civic life in pictures
From No.10 to the neighbourhood
Richard Choi 蔡嘉源 — two decades designing products used by millions — and a second act building one of the UK's most vibrant Hongkonger communities. This is the story so far.
who I am
I'm an Industrial and UX Designer with over two decades of experience driving product innovation for global brands including Nokia, HMD Global and Honeywell. My work spans the entire product lifecycle — deep user research, strategic conceptualisation, advanced prototyping, meticulous production and quality assurance — and has been recognised with 23 design awards and 26 patents.
In 2019 I founded Trafold Ltd to build Taxie, the world's smallest and lightest ECE-R129 child car seat — a startup journey that raised a six-figure funding total and collected four international design awards, including a Red Dot and an iF Design Award.
Since 2020 I've poured the same energy into people, leading the Sutton Hongkonger Community from a Facebook group into a 9,000-strong network — organising festivals for thousands of attendees with 60+ volunteers and 10+ partner organisations. That work led The Times to call me a "British-Hong Kong success story" — and in April 2025, to my election as a Local Councillor — the first Hong Kong-born councillor in Sutton's history, returned with 56% of the vote and re-elected in 2026.
Today I split my time between design consultancy — increasingly exploring what designing with AI makes possible — and civic work as a councillor and board member of the Sutton Safer Neighbourhood Board — having previously served as a Sutton College Governor.
the journey
Early design career in Hong Kong and Taiwan — product design work covered by Apple Daily, Career magazine, Business Next and Taiwanese television, and recognition in international design-school circles.
Designed phones and connected products shipped worldwide: Lenny — Nokia's first Touch & Type phone, the Snug projector, Seal TV dongle and Orb router — then Honeywell's Red Dot-winning Chime doorbells and the DAS home security system.
Led design on the Panther smartphone — shipped globally as the Nokia 4.2 and winner of a Good Design Award — and created Blink Key, the notification power button shipped on five Nokia phones worldwide.
Founded a startup to reinvent the child car seat. Taxie became the world's smallest and lightest ECE-R129 seat, raising six-figure funding and winning the European Product Design Award, Red Dot Design Concept, iF Design Award and IDA Gold.
Founded and grew the Sutton Hongkonger Community to over 9,000 members — Friendship Festivals, Lunar New Year markets, Mid-Autumn celebrations — becoming a bridge between new arrivals and local institutions, with coverage from The Times to Sky News, ZDF, CNA and the Financial Times.
Elected in the Sutton Central by-election with 56% of the vote — the borough's first Hong Kong-born councillor — and re-elected in 2026. Also serving on the Sutton Safer Neighbourhood Board — and previously as a Sutton College Governor — while continuing design work at the frontier of AI-assisted design.
civic life in pictures
recognition
selected honours
how I work
"Bold & thoughtful design, rooted in research & craft — whether the material is aluminium, pixels or people."