Jack Yan
Encyclopedia
Jack Yan is a publisher, designer
and businessman, born 1972 in Kowloon
, Hong Kong
.
Yan founded his own company in 1987 while a teenager and grew it, initially, into the region's leading font
software firm, claiming to be the first New Zealander to design digital typefaces. He created over 100 typeface designs
himself for the firm, and inspired other local typeface designers such as Kris Sowersby to pursue careers in that industry. His typefaces include Ætna, a revival of Bembo
. In 1997, he founded Lucire
, a fashion magazine that made the move from web to print, and serves as its publisher.
He also helms a consulting firm, where he wrote of the connection between business
and spirituality
, and is a director of the Medinge Group think-tank. Despite being interviewed as a brand
consultant alongside international colleagues by CNN
, Business 2.0
and the UK's The Daily Telegraph
, he is better known outside New Zealand for this work.
From March 3, 2006, he began a weekly spot on TV One’s Good Morning
, discussing men's issues. In 2007, he became a judge for Miss Universe
New Zealand.
He ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Wellington in 2010.
, New Zealand
with his parents in 1976. He attended St Mark's Church School
(where he was Dux) and Scots College
, and graduated from Victoria University of Wellington
with two business and one law
degrees.
Aside from English
, Yan speaks Cantonese. He also speaks French
.
ns in the design industry know Yan for his regular columns in Desktop magazine, which he began writing in 1996. He is possibly the magazine's longest-serving columnist
. He was a contributor to Visual Arts Trends in New York
(1999–2001), and The Journal of Brand Management in London
(2003–5). http://www.palgrave-journals.com/bm/journal/v10/n4/abs/2540125a.html
Web publications that he has written for include UK-based Fontzone http://www.fontzone.com and DZ3. He was a founding contributor to Allaboutbranding.com http://www.allaboutbranding.com (from 2002).
Additionally, he writes for his own publications, CAP and Lucire.
, and in 2001 originated the idea of the single-issue 99 MP Party
in New Zealand and, for a short time, was its first president. He did not have anything to do with the party by the time it contested, in a very minor way, some seats during the 2005 General Election
. By that stage, he limited himself to writing sporadic editorials on politics. When asked about his political affiliation, Yan tends to say he is a Confucianist. http://www.jackyan.com/files/020628-confucianism.pdf
As part of his political interests, he gave a speech for the Alliance Party
conference in October 2007 on full employment and branding
. In the 2008 general election
he stood as a candidate on the party's list, but no candidates for the Alliance were elected.
He was a candidate in Wellington's 2010 mayor election
. Yan said that he was far better placed and experienced in dealing with the international affairs of Wellington thanks to his previous and ongoing involvement with international companies such as Lucire.
Designer
A designer is a person who designs. More formally, a designer is an agent that "specifies the structural properties of a design object". In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, such as consumer products, processes, laws, games and graphics, is referred to as a...
and businessman, born 1972 in Kowloon
Kowloon
Kowloon is an urban area in Hong Kong comprising the Kowloon Peninsula and New Kowloon. It is bordered by the Lei Yue Mun strait in the east, Mei Foo Sun Chuen and Stonecutter's Island in the west, Tate's Cairn and Lion Rock in the north, and Victoria Harbour in the south. It had a population of...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
Yan founded his own company in 1987 while a teenager and grew it, initially, into the region's leading font
Typeface
In typography, a typeface is the artistic representation or interpretation of characters; it is the way the type looks. Each type is designed and there are thousands of different typefaces in existence, with new ones being developed constantly....
software firm, claiming to be the first New Zealander to design digital typefaces. He created over 100 typeface designs
Type design
Type design is the art of designing typefaces.- History :Although the technology of printing text using movable type was invented in China, and despite the esteem which calligraphy held in that civilization, the vast number of Chinese characters meant that few distinctive, complete fonts could be...
himself for the firm, and inspired other local typeface designers such as Kris Sowersby to pursue careers in that industry. His typefaces include Ætna, a revival of Bembo
Bembo
Bembo is the name given to a 20th-century revival of an old style serif or humanist typeface cut by Francesco Griffo around 1495.The typeface Bembo seen today is a revival designed under the direction of Stanley Morison for the Monotype Corporation in 1929.It is considered a good choice for...
. In 1997, he founded Lucire
Lucire
Lucire is a fashion magazine that originally began on the web in 1997, branching into a monthly print edition in its home country of New Zealand in 2004...
, a fashion magazine that made the move from web to print, and serves as its publisher.
He also helms a consulting firm, where he wrote of the connection between business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
and spirituality
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
, and is a director of the Medinge Group think-tank. Despite being interviewed as a brand
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
consultant alongside international colleagues by CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, Business 2.0
Business 2.0
Business 2.0 was a monthly magazine publication founded by magazine entrepreneur Chris Anderson, Mark Gross, and journalist James Daly in order to chronicle the rise of the "New Economy"...
and the UK's The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, he is better known outside New Zealand for this work.
