Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top London based Director operating in the Product Design space. If you think a Director is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Tom Seymour
Global Sr Creative Director of Nike
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About Nike: Nike designs, develops, and markets footwear, apparel, equipment, and accessory products.
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Chris Grantham
Executive Portfolio Director, Circular Economy of IDEO
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About IDEO, IDEO: IDEO is a global design and innovation consultancy firm providing design-based marketing solutions for the public and private sectors.
Matt Cooper-Wright
Design Director of IDEO
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About Central Saint Martins, IDEO, London South Bank University: IDEO is a global design and innovation consultancy firm providing design-based marketing solutions for the public and private sectors.
Emilie Colker
Executive Director of IDEO
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About IDEO: IDEO is a global design and innovation consultancy firm providing design-based marketing solutions for the public and private sectors.
Pierre Sapin
Managing Director of BORN
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About BORN: BORN is the world’s first private B2B platform that connects a global network of design-led lifestyle brands and retail buyers.
Kevin Helton
Co-Founder & Creative Director of Hello Love
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About Hello Love: Hello Love is a forward thinking branding and design studio that has a passion for communicating ideas and creating captivating adventures.
Steve Webster
Co-Founder & Director of Technology of Tails.com
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About Tails.com: Tails.com is an online pet nutrition service that provides tailor-made food designed to deliver perfectly optimised nutrition for dogs.
Daniela Paredes
Co-Founder and Director of Gravity Sketch
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About Gravity Sketch: Gravity Sketch is a VR-based design and collaboration platform that allows distributed teams to create, share, and build in 3D.
David Kershaw
Co-Founder ,CEO & Exec Director of M&C Saatchi
David Kershaw is a founding director of M&C Saatchi. He joined Saatchi & Saatchi in 1982 after obtaining an MBA at London Business School. He became managing director in 1990 and was made chairman and chief executive of the UK agency in 1994.
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About M&C Saatchi: M&C Saatchi Group is a creative company that connects specialist expertise, fuelled by data and technology.
Pierre-Edouard Harant
Managing Director of RPD International
Pierre-Edouard Harant as the Managing Director for RPD International.
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About RPD International: RPD designs and manufactures products, experiences, processes.
Vernon Dias
Founder and Managing Director of Made by Fire
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About Made by Fire: We create digital products for our ambitious clients with a team of over 100 specialists.
Roman Mittermayr
Managing Director / CEO of TwentyPeople
Roman spent a decade working through seventeen different jobs in thirty-four countries all around the world. After leaving the Austrian military service in 2004, he joined Mace in London, and published a book on DIY electronics with Germany’s largest technology publisher. He worked at an agency in New York, with brands like Vera Wang, Disney and Marriott. Roman came up with the first large-scale alternate-reality event in Vienna, based on the Hollywood movie “The Game”, which was subsequently featured on national TV, newspapers and magazines, and attracted international funding from several major companies. He joined Microsoft to work full-time as a Product Planner for Office, and later changed roles to become a Competitive Intelligence Planner. Roman holds a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Economics and Business Administration in Vienna, Austria. He currently works and lives in London.
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About TwentyPeople: TwentyPeople is a rapid prototyping and digital design company.
Kebbie Sebastian
Managing Director of Penser
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About Penser: Specialist consulting firm focused on the payments and fintech industry
Alexandre Massart
Director of Penser
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About Penser: Specialist consulting firm focused on the payments and fintech industry
Helen Fuchs
Design Director of ustwo
Helen Fuchs is the Design Director at ustwo.
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About ustwo: Ustwo is a digital design studio that delivers interaction and user interface design services.
Christos Passas
Director of Zaha Hadid Architects
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About Zaha Hadid Architects: We work at all scales and in all sectors. We create transformative cultural, corporate, residential and other spaces .
Sara Klomps
Director of Zaha Hadid Architects
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About Zaha Hadid Architects: We work at all scales and in all sectors. We create transformative cultural, corporate, residential and other spaces .
