Erik is an information architect, type designer and author of books and articles on type and typography, with two of his typefaces, FF Meta and ITC Officina, considered modern classics. In 1979 he founded MetaDesign and in 1989 FontShop. Today he is managing partner and creative director of Edenspiekermann. Erik was made an Honorary Royal Designer for Industry by the RSA in 2007 and Ambassador for the European Year of Creativity and Innovation by the European Union for 2009. He also has a few more ‘honors’ under his belt… he was made Honorary Professor at the University of the Arts in Bremen and in 2006 received an honorary doctorship from Pasadena Art Center.

Recognising a lifetime’s contribution to design, this year Howard, along with his business partner Jay Smith, has been short-listed for the 2009 Prince Philip Designers Prize. In the 80s Smith & Milton led the creative breakthrough in brand identity design and became the showcase company for the ‘designer decade’, creating seminal works for the likes of NatWest, Sharwoods and Dulux. Over the following years Milton developed the Smith & Milton ‘enduring brands’ philosophy into the international arena, managing identities for Travelex, AXA, Coca Cola brands, Nestle and Disney. In 2006 Cyan Books published a 25-year history of Smith & Milton.

So where did his career begin? Howard studied art under Ruskin Spear at Hammersmith and Graphic Design with Tom Eckersley at the London College of Printing. In 1974 he joined Michael Peters and Partners, where he met designer Jay Smith. The pair spent a year in New York at advertising agency, Burson Marstellar before returning to London to found Smith & Milton in 1980.

Howard was a founding member of the Design Business Association in 1986 and has won countless D&AD, Clio and Design Week awards for outstanding creativity and design effectiveness. Today, as Chairman of Smith & Milton he writes regularly for the marketing press and is a ready commentator on corporate brand issues. But on Friday’s he comes back to earth and mentors the 3rd year design students at Falmouth University.

Julian is a senior designer at Intro and is widely accepted as one of the leading sleeve designers of his generation. His work for Oasis, Primal Scream, Stereolab, Razorlight and Broadcast has won him enormous success. For 2 years running he was voted ‘The Second Most Important Graphic Designer’ by the international readership of Creative Review in the magazine’s annual Peer Poll. Julian also art directs music videos and he made his directorial debut on the epochal Primal Scream video ‘Kill All Hippies’, and he has co-directed promos for The Prodigy, Oasis and The Pet Shop Boys.

Much of Julian’s work stems from an interest in fine art and he has developed his own unique approach to design, often involving a handcrafted collage aesthetic and a wealth of carefully researched visual references. He has also designed a number of books including covers for Will Self, Leonard Cohen and Hunter S. Thompson’s last novel ‘Kingdom of Fear’. Several of Julian’s pieces of work were included in a major exhibition of British graphic design since the 1960s at the Barbican Gallery. He is co-founder of the Ghost Box record label, for whom he designs covers as well as recording Music under the name of the Focus Group.

As Executive Creative Director at LBi, Laura brings together an experimental and innovative use of technological advances and a deep understanding of the functionality and direction of online media.

As a creative designer Laura has worked internationally (Australia, Japan, United Kingdom and the United States) producing content which pushes the boundaries of the medium, Laura cut her teeth as a key figure in the infamous 'geekgirl' hyperzine in the early nineties, and has been involved in the design and implementation of many of the world's most cutting edge digital work ever since.

Laura is also co-founder and director of SheSays, a free global network organisation established to encourage more women to take up digital creative careers. As part of SheSays, she also runs the annual Golden Stiletto Awards, celebrating the best of female creativity in industry.

Malcolm is a creative director at the graphic design consultancy Applied Information Group (AIG), which has offices in London and Vancouver. He is also creative director of dynamolondon.org, an online forum for the interactive design industry in London.

