John has been working for almost forty years in the brand and design industry, leading a number of marketing, brand and design consultancies in the UK and Internationally, as well as holding a number of roles within FMCG and retail, including Head of Brand at Safeway. Most recently he has led the UK Design Council through a period of change and moved on from that role in 2016 after four years as CEO. He joined the Design Council from an International CEO role at the Holmes & Marchant group and previously had ten years at the helm of the Brand Union (was Enterprise IG), WPP’s flagship brand design agency. Over the last fifteen years he has been actively committed to the development of the design industry, serving as President of the DBA (Design Business Association) for three years as well as being involved in various ways with the Design Council and the broader design community. In 2017 he co-founded The British Design Fund, a venture capital fund supporting well designed British product start-ups. His other commitments include sitting on the Board of Falmouth University, a Trustee role at 1418Now as well as being a Board member on various charities and sitting on a number of Advisory Boards.