Ryder | The Reinventor
Reinventing Pioneering Products & Brands, since 2002.
Ryder is a seasoned, entrepreneurial design leader with 20 years track record of reinventing products and brands for pioneering ventures, with a focus on Sustainability, UX and Industrial Design. A force multiplier and dot-joiner he accelerates innovation, leading by doing and coaching-up those around him.
After graduating with an MEng in Product Design Engineering from Glasgow School of Art and University, he started his career in New Zealand at Locus Research, the leading Sustainable Design Agency.
On return to the UK, he co-founded 2 investor backed technology firms with 2 successful exits. The first, Lightweight Medical pioneered sustainable medical device development in partnership with the NHS. Lightweight's award-winning neo-natal products continue to save lives in the majority of ambulances across the EU and US. In parallel he led ELEMENT06, the UK's first Sustainable Product Design Consultancy.
The second, Onzo, was the UK's leader in data-driven Smart Home Energy management. Over 150k homes installed Onzo's devices cutting their energy consumption by 8%, reducing churn by 50%. Onzo's big data analytics platform was acquired by Geo energy, and now services 50% of the UK's homes. Onzo's hardware platform was acquired by SSE.
After Onzo, Ryder was sponsored by Scottish Enterprise to study in Boston at Babson College the world's leader in Entrepreneurship as part of the Saltire Fellowship. On return he shifted focus to work with CEOs and business leaders to reinvent, rebrand and relaunch their new products and ventures.
Over the past 20 years, Ryder has worked with Partners & Clients across multiple sectors:
- Energy | SSE (Scottish Southern Electric), Essent, Silver Spring Energy Networks, Adrok.
- Health | Scottish Ambulance Service, Scottish Health Innovations & the NHS, Alere Health, Paraid Medical, The Digital Health Institute, Relaymed SaaS, IceRobotics SaaS, Touch Bionics.
- Consumer | The Famous Grouse, Trtl Travel, Sauba Cleaning Innovations, Curve Surf International, J&G Coughtrie.
- Housing | Oregon Timber, Nestus Smart Homes, BRE (Building Research Establishment).
- Enterprise | Innovate UK, Scottish Enterprise, Strathclyde University, MIT.
He currently splits his time between Teknek and J&G Coughtrie:
At Teknek, as Head of UX he leads all UI and Industrial Design of the world’s most advanced and intuitive contact cleaning machines.
At J&G Coughtrie, as Head of Design & Brand he has led the reinvention and relaunch of Scotland’s most trusted, timeless and enduring industrial lighting brand, first founded in 1939.
Prior to university, Ryder served with the elite 29 Commando Royal Artillery unit, earning his Green Beret as a 2nd Lieutenant, aged 18. In any spare time, he loves to explore by ski, paddle or peddle.