From March 3, 2006, he began a weekly spot on TV One’s Good Morning
Good Morning (New Zealand show)
Good Morning is a New Zealand morning television magazine lifestyle show. It airs weekday mornings from 9am - 12pm on TV ONE. The show began in 1996 and is hosted by Jeanette Thomas and Rod Chesseman...
, discussing men's issues. In 2007, he became a judge for Miss Universe
Miss Universe
Miss Universe is an annual international beauty contest that is run by the Miss Universe Organization. The pageant is the most publicized beauty contest in the world with 600 million viewers....
New Zealand.
He ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Wellington in 2010.
Background
Jack Yan emigrated to WellingtonWellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
with his parents in 1976. He attended St Mark's Church School
St Mark's Church School
St Mark's Church School is the only independent Anglican co-educational school in Wellington, New Zealand for children aged from two to Year 8....
(where he was Dux) and Scots College
Scots College, Wellington
Scots College is a private boys' primary and secondary school located in the suburb of Strathmore Wellington, New Zealand. The College comprises both the primary and secondary institutions - the primary school section is typically referred to as the Preparatory School and has its own Head Teacher...
, and graduated from Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
with two business and one law
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
degrees.
Aside from English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Yan speaks Cantonese. He also speaks French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
.
Writings
Many AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
ns in the design industry know Yan for his regular columns in Desktop magazine, which he began writing in 1996. He is possibly the magazine's longest-serving columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
. He was a contributor to Visual Arts Trends in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(1999–2001), and The Journal of Brand Management in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
(2003–5). http://www.palgrave-journals.com/bm/journal/v10/n4/abs/2540125a.html
Web publications that he has written for include UK-based Fontzone http://www.fontzone.com and DZ3. He was a founding contributor to Allaboutbranding.com http://www.allaboutbranding.com (from 2002).
Additionally, he writes for his own publications, CAP and Lucire.
Politics
Yan has an interest in politicsPolitics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
, and in 2001 originated the idea of the single-issue 99 MP Party
99 MP Party
The 99 MP Party was a small New Zealand political party that contested the 2005 General Election. It supported a reduction of the number of Members of Parliament from 120 to 99.-History:...
in New Zealand and, for a short time, was its first president. He did not have anything to do with the party by the time it contested, in a very minor way, some seats during the 2005 General Election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
. By that stage, he limited himself to writing sporadic editorials on politics. When asked about his political affiliation, Yan tends to say he is a Confucianist. http://www.jackyan.com/files/020628-confucianism.pdf
As part of his political interests, he gave a speech for the Alliance Party
Alliance (New Zealand political party)
The Alliance is a left-wing political party in New Zealand. It was formed in 1991, and was influential in the 1990s, but has since declined and has no representation in parliament. It suffered a major setback after Jim Anderton, the party's leader, left the party in 2002, taking several of the...
conference in October 2007 on full employment and branding
Personal branding
Personal branding is, for some people, a description of the process whereby people and their careers are marked as brands. It has been noted that while previous self-help management techniques were about self-improvement, the personal branding concept suggests instead that success comes from...
. In the 2008 general election
New Zealand general election, 2008
The 2008 New Zealand general election was held on 8 November 2008 to determine the composition of the 49th New Zealand parliament. The conservative National Party, headed by its Parliamentary leader John Key, won a plurality of votes and seats, ending 9 years of government dominated by the social...
he stood as a candidate on the party's list, but no candidates for the Alliance were elected.
He was a candidate in Wellington's 2010 mayor election
Wellington City mayoral election, 2010
The Wellington City mayoral election, 2010 is part of the New Zealand local elections, 2010. On 9 October 2010, elections were held for the Mayor of Wellington plus other local government roles...
. Yan said that he was far better placed and experienced in dealing with the international affairs of Wellington thanks to his previous and ongoing involvement with international companies such as Lucire.
Books
- Beyond Branding: How the New Values of Transparency and Integrity Are Changing the World of Brands, with Nicholas Ind (editor), Malcolm Allan, Simon AnholtSimon AnholtSimon Anholt is an independent policy advisor who helps national, regional and city governments develop and implement strategies for enhanced economic, political and cultural engagement with other countries...
, Julie Anixter, John Caswell, Thomas Gad, Sicco van Gelder, Tim Kitchin, Chris Macrae, Denzil Meyers, Alan Mitchell, John Moore, Ian Ryder; 2003, 2004 reprint edition, Kogan Page, ISBN 0-7494-4115-1; 2005 paperback edition, Kogan Page, ISBN 0-7494-4399-5. - Viewpoint: Perspectives on 21st Century Branding: User Seductive; 2004, Wai-te-ata Press.
- Typography and Branding; 2004, Natcoll Publishing.