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Kursty is an award-winning designer, innovation consultant, TV presenter, professor and workplace strategy advisor.

Kursty’s early career, as a sponsored student mechanical engineer, took her around the world working in the factories and offices of the aerospace industry.  From enormous landing gear engineering facilities to the shop floors where seals and widgets are made, she got to grips with the manufacturing process as well as the engineering and administrative functions of several organisations.

Kursty’s work has been exhibited in London’s The Design Museum twice: a bike for future commuters and a life-saving bra.  The bike featured in a Wim Wenders-directed TV commercial and the bra toured the globe on a tour with the British Council.

In recognition for her contribution of injecting creative thinking tools into the Key Stage 3 National Curriculum, Kursty was one of 300 hand-picked guests invited to celebrate British Design with the Queen at Buckingham Palace, rubbing shoulders with Alexander McQueen, James Dyson and Vivienne Westwood.

As a product innovation consultant at industrial design firm PDD, Kursty developed an internal innovation process for commercialising ideas.  She managed the successful licensing of several products, and spun out a company to focus on matching early concept development with consumer need and commercial funding.  During her seven years with global innovation agency, ?WhatIf!, first in London then in New York, Kursty managed client relationships and co-built the Innovation Capability team. Her experience includes designing & running creativity workshops, driving innovation and internal transformation projects and coaching senior executives around innovation culture issues.

In her first book, I Wish I Worked There! – A Look Inside the Most Creative Spaces in Business, (described by Fast Company founding member, Polly Labarre as a ‘coffee table business book’), Kursty went behind the scenes of the world’s most innovative companies, uncovering insights that drive their success.

Her latest book, Spaces for Innovation: The Design and Science of Inspiring Environments, commissioned by independent innovation foundation Nesta, guides leaders and designers alike through the important elements that make effective environments for exceptional work performance.

Appointed in 2013 as adjunct professor at the IE University in Madrid, she is running a Masters in of Agile Work Space Design on a joint course between the Architecture & Design and Business Schools.

Kursty is a strategic adviser and coaches organisations to cultivate the right cultural and physical environments to support innovation.  She is regularly engaged to speak about the role of space in supporting innovation process and culture.

Kursty is launching a comprehensive programme of workshops and events, tools, site visits and executive learning to support the creation of effective and business focused environments for future-facing organisations.

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