Marc Kanadalaft was born in war-torn Lebanon, exiled to Saudi Arabia, and yet shares an ancestry that is equal parts Lebanese, French, and Armenian. All of this giving him a global perspective that has informed and inspired every mile of his professional journey. He has seen the world in ways few others have, or could.

Educated at Paris’ renowned Penninghen School of Art Direction and Interior Architecture, he went on to found his first design studio there, Marc Kandalaft Design, in 2000, later working from both sides of the Atlantic as he transitioned and transformed over 14 years from a small studio to one encompassing a much wider scope; RAP (Rethink, Act, Provoke).

That journey also saw him devote much time and consideration to design education with Inspire-Play-Innovate, a workshop program held internationally in collaboration with Ico-D, including the Triennale di Milano, the Seoul Design Centre, and Casa Wabi in Mexico.

His vision comes full circle in May, 2023, with KANDALAFT, a hybrid of solo and collaborative ventures where visual art, design, branding, film, sound, and AI research come together in an immersive, multisensorial experience.

Among his most recent ventures is Blask, an innovative service that seeks to deliver customized top talent and organizational solutions for creative and tech industries.

Marc operates from his studios in historic Old Montreal, moving between North America, Europe, and the Middle East where he is called upon to consult top-tier corporations and teach at institutions of higher learning.

In 2023, Penninghen and the Université du Québec à Montréal (Centre du design de l’UQAM) both invited him as a guest lecturer to teach and mentor bachelor's students in a brand strategy course and one in design + brand identity.