John Bound
Head of Innovation Development

John Bound’s experience bridges commerce, design consultancy and innovation knowledge transfer between higher education and industry.

Trained in Business Studies, he spent a decade in manufacturing and consumer goods marketing to Boots, John Lewis, Heals and other UK multiples, including work for a small co-operative business which employed several young designer-makers.

He later joined the business development team at Brand New/Michael Peters Group - an international product development agency closely linked to the future technology laboratories at PA Consulting Group, Cambridge and to the pioneering green design consultancy, Sustainability.

John was co-creator of the RCA’s DesignAge programme on design for ageing populations (now the Helen Hamlyn Centre), winner of one of the first Queen’s Awards for Higher Education in 1994. He now directs the FuelRCA professional practice programme which develops entrepreneurship among RCA students and alumni, and represents the RCA on the UK’s Materials and Design Exchange knowledge transfer network.

John’s ability to build multi-skilled teams and deliver results is also applied to devising and managing innovation training projects for the RCA’s commercial partners, including B&Q, Braun, Johnson & Johnson, Acco Brands Europe and Government procurement agencies.