David Raffo

David’s background encompasses design practice, design and business management and academic teaching and research.

Trained in both craft design and engineering at Manchester he worked in the UK, Europe and America before founding Raffo Design, a multi-award winning, research led product design consultancy with partners and clients worldwide.

Clients include, JCB, Unilever, Ideal Standard, and the Xerox Corporation.

He was also a founding director of a company specialising in children’s products, earning over thirty international awards for design and innovation.

David left the consultancy in 2003 to explore new directions including a period working in Hong Kong as Creative Director of a new housewares company, responsible for design strategy and all aspects of product and packaging design and realisation.

His academic research interests cover from the development of electrically assisted bikes to sanitation for the urban poor in peri-urban environments, using design process to underpin these multidiscipline projects and human centered design to balance technology with real needs.

David now works with senior management, entrepreneurs and university technology transfer offices on strategy on the commercialisation of research, business development and business growth through the application of design.

• How good design can help grow your business

  Room 2

  This workshop will show business owners how they can harness the power of design to grow their business.