View source for Jack Yan

{{short description|New Zealand publisher, designer and businessman}}
{{EngvarB|date=July 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jack Yan
| image = Jack Yan at SFD Wellington 2010.jpg
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1972}}
| birth_place = [[Kowloon]], [[British Hong Kong]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| occupation = Publisher, designer, businessman
| party = [[Alliance (New Zealand political party)|Alliance]] (2008)
| website = [https://jackyan.com/ https://jackyan.com/]
}}
'''Jack Yan''' ({{zh|c=甄爵恩|p=Zhēn Jué'ēn}}; born 1972) is a New Zealand publisher, designer and businessman. He is best known as the founder and publisher of ''[[Lucire]]''.

He ran for mayor of Wellington in 2010,<ref name="2010elect">{{Cite web |url=http://www.elections2010.co.nz/2010/elections/wellington-city-mayor |title=Wellington City Mayor » www.elections2010.co.nz |access-date=31 August 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100903121651/http://elections2010.co.nz/2010/elections/wellington-city-mayor |archive-date=3 September 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and again in 2013, but was unsuccessful in both elections.<ref name=":18">{{cite web|url=http://www.3news.co.nz/Six-way-battle-for-Wellington-mayoralty/tabid/1607/articleID/314267/Default.aspx |title=Six-way battle for Wellington mayoralty |publisher=3 News NZ | date=2013-09-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422213037/http://www.newshub.co.nz/politics/sixway-battle-for-wellington-mayoralty-2013092308 |archive-date=2016-04-22 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Three more years for Wade-Brown|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/local-elections-2013/9276358/Three-more-years-for-Wade-Brown|accessdate=13 October 2013|newspaper=Dominion Post|date=12 October 2013|author=Katie Chapman|author2=Tessa Johnstone|author3=Kerrie McBride}}</ref>

==Background==
Yan was born in [[Kowloon]], Hong Kong,<ref>Young, Simon. 2007, "Immigration nation", ''Idealog'', March–April, pp. 40–46.</ref> and emigrated to [[Wellington]], New Zealand, with his parents in 1976.<ref>Paki, Kui. 2004, "Polyeurasian—the new breed New Zealander", ''Tu Mai'', February, pp. 20–2.</ref> He attended [[St Mark's Church School]] (where he was Dux<ref>{{cite news|title=Michele Hewitson Interview: Jack Yan|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/michele-hewitson-interview-jack-yan/2M4KK5TZFSPPXV3JBPTLNKFCTE/|accessdate=9 July 2021|newspaper=The New Zealand Herald|date=30 August 2013|author=Hewitson, Michele}}</ref>) and [[Scots College, Wellington|Scots College]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Jack Yan, Executive, Scots Collegians|work=Scots College |url=https://www.scotscollege.school.nz/sca/jack-yan-executive/|accessdate=2022-09-13}}</ref> and graduated from [[Victoria University of Wellington]] with three degrees – two in business and one in [[Bachelor of Laws|law]].

Aside from English, Yan speaks [[Cantonese]], French,<ref>Jacobson, Julie. 2006, "Five minutes with Jack Yan", ''[[The Dominion Post (Wellington)|The Dominion Post]]'', 22 June, p. D3.</ref> and [[Taishanese]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Watch: Cantonese, with publisher and typeface designer Jack Yan|url=https://www.tepapa.govt.nz/discover-collections/read-watch-play/chinese-languages-aotearoa/watch-cantonese-publisher-and|accessdate=2022-12-30|publisher=Te Papa Tongarewa|date=2021-10-26}}</ref>

==Career==

=== Business ventures ===
Beginning in the 1980s, Yan created over 100 [[type design|typeface designs]] himself for his firm, Jack Yan & Associates<ref>Martinkus, Angela. 2000, "Type cast", ''[[The Age]]'', "Emag" supplement, March.</ref> and was New Zealand's first digital typeface designer.<ref name="Komoneed">{{cite web |url=https://komoneed.com/interview-with-jack-yan-on-global-sustainable-fashion/ |last=Giardina |first=Sharon |title=Interview with Jack Yan on global sustainable fashion |date=2022-05-30 |publisher=Komoneed |accessdate=2022-09-11}}</ref> He encouraged other local typeface designers such as [[Kris Sowersby]] to pursue careers in that industry. His typefaces include Ætna, a revival of [[Bembo]].<ref>Pratzel, Anne-Marie. 1996, "New faces", ''Publish'', August, p. 107</ref>

He also helms a consulting firm,<ref>Fernandez, Juanita. 2005, "Not your average CEO: Jack of all trades", ''Wellington Today'', July–August, pp. 10–11.</ref> and is co-chair of the Medinge Group [[think-tank]].<ref>Rydergren, Tobias. 2002, "Go logo! Brand-soldaterna slår tillbaka", ''Resumé'', 22 August, pp. 22–3.</ref>

In 1997, he founded ''[[Lucire]]'',<ref>Vidal, Josie. 2000, "The web that Jack built", ''[[The Evening Post (New Zealand)|The Evening Post]]'', "Flair" supplement, p. 8.</ref><ref name="Komoneed" /> a [[fashion magazine]] that added print editions after starting on the web,<ref>Simpson, Emily. 2004, "Man with a plan", ''ProDesign'', December 2004 – January 2005, pp. 34–36.</ref> and serves as its publisher.

