The Team

Anchored in the culture of Manchester, connected to the international discussion.

  • Malcolm Garrett

    Malcolm Garrett

    Joint artistic director. Malcolm’s career is rooted in Manchester music and culture from his record sleeves for Buzzcocks and Magazine to the identity of Manchester’s home of digital content The Sharp Project. Malcolm is a member of the Science Museum Advisory Board and creative director of the design group Images&Co. In 2000 he became the first interactive designer appointed as a Royal Designer and last year he was one of the first ten designers inducted in the Design Week Hall of Fame.

  • John Owens

    John Owens

    Joint artistic director. John is a multiple award-winning designer working in brand, strategy and creative direction. He specialises in experiential design with a background in architecture/regeneration and interactive design, and has curated and designed for exhibitions and installations around the world. John has a passion for teaching and writing, alongside his love for his home city of Manchester. He is founder and CEO of the Instruct design group based in the Northern Quarter.

  • Kasper de Graaf

    Kasper is a writer and producer, CEO of design and innovation consultancy Images&Co and steering group member of the UK Design Action Plan. He has delivered infrastructure, technology and engagement projects in numerous cities in the UK and worldwide, including London, Istanbul, Vancouver and Glasgow, and is programme director of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Key Cities. Kasper is Design Manchester's director of partnerships and cities and he chairs our annual Great Debate about design and society.

  • Fiona McGarva

    Festival director. Fiona is a publicist and event director with 17 years’ experience specialising in arts, entertainment and culture. Following in-house roles in television at Lime Pictures, ITV, Nickelodeon and the BBC, she is founder and managing director of Sundae Communications, a Manchester consultancy that produces events, content and press campaigns for global brands, international broadcasters and independent creative businesses.