Jim Heverin
Director of Zaha Hadid Architects
Jim joined us in 1997. He has worked on a variety of completed projects from pavilions to offices, museums and sports venues. He became an Associate Director in 2006 and Director in 2013, and currently is responsible for the overall management and delivery of key projects including the Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Olympics. im has a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Scott Sutherland School of Architecture, Aberdeen (1995) and a Diploma in Architecture from University of North London (1997). He has been registered with the ARB since 1999.
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About Zaha Hadid Architects: We work at all scales and in all sectors. We create transformative cultural, corporate, residential and other spaces .
Patrik Schumacher
Partner and Director of Zaha Hadid Architects
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About Zaha Hadid Architects: We work at all scales and in all sectors. We create transformative cultural, corporate, residential and other spaces .
Cristiano Ceccalo
Director of Zaha Hadid Architects
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About Zaha Hadid Architects: We work at all scales and in all sectors. We create transformative cultural, corporate, residential and other spaces .
Kenny Harmel
Director and Co-Founder of Galileo Watermark
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About Galileo Watermark: Galileo Watermark provides creative design and innovative products to the airline and medical industry.
Simon bullers
Non Executive Director of PureNChic.com
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About PureNChic.com: We are online marketplace that specialise in European designed product
Lewis Allen
Director of Portland Design
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About Portland Design: Portland design process is based on research and a rich understanding of markets, consumers, sectors and technologies.
Mark Howman
Creative Director of Allen International
Mark has now been with allen international for over 15 years, joining as a Design Director and now performing a diverse role as a board director with a still huge enthusiasm for the creative output and client relationships. During the last three years Mark has played significant role in delivering unique multi-sensory experiences.
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About Allen International: Allen International is a strategic design consultancy.
Laura Newton
Design Director of Allen International
With over 15 years design experience, Laura joined Allen International in 2006 assuming responsibility for projects including: Mauritius Commercial Bank, Banorte (Mexico), TDB Bank (Mongolia), AmBank (Malaysia), Bac A Bank (Vietnam) and TBC Bank (Georgia). Laura has an MA and BA (Hons) in Interior Architecture and Design from the Institute of Art & Design, Surrey.
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About Allen International: Allen International is a strategic design consultancy.
Richard M Benson
Creative Managing Director of Allen International
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About Allen International: Allen International is a strategic design consultancy.
James White
Design Director of Allen International
James is an experienced member of the allen international team who has worked with clients all over the world, from Brazil all the way to Kazakhstan. James loves the challenge of delivering innovative solutions that simplify the complex and deliver tangible results.
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About Allen International: Allen International is a strategic design consultancy.
Paul Jackson
Managing Director of Castle Digital Partners
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About Castle Digital Partners: Castle Digital Partners is a venture services firm that partners with management teams to invest in software that drives their businesses.
James Knight
Director, Co-Founder & Partner of Original Content London
Interested in #Cryptoassets & #Govtech | Previously @Mosaic_VC, International @Techhub | Engineer | Board Game Aficionado
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About Original Content London, Tech London Advocates: Original Content London is a Product Studio specialising in ideation around digital culture.
Sophia Webster
Founder & Creative Director of Sophia Webster
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About Sophia Webster: Sophia Webster is a British accessories designer and Flamingo enthusiast.
Nick Snowdon
Director, TNS UK of Kantar TNS
Nick works in a team of 70 dedicated technology and financial services researchers in Kantar TNS UK, awarded he best UK agency for Innovation and B2B research by the Marketing Research Society. Nick holds an Advanced Certificate from the MRS and has worked in technology research for over 11 years including BOP research in Africa and Asia as well as Westernised markets. Managing project teams of intellectually curious researchers, Nick’ portfolio encompasses a varied mix of clients, including mobile networks, FinTech providers, app developers, video gaming developers, smart device manufacturers and social networks. He has wide-ranging experience in the research fields of brand, communications, innovation and CX research, as well as a specialism within Social Media analytics and the integration of Big Data with traditional research. His core expertise lies in research that contributes to thought leadership and in translating business objectives into research design that will help Kantar TNS’ clients identify, optimise and activate against the key moments that matter most for their brand – allowing them to innovate, inspire and prosper.
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About Kantar TNS: Kantar TNSA is a research worldwide agency that provides actionable insights that helps make impactful decisions that drive growth.
