Simple Design Works is an established product design and innovation management agency. We de-risk the development journey through disciplined integration of evidence-based decision-making, thorough validation and engineering principles. This rigorous approach fuels creativity, builds quality and delivers products that are functional, reliable and commercially successful.
As experts in user-experience, we’re often described as ‘blue sky thinkers with our feet on the ground’. With an eclectic mix of industry backgrounds, together we simply love designing products that create great experiences and has a measurable business impact. We believe that shows in the quality of our work and the long-lasting relationships we have with our clients.
Founder
Kristo is our founder and has a fresh perspective and enthusiasm that is infectious. What stands out is his full commitment to an endless pursuit for innovation – to look beyond the obvious and take you somewhere new. As well as his enormous capacity to retain random information which we find is quite baffling!
Marketing Director
Ruth is a self-confessed geek that focuses on optimising operations and strategic team collaborations. She has 30 years marketing and operations experience and has been board member for the Stronger Towns Fund (which secured £22.4m) for five years. Outside of work, life revolves around family, friends, athletics and never ending DIY.
Non-Executive Director – Medical Sectors
David originally trained as a neuropharmacologist. His career spans across the NHS, Medical Research Council, Imperial College London, Bristol University, Welsh Government and NIH (USA). We know you’ll love his approachability and pragmatism which he delivers with the most soothing voice ever encountered.
Non-Executive Director – Electronics
Giles is a Chartered Engineer with 30 years’ full-stack development of software, firmware, bespoke electronics and IoT remote sending solutions. His work ranges from satellite communications for mobile handsets to the world’s first fully wireless, EN 54-certified fire alarm system – all delivered with the eye for detail you’d expect from a programme manager. Outside of work, you’ll find him doing house renovation or exploring the Malvern Hills with his dogs in tow.
Technical Lead
Neal brings technical direction with real commercial edge to our team. He has impressive sector experience having worked with notable organisations like MTC, DCA and NP Aerospace. What sets him apart is his ability to balance project delivery with strategic thinking by applying business-focused approaches to complex engineering challenges. When he’s not leading technical strategies, life revolves around family and his beloved Coventry City FC through their highs and lows.
Head of Partnerships
Nathan connects brilliant design with commercial reality. What stands out is his relentless focus on the full journey, validating whether ideas are worth pursuing and ensuring they deliver real ROI. He asks “will this actually make money?” before anyone falls in love with the design. He treats every project like a mastermind, pulling in the right expertise at the right time, turning ‘great ideas’ into ‘great commercial ideas’. Outside of work, life revolves around family.
Senior Product Design Engineer
Matt has developed award-winning products for global manufacture for over 12 years. He’s spent significant time working in Asia, Europe and North America with manufacturers. Passionate about sustainability, he’s spent eight years focused on e-mobility and green tech. He is alum of a climate-focused career accelerator with published writing on the topic. Outside of work, he explores the outdoors with his family.
Senior Product Design Engineer
Jack is our in-house 3D modelling wizard. He’s relentless when it comes to finding creative design solutions and bringing them to reality, whether prototyping through 3D prints or producing a CAD ready for mass manufacturing. Beware if you hang out with him though! Before you know it, you’ll be talking about all things wargames-related and painting little figurines from Lord of the Rings.
Senior Product Design Engineer
David is experienced in designing both large generative concepts for renowned architects through to small, detailed mouldings for the mobile computing industry. And plenty in-between! With a particularly keen artistic eye, David is always looking to make things look beautiful by refining every last detail. Spare time is dedicated to family madness and the occasional F1 race.
Senior Product Design Engineer
James’s enthusiasm for helping to solve creative conundrums is fuelled by his love (and knowledge) of great coffee. He has extensive experience in designing beverage closures (that’s bottle tops to you and me) found on drinks bottles all over the world. In his free time, you’ll find him skateboarding or in a remote field flying drones. On a rainy day, he loves playing board games.
Human Factors Engineer
Josh’s passion for making people’s lives better is evident through the surgical instruments he developed during his placement year, his university projects focussed on human-centred design and an eternal optimism on user-centric solutions. His creativity is incredible – and wacky at times! Although as he holds a black belt in Taekwondo, we daren’t tell him that.
Industrial Designer
Gus joins our alumni of Loughborough graduates to focus on industrial design for our clients. He previously worked for a leading floorcare brand on their visual brand language, and colour finish and material (CMF) which fuelled his interest in commercial goods. In his free time, he’s interested in shoe design and collecting sneakers.
Junior Industrial Designer
Yuna is influenced by unconscious design which she uses as her framework for good design. Using this approach, it’s about allowing the design to speak for itself – users can understand how to use it on their own based on their existing behaviours. When she’s not working, you can find her travelling across Asia or scaring herself watching horror movies.
Nicky knows that it’s the little details that make a difference which is why she’s our super(woman) when it comes to liaising with our clients. She has boundless energy and enthusiasm, which I’m sure you’ve experienced if you’ve phoned us. We can only fault her on her questionable choice of music – country and cheesy 80s. It does make her happy though!
If you’ve visited our studios, you will have met Rhi who greeted you with a smile and a rather good cup of coffee and biccies. Rhi is our office ninja ensuring that everything in the background runs smoothly. She does this seamlessly by managing our office like a project, but also by feeding the team with delicious homemade bakes.
Tracy is an experienced and hands-on practitioner at Barker Brettell who practises in all areas of trade mark work and heads up their start up group. Her global experience and strategic insight adds crucial value to our client’s IP assets, treating each brand and business as if they’re her own. She also plays the drums!
Dasha is the most enthusiastic person we’ve ever met about being an accountant. Always smiling, she removes all financial burden and provides us with insights so that we can continually improve our performance and efficiency. She escapes work by popping on her headphones and trainers, and running around Hereford.
Mick brings a calm head and sharp eye to the fast-moving world of innovation funding – a bit like his golf game (on a good day!). Whether it’s navigating grants, tax relief or partnerships, he simplifies the complex to help businesses stay ahead. His love of cricket, golf and football keeps his competitive edge finely tuned so clients always feel they’re in safe hands.
Jamie is a brand strategist with over 20 years experience in the boardrooms of a diverse range of businesses. He works with founders, entrepreneurs and senior management teams to find focus, direction, implement change and define growth strategies. He blends creativity and strategy, helping ambitious brands design better futures.
Derren is a numbers guy and looks after our future with sound pension advice. He’s a whizz on spreadsheets and has effortless attention to detail in all he does. Aside from his questionable sense of humour, he’s an extremely sociable chap and loves watching sport, especially football! And preferably over a good pint with his fellow financial friends.
Our success is driven by creative and curious people who work alongside each other and our clients. It’s the differences between us that makes a real difference to what we do. Are you interested in pushing the boundaries of engineering and product design? Take a look at our careers page for current vacancies.
