Terence Conran

Terence Conran is one of the world’s best known designers, restaurateurs and retailers. He founded the Habitat chain of home furnishings stores that revolutionised the UK High Street in the 1960s and 1970s by bringing intelligent, modern design within reach of the general population. In the 1990s, Terence built another group of companies involved in design, retailing, restaurants and hotels. He is Chairman of Conran Holdings, a business which owns restaurants and shops in London, Paris, New York, Copenhagen and across Japan, as well as Conran & Partners, a thriving architecture and design practice who are currently working on major projects worldwide.  Following the sale of a 49% stake in the restaurant business in 2006, Conran restaurants now operate under the name D&D London. Terence has written over 30 informative books that broadly reflect his design philosophy, selling over 20 million copies of his publications worldwide. He has always been a great supporter of education in design and founded the Design Museum in London and is currently the Provost of the Royal College of Art.

Roger Mavity

Roger Mavity joined Conran Holdings in September 2006. Roger’s first career was in advertising where he worked with Terence on the Habitat account and then on Storehouse. He ran his own advertising agency, Mavity Gilmore Jaume, for 10 years before joining Granada group where he ran the Leisure Division and then the Technology Division. Before joining Conran, Roger was chairman of Citigate, a leading international PR Company.

Des Gunewardena

Des has worked with Terence Conran since June 1991 in founding and developing the Conran Group. He was CEO from 1995 until 2006 and is now Deputy Chairman. In the mid 1980s he was responsible for financial planning at Heron International and held directorships in operating companies within the Heron Group. Des currently holds non-executive directorships of London First, Visit London and the Individual Restaurant Company. In 2006, following the sale of a 49% share in Conran Restaurants Des succeeded Terence as Chairman of the restaurant group, renamed D&D London.

Richard Doone

Richard trained at the Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London and joined Conran & Partners in 1984. He became Director of Architecture in 1993, and Managing Director in 1999. He was project architect for the Design Museum, which opened in 1989 and he has also overseen the design and implementation of all Conran projects around the world including the 267-bedroom Great Eastern Hotel in London. Richard also leads Conran & Partners Japanese projects. Richard is responsible for managing all areas of the business, including architecture, interior and product and graphic design.