ONE of the world’s top design and branding experts has a new role in Huddersfield.

Jonathan Sands has been chosen as a visiting professor by the University of Huddersfield.

He will be based in the new £12m 3M Buckley Innovation Centre.

And he is delighted. “I think it’s fantastic and I love the idea behind it, mixing business with the university and lots of different enterprises on site, sharing their skills.

“It will be great for Huddersfield.”

Prof Sands has been holding a stimulating series of sessions with students.

He is renowned for his expertise in brand design and is the CEO of the brand agency, Elmwood.

Elmwood has offices in Leeds, Melbourne, Singapore and New York, and has won more ‘design effectiveness’ awards than any other agency worldwide.

His association with the University of Huddersfield began 10 years ago, when he was awarded an honorary doctorate for design. Now his link with the university is strengthened further, with the visiting professorship.

He said: “Great design is by teams, not individuals, so cross-functional working – such as engineers working with graphic designers – is really important.

“At Elmwood we have people with all sorts of different backgrounds, with multi-disciplinary skills, and it is the differences that make you look at things in a different way.”

The University of Huddersfield recently won the award of the Entrepreneurial University of Year 2012 and the Elmwood boss is keen for Huddersfield students to seek out innovation by taking the ‘world view’.

“That means understanding ethnicity and keeping an ear to the ground on what is happening in far-flung places.

“Also, you must make sure you go and see things in real life – see how people use products, because you have got to design with the user in mind.

“If you always go to look at things from your own perspective you will just design things for yourself.”

Prof Sands began a career in advertising when, aged 21, he joined Elmwood, then based in Guiseley.

He soon rose to become managing director and later took over the company in a management buyout.

It was high-risk move at the time, but now Elmwood has a staff of well over 100 and operates around the world.