Design Council Reports UK Design Worth £136.7bn as Creative Industry Sees Major Hires, AI Bets, and Mergers
The Design Economy 2026 report from the Design Council reveals that in 2023, the design sector in the UK generated £136.7bn, marking a 40% rise since 2019. This industry now supports 2.27 million jobs, with an increase of nearly 300,000 since 2020. Notably, in-house positions are expanding at three times the rate of agency roles. Despite this growth, men make up 75% of designers, only 2% identify as Black, and there has been a 68% decline in GCSE Design and Technology entries over the past decade. The Design Council urges both government and businesses to invest in design skills and regional development. In September, Instrument welcomed back Jack De Caluwé, while Pearlfisher appointed Natalie Prout. Super Nice brought on board Raqib Sheikh and Tiffany Lynch Kimicata. ALT launched a new office in Manchester, and Koto acquired Stereo Creative, creating Koto Group.
Key facts
- UK design contributed £136.7bn to the economy in 2023, up 40% since 2019, surpassing retail.
- The design economy employs 2.27 million people, nearly 300,000 more than in 2020.
- Three-quarters of designers are men, only 2% are Black, and GCSE Design and Technology entries fell 68% in a decade.
- Jack De Caluwé returned to Instrument as chief creative officer after nearly nine years at R/GA.
- Pearlfisher hired Natalie Prout as its first executive strategy director.
- Koto acquired Stereo Creative, forming Koto Group with 230 staff across eight cities.
- Bray Leino and krow Group merged under the Bray Leino name, with over 300 specialists.
- Ourselves won the London Museum launch campaign for the £437m Smithfield opening in late November.
Entities
Artists
- Jack De Caluwé
- Terence Hobson
- Yan Sze Li
- Natalie Prout
- William Maughan
- Chloé Templeman
- Margot Crosby
- Sam Hollis
- Simon Hill
- Raqib Sheikh
- Tiffany Lynch Kimicata
- Jared Kozel
- Gigi Badeva
- José Julián Acosta
- Quim Español
- Django Weisz Blanchetta
- Esmé Callaghan
- Keziah Wildsmith
- Merryn Mackinnon
- Nick Horowitz
- James Riley
- Santiago de Hoyos
- Alex Poulton
- Donna West
- Ellie Aitkin
- Mike Trueman
- Laura Haggerty
- David Haggerty
- Martin Roberts
- Shivani Kulshrestha
- Aisha Ayoade
- Kyle Wilkinson
- JP Cooper
- Marine Escande
- Chloé Walker
- Amaya Alvarez
- Joseph Hammond
- Thomas Cowley
- Darren Evans
- Peter Evans
- James Greenfield
- Caroline Matthews
- Jowey Roden
- Kate Cox
- Wayne Deakin
- John Quarrey
- Steven Bennett-Day
- Aaron Howard
- Abbey Mills
- Lucy McGinley
- Joanna Nicoll
- James Cooper
- Francesca Hegyi
- Michael Frohlich
- Adrien Brody
Institutions
- Design Council
- Instrument
- R/GA
- Nike
- Apple
- The New York Times
- Patagonia
- Netflix
- EA
- Notion
- EA Sports
- MAC Cosmetics
- Campaign US
- Pearlfisher
- JKR
- AB InBev
- Pret
- Unilever
- So Now What?
- Mischief Maker
- FutureBrand
- Interbrand
- GOOD Agency
- BrandPie
- BSkyB
- McCann
- Omnicom
- Super Nice
- Jazzercise
- Jordan Brand
- Coca-Cola
- VML
- OREO
- Walmart
- Amazon
- Ad Age
- Art&Graft
- Birmingham City University
- LERMA/
- Monks
- FCB Chicago
- Cannes Lions
- Berklee
- SuperHeroes
- JIMMY
- adidas
- CAAPSAI
- AKQA
- Digital Young Lions
- Heaps + Stacks
- Founders Makers
- Lewis Moberly
- Saffron
- Landor
- forpeople
- Carl Friedrik
- Kotn
- Monos
- Tjarks & Tjarks
- Spin
- Tiny Studios
- Little Dot Studios
- Be A Bear
- ALT
- Channel 4
- UEFA
- Whyte & Mackay
- Dentsu
- Green Park
- Yellowzine
- Mad Academy
- Uncommon
- Tangerine
- Haus of Thrills
- Island Records
- M+C Saatchi Talk
- The Conversation Converter
- The Engine Room
- University of Sheffield
- Koto
- Stereo Creative
- Koto Group
- Airbnb
- Microsoft
- LA28
- Westbridge
- Arsenal
- FIFA
- Converse
- 49ers
- PWHL
- Bray Leino
- krow Group
- MISSION Group
- Ourselves
- London Museum
- Born Social
- Kerrygold
- Pilgrim's Choice
- Universal Favourite
- LION
- XXXX
- Little Creatures
- Four Pillars Gin
- NewGen
- Premier Foods
- Mr Kipling
- The Spice Tailor
- Sharwood's
- Loyd Grossman
- TikTok
- OWB Creative
- Piaggio UK
- Unloq
- Breeze Capital
- Creative Trade Forum
- Edinburgh International Festival
- WPP
- NHS
Locations
- UK
- London
- England
- Glasgow
- Scotland
- Manchester
- Birmingham
- Sheffield
- Wales
- North East
- Los Angeles
- USA
- Amsterdam
- Netherlands
- Sydney
- Australia
- Atlanta
- Dallas
- San Juan
- Puerto Rico
- Berlin
- Germany
- San Francisco
- New York
- Portland
- Dubai
- United Arab Emirates
- Huddersfield
- Ireland
- Smithfield
- Edinburgh