With over three decades of design experience, he has worked with all manner of communications, arts and entertainment media. His work throughout the 80s with musicians such as Buzzcocks, Duran Duran, Simple Minds and Peter Gabriel is widely regarded as having a seminal influence on contemporary graphic design. For the last two decades he has been particularly interested in user-experience and interface design for interactive media, across a range of platforms from web through to interactive cinema.

He is a Royal Designer for Industry (RDI), and is a member of the RDI Executive Committee. He is a Visiting Professor at Central St Martins. He sits on the Eye Magazine Editorial Board, the Skillset Interactive Skills Council, is the Creative Director of the i-Design conference at the London Design Festival, and is a past member of the Interactive Entertainments Committee at BAFTA. He is a Founding Member of 5D: the Future of Immersive Design.

Mary is the Creative Director and founding partner of Lewis Moberly. Her outstanding work in the field of communications has been recognised by the Women’s Advertising Club of London in honoring her as one of “75 Women of Achievement”. In 2008 Mary was nominated for the Prince Phillip Design Award and her numerous awards include D&AD Gold, the DBA Grand Prix and the D&AD President’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Design. Her body of winning work includes branding for Waitrose Cooks Ingredients, St Pancras International, the Duchy of Cornwall and Le Grande Epicerie de Paris. The Sunday Times and Financial Times have both profiled Mary and she is also co-author of Understanding Brands.

In 1995 Mary was elected President of British Design and Art Direction of which she is an Honorary Member. She has chaired the BBC Graphic Design Awards and the Scottish Design Awards and is a consultant to Marks and Spencer where she founded the Design Forum. She has been a guest speaker at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the President Nelson Mandela Independent Creative Conference in Johannesburg, the Ideas Conference in Melbourne, Fiat Conference ‘I Colori Della Vita’ in Turin and the International Design Indaba in South Africa.

Based in a log cabin studio in Sheffield, Matt Pyke is a painter, photographer, artist, curator, designer, animator, director, producer and lecturer.

Universal Everything was formed in 2004 as an ever-growing collective of designers, programmers, musicians and artists. Working with everything from pencils to generative design, Universal Everything is a diverse studio at the crossover between design and art. With commissions ranging from packaging to stadium events, for clients from Apple, Audi and Nokia to the London 2012 Olympics. Our works have shown in galleries from the Victoria & Albert Museum - London, The Museum of Modern Art - New York to Colette - Paris.

Matt has lectured to audiences worldwide including D&AD President's Lecture Series, Cambridge University and Apple stores across the USA. Motivated by the pursuit of the new, creative research and development are central, leading to self-initiated pieces and unique projects for brands, galleries, collectors and consumers.

The Guardian newspaper listed the studio as one of the Top 50 designers in the UK.

With clients including Getty Images, Nike, Design Museum London, D&AD, Sony Computer Entertainment and Faber&Faber publishing, amongst a host of smaller independents, Michael’s graphic design studio Build, has forged an international reputation as a forward-thinking studio, with an exceptional eye for detail and a unique sense of style. It is also well known for its passion for print, type and the craft of design. Michael established Build in 2001, and the studio is now run by himself and his wife and business partner Nicky.

Under his Creative Direction, the studio produces a wide range of graphic work from brand identity, design & layout as well as art direction for print, websites, animation & illustration. Michael has shown work in several exhibitions in the UK & abroad, most recently producing exclusive print artworks for display within The North Face stores in Japan. Michael featured in the 2007 film 'Helvetica- A Documentary Film', has spoken at numerous conferences worldwide, & has twice been a judge at the prestigious D&AD global awards.

Michael is recognised as a leader in thinking on brands and was also a co - founder of one of the world’s most iconic design companies - Wolff Olins. He now runs Michael Wolff & Company in London and most recent clients are 3i, Mothercare and Ministry of Sound in the UK - Citibank and Citigroup in the US - and a new bank in Russia.

Michael says “I’ve never stuck to one view of what is good in design. My personal goals have always been: to help organizations to express themselves, in their own particular way, for the benefit of anyone with whom they’re involved. And do this in a way that brings value to everyone and to the world that we all share.”

