Sebastian Conran

Sebastian Conran is the Managing Director of Sebastian Conran Associates and is a consultant for Studio Conran, the product and graphic design arm of the CONRAN Group.

Sebastian Orby Conran, Visiting Professor of the University the Arts London, FRCA, FCSD, FioP, D&AD, FRSA

Born on April 5th 1956, Hyde Park Corner, London.
After gaining Maths Physics & Chemistry ‘A' levels at Bryanston school, he studied Industrial Design Engineering at Central College of Art & Design: he was treasurer of the Student Union and student representative on the Governing Council, when he gave the Sex Pistols their first-ever booking. Subsequently he worked with the Clash, designing record sleeves, posters, promotional material, stage sets, T shirts and clothing.

By 1978 Sebastian was working at Wolff Olins, a leading corporate and brand identity consultancy, where he was given creative responsibility for key corporate accounts. 

In 1981 he was recruited as head of product design at Mothercare, a collaboration that transformed the appearance and performance of childcare equipment.

In 1986 he started "Sebastian Conran Associates", a successful product and brand development consultancy that worked with a variety of international businesses to develop healthcare & consumer goods, industrial design, and luxury goods. 1992 Sebastian started a separate design & manufacturing partnership with designer Tom Dixon.

In 1999 SCA merged with the Conran Group to form Conran & Partners, working in architecture, interiors, product & graphic design.

He is now managing director of Sebastian Conran Associates having left as MD of Studio Conran, the Brand & Merchandise development division of the Conran Group in 2009 in order to persue his own interests. He remains a consultant on various Conran Group projects.

He taught furniture design at the Royal College of Art; he lectures frequently; judges many international design awards [D&AD, Design Week, Red Dot, RSA]; and has written several books, articles and papers on design: An active member of many bodies, he is, among others:
Visiting Professor of the University the Arts London.
Trustee of the Design Council - the UK's national strategic body for design.
Trustee of D&AD - the UK's international organisation for creative professionals.
Trustee of the Design Museum, and the Conran Foundation, its founding body.
Fellow of Royal Society of Arts.
Fellow of the Institute of Packaging.
Fellow of the Chartered Society of Designers.
Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Art.
Chairman of Design & Technology Alliance - the UK's Home Offices body with the objective of tackling crime through design thinking.
Chairman of the Creative Industries Technologies Innovation Network [CITIN] advisory board.
Ambassador for the children's education charity, ICAN and the anti copying in design lobby group ACID.

Public Speaking
Sebastian also actively promotes design and undertakes ‘keynote' presentations to educational and business bodies in cities throughout the world.

Passionate about design and all types of vehicles [especially bicycles], he is married to Gertrude and they live in Bayswater, London. He is curious about everything is a keen cook & gardener, and has two sons; Sam 19, and Max 13.