Costas Pantelides
Managing Director of Process System Enterprise
Costas Pantelides has been the Managing Director of PSE since 2005. He was one of the original founders of the company, and has also served as its Technology Director since the establishment of the company in 1997. Costas holds B.Sc.(Eng.) and PhD degrees from Imperial College London and an MS degree from MIT. He is the author of over 100 scientific papers on the design and implementation of general-purpose process modelling tools, numerical methods for large-scale simulation and optimisation, and molecular modelling. He is currently also a part-time professor of Chemical Engineering at Imperial. Costas has more than 25 years’ experience in process modelling technology, having played a leading role in the development of the gPROMS® and SPEEDUP technologies. His contributions to process systems engineering were honoured by the 1998 Beilby Medal and Prize, awarded jointly by the UK Society of Chemical Industry, the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Institute of Materials. In 2007, he led the winning team for the Royal Academy of Engineering MacRobert Award, the UK’s most prestigious prize for engineering innovation.
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About Process System Enterprise: Process System Enterprise offers process modeling software and model-based innovation services for the process industries.
Matt Roskill
Managing Director of Albion
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About Albion, Utility Warehouse: We are a creative business partner. We work with companies to invent and reinvent their businesses to unlock growth.
Chris Gardner
Founder, COO and Joint Managing Director of Atelier
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About Atelier: Atelier provides custom property finance solutions that are designed in collaboration with developers.
Michael Pepper
Co Founder, Chief Scientific Director of TeraView
Michael has held positions in the University of Cambridge concurrently with positions at Plessey and then GEC. Professor of Physics in the Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge University 1987-2009, he was invited by the Toshiba Corporation to create and head their first corporate research laboratory outside Japan. The Toshiba Cambridge Research Centre, now known as the Cambridge Research Laboratory of Toshiba Research Europe Ltd, opened in 1991 with Professor Pepper as Managing Director. Professor Pepper is a Fellow of the Royal Society and a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge and the recipient of many prizes and honours for his work on semiconductors. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering. He has extensive connections throughout the University of Cambridge, UK and EU universities, institutes and with corporations throughout the world. He received a knighthood in 2006 for his services to physics and since 2009 is Pender Professor of Nanoelectronics at University College London.
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About TeraView, University College London (UCL): TeraView develops terahertz instruments which can generate, detect and manipulate radiation to characterize a wide range of materials.
Jess Tyrrell
Managing Director of Beyond
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About Beyond: Beyond is a design and technology agency that builds world-class products for the digital age.
David Watts
Managing Director of CCD Design & Ergonomics
David Watts is Managing Director of CCD Design & Ergonomics. CCD is a leading human behaviour and design practice. It specialises in applying the science of human factors and ergonomics to the design process. It has been working in the ergonomic design of control centres for nearly 40 years. We also work across workspace design, wayfinding design, experience design as well as consulting on human factors problems. In 20 years of professional practice, David has run CCD’s input to a wide range of control room projects for clients including Network Rail, ITER, the emergency services, Thames Water, Abu Dhabi Distribution Company and the Government of Georgia.
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About CCD Design & Ergonomics: CCD Design & Ergonomics have delivered human factors, wayfinding and workspace design projects across the world.
Shaun Dunne
Co-Founder & Director of VR of Studio Zero
Shaun Co-founded Studio Zero and is bringing WebVR to various clients, showing them the possibilities and building them interactive storytelling, products and experiences.
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About Studio Zero: WebVR, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Development and Consulting
Natasha Kelly
Director, Co-Founder of Tiosk
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About Tiosk: Tiosk is a contemporary tea brand specialising in premium tea-based drinks.
Elena Corchero
Founder & Director of Lost Values
Elena is a former Research Associate on wearables at MIT MLE and Alumni of the Material Futures MA at Central Saint Martins in London. Her work brings science closer to people through the development of lifestyle consumer products using smart materials. “I use every day products as a vehicle to influence and empower smart consumerism. We are surrounded by intelligent devices yet being smart must also reflect being socially and environmentally committed. Innovation should not only be measured by the quality of our means but most importantly the real meaning behind what we create and consume” She presented her research at the MIT Technology Review Emerging Technologies Conference last October and became UK’s top 3 innovators of the year women in tech as well as 2n’d most disruptive business by Prince Andrew initiative Pitch@Palace. She has also recently been appointed as Director of Design Research at Room One Labs to define and explore the intersections between connected objects and virtual environments.