Michael’s not one to sit still! He lectures in many countries including Brazil, Mexico, Singapore and the USA; is Patron of the DBA Inclusive Design Challenge with the Helen Hamlyn Centre at the Royal College of Art; a member of the Government sponsored Design and Technology Alliance against crime; Chairman of the Legible London initiative with Transport for London; a visiting Professor at the University of the Arts in London and a Senior Fellow of the RCA. On top of that, he’s a former President of both the D&AD (Design and Art Directors Association) and CSD Chartered Society of Designers.

Morag established Studio Myerscough a multi-disciplinary design practice in 1993 and has a proven track record in the integration of graphics within the architectural environment, having produced many award winning schemes including Design Week Award 2008 for Wayfinding and Environmental Graphics for Westminster Academy and this year the Kentish Town Health Centre which has won a RIBA award, shortlisted at the World Architecture Festival and shortlisted for the Stirling Prize.

Morag’s work is very eclectic. ‘Challenges keep my design fresh and I am always open to the unexpected’. I never approach a job with any preconceptions it is important to find the best way to work on a project not be constrained by set formulas from the outset. I relish in productive collaborations and trust’.

Myerscough continues her relationship with the Design Museum, London designing the ‘Alan Aldridge’ exhibition earlier this year, touring in 2010, first stop Brasil.

Morag’s past work includes The Deptford Project Train carriage café, which received huge global press and acclaim last year and was part of a huge regeneration scheme planned for the area in London. Morag is currently working with the Sorrell Foundation on a UK wide initiative of designing and building new youth centres on the Myplace scheme.

From leading creative practitioner and cofounder of Antirom in 1995, though to creative director roles at Oven Digital and Poke, Nicolas has always looked beyond industry rhetoric to the inspiring truths of interactive networked media; this passion driving his career in the business spanning the last fifteen years.

He has creatively driven numerous high profile projects and personal initiatives, picking up world class awards all along the way. He is a long standing blogger and frequent contributor to ICON and Design Week and his work and ideas have been widely distributed through the on and off-line worlds.

Nicolas was appointed member of the Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences in 2006 (www.iadas.net/) and is the UK’s Webby Ambassador. He is also a UK Coolbrands board member.

In 2004 Nicolas also founded Hulger, another creative slant on technology, but in this instance physical. Two of Hulger’s phone designs and their Plumen low energy light bulb concept were included in MoMA New York’s permanent design collection in 2008. The Hulger story has been featured in worldwide press including the New York Times, Vogue, ELLE, GQ. The Times and The Guardian.

Oliviero is internationally renowned as the creative force behind some of the world's most successful brands, creating through the years corporate images and advertising campaigns for companies such as Esprit, Chanel, Fiorucci, Prenatal and many more.He collaborated as fashion photographer for international magazines like Elle, Vogue, GQ, Harper's Bazaar, Esquire, Stern, Liberation and many more.

From 1982 to 2000 he built the identity, corporate image, communication strategy and online presence of United Colors of Benetton transforming it into one of the world's most recognized brands. He also created Playlife, Benetton's sportswear line. In 1990 he conceived, created and directed Colors, the world's first global magazine, making it a cult magazine. In 1993, he invented, founded and directed Fabrica, the international center for arts and modern communication research.

Toscani's work has been exhibited at the Biennale of Venice, Triennale of Milan and museums of modern art in Mexico City, Rome, San Paolo and other cities. Oliverio has won many industry awards including four Lions d'Or at the Cannes Festival and the Unesco Grand Prix. In 2007 he was praised as the Creative Hero at the Saatchi & Saatchi Cleo Hero Show. Since 2006 he is the art director of ‘Music Box’, an interactive music channel, from which he also conducts ‘CAMERAOSCURA’, a unique talkshow.

