A few sentences to introduce myself:

I’m a man in my mid- eighties for whom an open mind, a passion for life and a sense of humour are the three most important things.

There are two dangers from having had a long experience:

The first is that it tries to tell you what to do – usually to repeat what you’ve done before – often in disguise.

The second is you become overwhelmed by the comfort of your habits, and that your history can seem bigger than your potential. So, I filter and diffuse unnecessary memories and keep plenty of open space for infinite new impressions and distractions that provoke my creativity.

I enjoy not knowing what to do and trusting my creativity. I always encourage people I work with, and those I teach, to do the same – to value feeling lost, to keep an open mind, a passion for life and, above all, to have a sense of humour.

Michael is the co-founder of global design agency Wolff Olins