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About Lost Values: LOST VALUES is a Research Studio based in London.
Tom Nokes
Country Director UK of CAPSiDE
Tom Nokes is Country Director for CAPSiDE, an NTT Ltd. company, and leads a team of passionate Cloud transformation professionals that help clients in the design, automation and 24×7 operation of critical digital platforms. Tom has worked in the IT industry for over 14 years, always seeking the most innovative ways of using new technology to solve business challenges.
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About CAPSiDE: CAPSiDE has been making the world more reliable through the design, automation.
Steve Roberts
Managing Director of Fripp Design and Research
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About Fripp Design and Research: Fripp Design and Research is a product design and research, and business development consultancy.
Stephen Waller
Creative Director of Swift Creatives
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About Swift Creatives: Swift Creatives is an international design studio, helping brands create innovative designs and meaningful experiences
Matthew Cockerill
Creative Director and Head of Studio of Swift Creatives
Matthew is a well-established designer who has been creating world-leading products and experiences for over 20 years. Working internationally across multiple sectors to help brands increase their business value through innovation and the design of physical and digital products and experiences. His work includes consumer electronics, healthcare, domestic appliances, alcoholic beverages, endurance sports, transportation and environments. He created the world’s first ethical and modular smartphone for Fairphone which won a Cannes Lion award in 2017, imagined future lifestyles and product categories for Samsung Electronics, created luxurious whisky experiences for Diageo, retail activations for Gatorade, award experiences for Google and helped define the passenger experience at Heathrow T5. Matthew regularly brings his innovative thinking to the wider world through speaking at conferences, panel talks, commentating in the press, university lecturing and judging industry events, including the steering group for the 2017/18 Cannes Lion Award. Before joining Swift Creatives, Matthew was a board director at Seymourpowell for 10 years and has worked in-house in Seoul, South Korea for Samsung Electronics.
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About Swift Creatives: Swift Creatives is an international design studio, helping brands create innovative designs and meaningful experiences
Holly Fulton
Director of Holly Fulton
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About Holly Fulton: Holly Fulton is a contemporary high end womenswear label, focused on presenting a total look to consumers and buyers.
Holly Fulton
Director of Holly Fulton
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About Holly Fulton: Holly Fulton is a contemporary high end womenswear label, focused on presenting a total look to consumers and buyers.
Georg Fasching
Founder, Director, CPO of geofas.com
George is obsessed with new product development for happy customers, and has been for 15 years. He developed and delivered mobile and web services across the globe for a variety of customers. 2000: George & team created and delivered T-Mobile Austria’s online contract upgrade solution with customer value dynamic offers and fulfilment logistics 2001: George & team acquired T-Mobile Austria’s banking license in cooperation with Legal & Finance department; established standardised M-Commerce Interface Austria (MIA) in cooperation with all other Austrian mobile network operators 2002: George & team created and delivered m-payment solution for T-Mobile Austria’s Prepaid customers 2003: George & team launched T-Mobile Mobile Wallet across Europe 2004: George & team launched T-Mobile UK’s t-zones shopping/ticketing/lottery offering 2006: George & team adidas Footbal World Cup mobile marketing campaign in 8+ countries 2007: George & team created and launched MasterCard’s Mobile Partner Program world-wide 2009: George & team created, managed and delivered MasterCard’s Mobile MoneySend in the USA 2011: George & team launched Luup’s corporate, branchless, and remittance product lines, solving problems and needs of corporate clients, retail customers and their families 2012: George went independent and creates, delivers, and coaches progressive solutions in new product development to help making customers, better, faster, and cheaper.
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About geofas.com, LUUP, Probability PLC: Progressive Solutions in New Product Development
Sama Nwana
Founder & Director of Atlantic Telecoms & Media
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About Atlantic Telecoms & Media: Their vision is to accelerate the agenda to Digitize Developing Economies, re-design TMT Sectors.