In 2008 he curated the communication plan for the 100 year anniversary of F.C. Internazionale and the publication of ‘Inter! 100 years of emotions’ edited by Skira. In 2009 he curated the exhibition ‘WORKWEAR. WORK FASHION SEDUCTION’ for the 75th anniversary of Pitti Uomo. In May 2009 the Academy of Fine Arts of Urbino awards him with the prize ‘Il sogno di Piero’ and the Academy of Fine Arts of Florence with ‘Accademico d’onore 2009’.

As one of Britain’s best-known and most accomplished designers, Richard Seymour has a career spanning more than 30 years and a huge range of creative disciplines. In this time he has become a global champion for design, picking up numerous awards along the way, including the D&AD President’s Award for Outstanding Contribution to Design. Initially trained as a graphic designer and illustrator, Richard moved through advertising and film production design before launching Seymourpowell with Dick Powell in 1984. Richard is now also consultant global creative director of design to Unilever’s Dove, Axe (Lynx) and Vaseline brands, a trustee of the Design Museum in London and a past president of D&AD. When he isn’t designing them (or falling off them), Richard enjoys riding motorcycles. He’s also a cellist and a keen supporter of Early English Music. Richard holds an Honorary Doctorate from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, an Honorary Masters from the Surrey Institute and is also a senior fellow of the Royal College of Art.

Rob is the Creative Director and Founder of Stylorouge, the independent London-based agency that has built its reputation over the past 25 years+ for memorable design and creative direction, particularly in the music industry. Rob studied graphic designer at Brighton and Coventry, and has become a highly experienced art director and video director. Among the artists he has directed print campaigns for are Blur, Rolling Stones, Crowded House and Ordinary Boys. He has directed promo clips, documentaries and TV commercials for Squeeze, Kula Shaker, David Gilmour, The Corrs and Sarah Brightman.

His work on movie campaigns includes the iconic poster for the movie Trainspotting (with fellow Stylorouge designer Mark Blamire). He has also been actively involved in the role of visiting lecturer and external assessor at Chelsea, Brighton and Camberwell Schools of Art since 1990. In 1997 Rob studied film direction with director Jim Pasternak and computer graphics at UCLA in Los Angeles. His passion for photography has led to regular commissions, in particular portraiture for musical artists such as Skin, Ali Campbell and The Cure. He has remained Managing Creative Director at Stylorouge during their evolution into a full-service cross-media consultancy.

There are not many of us who don’t have a special place in our hearts for the Science Museum and since joining the museum as Head of Design in 1993 Tim’s creative direction has continued to captivate both children and adults alike. He has led an unprecedented series of award-winning projects, and in recent years, the £55m Wellcome Wing (2000), Dana Centre (2003), Energy gallery (2004) and the Energy Hall (2005) have all been created under his direction. In 2007 the Museum's popular Launchpad gallery was completely reinvented and Tim is also responsible for the development of the Museum of the Future, the Science Museum's visionary master plan.

A determined collaborative non-specialist, Tim actively supports the public understanding of visual communication through design education, in the broadest sense. He is a highly respected figure in the design industry, and is known for challenging preconceptions in the pursuit of truly memorable and rewarding visitor experiences. When arriving at the Science Museum, he brought with him experiences in a number of commercial multi-disciplinary consultancies, including Minale Tattersfield, Conran and Crighton – as well as his own successful practice Simpson Molloy.

Tom trained in Furniture design at Nottingham before completing a Masters Degree MA in Industrial Design at the Royal College of Art in 1993. He then worked as Senior Designer with Daniel Weil at Pentagram in London before joining Luke to found PearsonLloyd in 1997.

Tom taught for a number of years at Ecole Cantonale d'Art de Lausanne in Switzerland, was External Examiner on the Design Products course at the Royal College of Art in 2004, and ran a platform on the course. In 2008, Tom was awarded the distinction of Royal Designer’s of Industry.