Associate Director (innovation and design)
In the last 20 years Nick has developed an in depth, hands on understanding of product and service development and has led and instigated the successful development of numerous opportunities for organisations large and small, private and public.
Starting In 1991 Nick secured a Design for Industry degree from Newcastle Polytechnic, now the University of Northumbria, and a brace of Royal Society for the Arts design awards. The awards enabled a period of travel and work experience in a world renowned Design Consultancy that expanded knowledge, experience, views and perceptions of a recently graduated designer.
In 1993 Nick returned and worked at the University of Northumbria helping establish the Centre for Industrial Design now known as the Centre for Design research.
Following a short period working as a Design Adviser for the Design Council supporting small and medium sized companies develop and innovate Nick set up Presence Multimedia in 1999 to exploit new media technology in the manufacturing sector.
In 2004 after exiting Presence Multimedia Nick helped set up the BIG Ideas Centre supporting and training out innovation tools and methods.
Following the success of Big Ideas in 2006 Nick was invited to work on the Designs of the time initiative (Dott07) to design and develop an innovative carbon foot-printing competition, called the eco design challenge. Shortly into that project Nick was offered the role of assistant director at Dott supporting the executive producer and programme director to deliver twelve complex user centred design and innovation projects.
After the successful conclusion of Dott07, a showcase event in which 20,000 people attended, Nick has worked on a number of innovation projects with Wood Holmes and set up as an innovation scout, sourcing innovation opportunities for small and large companies. As an Associate Director at Wood Holmes Nick centres his work on enabling innovation for the company and its clients.