From 2007 to 2012, he was a judge for [[Miss Universe]] New Zealand, and became a director of the licensee firm that took over in 2013.

In 2008, he founded the online car encyclopedia ''Autocade'',<ref>
{{cite news |url= http://oversteer.co.nz/press-release-car-cyclopaedia-autocade-hits-five-million-page-views/ |title=Car cyclopædia Autocade hits five million page views |date=26 October 2014 |work=Oversteer |accessdate=15 August 2022}}</ref> which he then extended into a print version in 2023.<ref>{{cite news |title=''Lucire'' gets a sister print title: ''Autocade'' launches a lavish Yearbook |url=https://lucire.com/insider/20231220/lucire-gets-a-sister-print-title-autocade-launches-as-a-lavish-yearbook/ |date=20 December 2023 |accessdate=22 March 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Dixon |first=Mark |title=Books |url=https://www.octane-magazine.com/product/octane-issue-261-march-2025/ |work=Octane |date=March 2025 |accessdate=2025-04-09}}</ref>

===Writings and media===
Yan was a contributor to ''Visual Arts Trends'' in New York (1999–2001),<ref>{{cite web |title=Editors and contributors |work=Visual Arts Trends |url=http://www.visualartstrends.com/Ea/Ea1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2001-01-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010111122700/http://www.visualartstrends.com/Ea/Ea1.html |access-date=2022-09-14}}</ref> ''The Journal of Brand Management'' in London (2003–11),<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-07-14 |title=Journal of Brand Management - Abstract of article: Corporate responsibility and the brands of tomorrow |url=http://www.palgrave-journals.com/bm/journal/v10/n4/abs/2540125a.html |access-date=2022-03-19 |website= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714165358/http://www.palgrave-journals.com/bm/journal/v10/n4/abs/2540125a.html |archive-date=14 July 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and ''Desktop'' magazine in Australia (1996–2010).<ref>{{cite web |title=Jack Yan |work=Desktop |url=http://www.desktopmag.com.au/author/jackyan |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110202003823/http://www.desktopmag.com.au/author/jackyan |archive-date=2011-02-02 |access-date=2022-09-14}}</ref>

Web publications that he has written for include UK-based ''Fontzone''<ref>{{cite web |title=Fontzone |url=http://www.fontzone.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000302001616/http://ww2.fontzone.com/zine | archive-date=2000-03-02 |access-date=2024-03-22}}</ref>  and ''DZ3''. He was a founding contributor to Allaboutbranding.com (from 2002).<ref>{{cite web |title=Allaboutbranding.com |url=http://allaboutbranding.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020123004339/http://allaboutbranding.com:80/ |archive-date=2002-01-23 |access-date=2022-09-14}}</ref> Additionally, he writes for his own publications, ''CAP'' and ''Lucire''.

He contributed chapters to ''Beyond Branding'' (2003) and ''Brands with a Conscience'' (2016), wrote ''Typography and Branding'' (2004), and ghost-wrote Greek designer [[Panos Papadopoulos]]'s autobiography, ''Panos: My Life, My Odyssey'' (2022), for which they won a Highly Commended at the Business Book Awards 2023.<ref>{{cite web |title=Winners 2023 |url=https://www.businessbookawards.co.uk/winners-2023/ |date=2023-05-16 |publisher=Business Book Awards |access-date=2023-05-31}}</ref> He followed that up with the biographical ''Lilla boken om Panos: historien om den ikoniska badmodedesignern'' (2024) in Sweden.

From 3 March 2006, he began a weekly spot on [[TV One (New Zealand)|TV One]]'s [[Good Morning (New Zealand show)|''Good Morning'']], discussing men's issues, but resigned from that role in 2007.<ref>{{cite web |last=Keall |first=Chris |title=Ask me anything: Jack Yan |url=http://www.nbr.co.nz/ask-jack |work=National Business Review |url-status=dead |accessdate=2022-09-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130920112226/http://www.nbr.co.nz/stayconnected?return=145992 |archive-date=2013-09-20}}</ref>

In 2020, he started as a regular panellist on [[Radio New Zealand]]'s ''The Panel''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/thepanel/audio/2018761069/the-panel-with-jennie-morten-and-jack-yan-part-1|title=The Panel with Jennie Morten and Jack Yan|publisher=Radio New Zealand |date=2020-08-25|accessdate=2022-09-13}}</ref>

