David Townson

David joined Nesta in January 2013 as an Associate. David is a designer and design manager with 20 years' experience whose work has involved the innovation of such things as returnable transit packaging, knowledge management systems, cat flaps, educational programmes, online courses for aspiring playwrights and automated banking services.

David uses design methods to enable organisations to develop and grow. He has designed and delivered innovation projects in the UK and abroad for private, public and third sector organisations including: Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Barking and Dagenham Council,  BIS, Cancer Research UK, DCLG, Design Council, Dundee University, France Telecom, Fujitsu, Home Office, HSBC, The LEGO Group, NCR, Newcastle Science City, Northumberland County Council, NSPCC, Orange, Ordnance Survey, Skills Development Scotland, South Tyneside Council, Sport England, Sunderland City Council, Youth Justice Board.

David formerly worked in Orange's corporate innovation team and was a Studio Head at service design and innovation consultancy live|work.  He is a Design Council Design Associate working on both their public and private sector improvement programmes. Since 2009 he has been external examiner to the University of the Arts, Cranfield Univeristy MDes in Service Design Innovation. 

David holds a Masters in Strategic Design Management with distinction from Brunel University and a Bachelors in Product Design from Northumbria University.