Paul Priestman, founder, designer and chairman of the PriestmanGoode design consultancy, has announced plans to leave the company at the end of March 2022. He is leaving to focus on starting a new business venture.
When Priestman steps down, fellow founding director, Nigel Goode, will become chairman of Priestman Goode Limited. In further changes to the senior team, Daniel MacInnes and Son Tran, both design directors at PriestmanGoode, will join the board of directors.
Paul Priestman stated, “I have enjoyed all of my years with PriestmanGoode right from its early beginnings and being part of its growth into a world-leading creative company. I leave PriestmanGoode in a strong and growing position, with a great management team, excellent leadership, and the best creative people in the world. I am also very proud that PriestmanGoode is an employee-owned company and that everybody at PriestmanGoode now shares in its continued success.
“I have always aimed to start something new again, and now that PriestmanGoode is in such a strong and stable position it is no longer dependent upon me. It is a perfect time to let others take more leading roles.”
Kirsty Dias, managing director of PriestmanGoode added, “On behalf of everyone at PriestmanGoode, I’d like to express our gratitude to Paul for making PriestmanGoode the successful, world-leading design company that it is today. We are committed to continuing his blueprint of insatiable curiosity in the new and what’s next, and simple and effective design. We’ll be working with him to ensure a seamless transition in the coming months. His departure is a natural extension of the employee ownership journey that Paul began in 2016 with the intention of securing PriestmanGoode’s long-term future and success.”
Nigel Goode stated, “With Paul’s departure I will take on the role of chairman to support the board of directors and PriestmanGoode in its next steps. I am also pleased to announce that our design directors Dan MacInnes and Son Tran will join the board as part of this transition. As an employee-owned company the whole team is fully invested in the success of our work, for our clients and for the millions of people who benefit from our designs every day. We are excited about the opportunities we have today and those ahead.”
About the new leaders of PriestmanGoode
Nigel Goode
Nigel Goode worked for a number of large industrial design companies before joining Paul Priestman in 1989 to form the studio. Nigel heads up many of the aircraft and transport projects and among others has worked with Air France, Korean Air, Qatar Airways and United Airlines.
Daniel MacInnes
Daniel MacInnes has worked for the company since 2002. His extensive experience in aviation spans projects for airlines including Korean Air, Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa; concept work with seat manufacturers including Geven Aviation Seating and Collins Aerospace; and cabin design with airframe manufacturers including Airbus and Embraer. Most recently, Daniel led the design team at PriestmanGoode developing the Air 4 All system, a project enabling powered wheelchair users to remain in their own wheelchair for the entire air travel journey.
Son Tran
Son Tran has worked for PriestmanGoode since 2001. Son has worked across a wide range of client projects with BAA, Boots No. 7, Lufthansa, BE Aerospace, SWISS, Lyft, Google and Sifang Locomotive. Most recently, Son was design director for the new Corridor fleet for VIA Rail Canada, which sets new standards in passenger rail experience that is fully accessible and barrier-free.