He is better known outside New Zealand for his work; he has been interviewed by [[CNN]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2002/US/11/15/sproject.hs02.plan/ |last=Botelho |first=Greg |date=2002-12-02 |title='Make-or-break' season |publisher=CNN |accessdate=2022-10-10}}</ref> ''[[Business 2.0]]''<ref>{{cite news |last=Mucha |first=Thomas |date=2004-05-13 |title=Marketing the brand 'America'| work=Business 2.0}}</ref> and the UK's ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last=Booth |first=Jenny |date=2003-06-08 |title=We have ways of making you forget |work=The Sunday Telegraph}}</ref>

===Politics===
In the [[2008 New Zealand general election|2008 general election]] Yan stood as a candidate on the [[Alliance (New Zealand political party)|Alliance]] party list,<ref>{{cite web | title = Candidate profile: Jack Yan | work = The Alliance | url = http://alliance.org.nz/2008-election/alliance-party-list/list-jack-yan/ | url-status = dead | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20100925075153/http://www.alliance.org.nz/2008-election/alliance-party-list/list-jack-yan | archivedate = 25 September 2010 | df = dmy-all }}</ref> but no candidates for the Alliance were elected.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://2008.electionresults.govt.nz/partystatus.html |title=Official Count Results – Overall Status |publisher=[[New Zealand Ministry of Justice]] |accessdate=22 January 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209051141/http://2008.electionresults.govt.nz/partystatus.html |archivedate=9 February 2009 }}</ref> He was a candidate in [[2010 Wellington City mayoral election|Wellington's 2010 mayoral election]],<ref name="2010elect" /> and stood again in the [[2013 Wellington City mayoral election|2013 elections]].<ref name=":18" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK1304/S00397/jack-yan-announces-2013-mayoral-bid.htm|title=Jack Yan announces 2013 mayoral bid &#124; Scoop News|website=www.scoop.co.nz}}</ref>

==Books==
*''Beyond Branding: How the New Values of Transparency and Integrity Are Changing the World of Brands'', with [[Nicholas Ind]] (editor), Malcolm Allan, [[Simon Anholt]], 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.
*''Brands with a Conscience: How to Build a Successful and Responsible Brand'', with [[Nicholas Ind]] (editor), Malcolm Allan, Enric Bernal, Peter Brown, Giuseppe Cavallo, [[Thomas Gad]], Ava Hakim, Sudhir John Horo, Oriol Iglesias, Philippe Mihailovich, Simon Paterson, Annette Rosencreutz, Cristián Saracco, Nikolaj Stagis, Brigitte Stepputtis, and Erika Uffindell; 2016, Kogan Page, {{ISBN|0-7494-7544-7}}.
*''Panos: My Life, My Odyssey'', with [[Panos Papadopoulos]]; 2022, LID Publishing, {{ISBN|978-1-911687-12-2}}.
*''Autocade Yearbook 2024'', 2023, JY&A Media, {{ISSN|3021-159X}}.
*''Lilla boken om Panos: historien om den ikoniska badmodedesignern'', with [[Panos Papadopoulos]]; 2024, Tukan förlag, {{ISBN|978-9-180385-83-1}}.
*''Autocade Year of Cars 2025'', 2024, JY&A Media, {{ISSN|3021-159X}}.
*''Autocade Year of Cars 2026'', 2025, JY&A Media, {{ISSN|3021-159X}}.

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://jackyan.com}}
* {{IMDb name|1484350}}
* [http://www.planete-typographie.com/infos/designer/yan.html Interview with Yan on his type design career (in French)]
* [https://www.scopalto.com/post/jack-yan-lucire Interview with Yan on publishing ''Lucire'' (in French)]
* [https://komoneed.com/de/lucire-modemagazin/ Interview with Yan on publishing ''Lucire''] (in German) 
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060506063005/http://www.bandt.com.au/pdf/nzreports/NZ_APRIL05_P28_29.pdf ''B&T Marketing and Media'' interview with Yan on his publishing work (PDF)]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070807070829/http://nzbusiness.blogspot.com:80/2005/08/i-see-it-as-way-to-fight-terrorism.html Interviews with Yan on branding (MP3 files)]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yan, Jack}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:New Zealand businesspeople]]
[[Category:New Zealand Confucianists]]
[[Category:New Zealand people of Chinese descent]]
[[Category:New Zealand people of Hong Kong descent]]
[[Category:New Zealand typographers and type designers]]
[[Category:Victoria University of Wellington alumni]]
[[Category:People educated at Scots College, Wellington]]
[[Category:Hong Kong emigrants to New Zealand]]
[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:Alliance (New Zealand political party) politicians]]
[[Category:People from Kowloon]]
[[Category:Unsuccessful candidates in the 2008 New Zealand general election]]