care about design leadership, this is where you’ll find the people asking the right questions and challenging the easy answers.
Umar Rehman
Head of Design
I attended DLS summit in Toronto this year, 2025. I was one of the speakers. But it was much more than an opportunity just to speak. I got to meet friends, new faces, people that I have known for a long time via the Internet, never met in real life. So it was a really good opportunity to network, get to know individuals, learn new pieces of information and connect as a group.
Meghan Logan
Staff Product Designer
I spent the past weekend reflecting on the 2025 Design Leadership Summit hosted by the DesignX Community last week. The packed schedule of talks and roundtable discussions left me energized and overflowing with ideas and topics to explore further with my team and our collaborators. Congratulations to Preet and the team for organizing such a great event.
Justin Godard
Design Director
I leave Toronto refreshed and encouraged. My greatest thanks to Preet Singh and the DesignX Community for hosting me at Design Leadership Summit this week. Their kindness and generosity are unparalleled.
Ryan Rumsey
Chief Executive Office
What an incredible two days at the DesignX Leadership Summit last week! I am so deeply grateful to this incredible community of designers and leaders. A huge thank you goes out to Preet, Aïko and the DesignX Community team of volunteers for putting together such a thoughtful, invigorating and thought provoking summit. They created a space for 250+ design leaders that was about human connection and felt more like a large gathering of like-minded friends sharing stories then a typical conference.
Natasha Green
Design Manager, Experience Design
Thank you for bringing together the design community in Toronto. The conference was incredibly insightful, and I had many amazing conversations that wouldn't have happened without it 🧠
Lennie Lu
Insights-Driven UX & CX Leader
The conversations at DLS were in large part not only answers to these questions, but invigorating solutions to a bigger picture that ensures designers not only stand the ground despite this season of rapid change, but evolve into a necessity for every successful business. Among the speakers, Ryan Rumsey stood out with his refreshing approach on positioning design and recognizing a rational vs. relational problem to solve. These prompts feel like they encompass a main theme across the event and speakers, human connection, even in technology. Thank you Preet Singh for putting this event together, your hard work does not go unnoticed!
Hillory Summitt
Senior Design Manager
What fellow design leaders are saying
DLS 2025 felt less like a conference and more like a room full of sharp minds pushing each other to think deeper. The depth of conversation stood out the most. It wasn’t just about talks or frameworks. It was about the kind of questions that shift how you think. If you care about design leadership, this is where you’ll find the people asking the right questions and challenging the easy answers.
Umar Rehman
Head of Design
I attended DLS summit in Toronto this year, 2025. I was one of the speakers. But it was much more than an opportunity just to speak. I got to meet friends, new faces, people that I have known for a long time via the Internet, never met in real life. So it was a really good opportunity to network, get to know individuals, learn new pieces of information and connect as a group.
Meghan Logan
Staff Product Designer
I spent the past weekend reflecting on the 2025 Design Leadership Summit hosted by the DesignX Community last week. The packed schedule of talks and roundtable discussions left me energized and overflowing with ideas and topics to explore further with my team and our collaborators. Congratulations to Preet and the team for organizing such a great event.
Justin Godard
Design Director
I leave Toronto refreshed and encouraged. My greatest thanks to Preet Singh and the DesignX Community for hosting me at Design Leadership Summit this week. Their kindness and generosity are unparalleled.
Ryan Rumsey
Chief Executive Office
What an incredible two days at the DesignX Leadership Summit last week! I am so deeply grateful to this incredible community of designers and leaders. A huge thank you goes out to Preet, Aïko and the DesignX Community team of volunteers for putting together such a thoughtful, invigorating and thought provoking summit. They created a space for 250+ design leaders that was about human connection and felt more like a large gathering of like-minded friends sharing stories then a typical conference.
Natasha Green
Design Manager, Experience Design
Thank you for bringing together the design community in Toronto. The conference was incredibly insightful, and I had many amazing conversations that wouldn't have happened without it 🧠
Lennie Lu
Insights-Driven UX & CX Leader
The conversations at DLS were in large part not only answers to these questions, but invigorating solutions to a bigger picture that ensures designers not only stand the ground despite this season of rapid change, but evolve into a necessity for every successful business. Among the speakers, Ryan Rumsey stood out with his refreshing approach on positioning design and recognizing a rational vs. relational problem to solve. These prompts feel like they encompass a main theme across the event and speakers, human connection, even in technology. Thank you Preet Singh for putting this event together, your hard work does not go unnoticed!
Hillory Summitt
Senior Design Manager
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about joining the next Design Leadership Summit.
Have more questions, drop us an email at support@designx.community
When and where is the Summit?
Who usually attends?
Are virtual or hybrid options available?
What is the refund policy?
Is there a discount code?
Do you have hotel discounts?
Do you offer group tickets?
Are sessions recorded?
Visas / invitation letters
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about joining the next Design Leadership Summit.
Have more questions, drop us an email at support@designx.community
When and where is the Summit?
Who usually attends?
Are virtual or hybrid options available?
What is the refund policy?
Is there a discount code?
Do you have hotel discounts?
Do you offer group tickets?
Are sessions recorded?
Visas / invitation letters
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about joining the next Design Leadership Summit.
Have more questions, drop us an email at support@designx.community
When and where is the Summit?
Who usually attends?
Are virtual or hybrid options available?
What is the refund policy?
Is there a discount code?
Do you have hotel discounts?
Do you offer group tickets?
Are sessions recorded?
Visas / invitation letters
