Some of the UK's best wayfinding consultants
& sign designers
Between them the MSD team have a formidable range of skills and experience. This breadth of knowledge including crossover learning from one sector to another, such as retail to transport, is what enables us to deliver deeply considered signage masterplans, effective wayfinding strategies and robust sign specifications.
Our expert wayfinding consultants, wayfinding designers, product designers and graphic designers understand each other's disciplines, leading to a highly efficient, collaborative approach where each stage in the process is delivered in such a way as to make the next step as efficient to deliver possible.
Enriched by a wide variety of backgrounds, including extensive manufacturing experience through Merson Group's manufacturing division, the team has a strong track record including projects such as Heathrow's T5 and Abu Dhabi Airport. It has the passion, talent, energy and determination to deliver excellence in any sign design or wayfinding project, whatever the scale and complexity.
We also consult with ...
Structural engineers, material suppliers and manufacturers, planning consultants and local authority planning officers, digital display and technology consultants, exhibition and lighting designers, as well as specialists with support expertise in urban planning and crowd movement.
Jim Houston
Technical Design Director
Jim leads our Design Team on major commissions of all types. With more than 30 years of experience in the design and development of wayfinding for passenger terminals he brings an unrivalled breadth and depth of knowledge to each project.
The new wayfinding lightbox used at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 was conceived and designed by Jim and he is renowned for his ability to take challenging concepts and realise them as viable designs. As well as leading the team, Jim maintains a vital hands-on role in every project he leads.
- _14 years consulting with BAA on major design and wayfinding projects
- _Proven sign design innovator
- _MSD’s Heathrow T5 Project Director
- _Middle East sign project experience
- _In-depth sign specification and construction design skills
- _30 years in creative graphic design
- _Hands-on liaison with major corporate clients
Maria Pether
Wayfinding Manager
With a corporate identity, graphic design and consultancy background, Maria has extensive experience in wayfinding design and environmental graphics. Responsible for the development of wayfinding strategy and sign planning on all major MSD projects for the last 3 years, Maria has considerable input into all our Middle East projects.
Her skills can be applied to wayfinding in any environment but through her work in airport terminals and the London Underground Maria has developed outstanding abilities in the transport sector.
- _Specialist in wayfinding strategy and planning
- _Created BAA wayfinding standards, internationally recognized model of excellence
- _MA and BA in Graphic Information Design
- _Middle East transport and retail signage project experience
- _Civic Trust Award for her Waterloo International Terminal (Eurostar)
- _Brunel award for London Underground’s Corporate Sign Manual
- _16 years as a consultant to BAA prior to Joining Merson
Robert Murray
Creative Design Manager
Robert works on many aspects of MSD projects from initial design concepts and planning through to final specification, with a background in Product Design he contributes expertly to both the creative and technical side of our work.
Having more than 10 years experience in creative design and sign development with MSD he has been integral to some of our major wayfinding and branding projects, with recent focus being placed to Middle East projects continues to develop new ideas and knowledge.
- _10 years in sign design and development projects
- _BA Integrated Product Design
- _Extensive signage family design experience
- _Proven conceptual and technical design abilities
- _Middle East sign project experience
- _Extensive knowledge of materials and manufacturing processes
- _Expert in 2D & 3D visualization and Graphic Design
Krunal Shah
Wayfinding Planner
Krunal applies his knowledge and understanding of Urban Design and Architecture to help MSD develop strategies for effective wayfinding. His attention to detail is superb, using this skill to good effect in the planning and tagging of sign products throughout our work.
He is part of the wayfinding projects team to which he also brings his experience of Architectural project stages and system protocols, dealing with submissions and document control as effectively as he does is a major factor in meeting project submissions.
_MA Urban Design
_Wayfinding planning and strategy
_Research and report preparation
_Architectural stages and protocols
_3D modelling & visualisation
_Urban design development
Julia Petretta
Typography & Information Designer
As part of our wayfinding projects team, Julia researches multi-script wayfinding design and brings her experience in Arabic typography & information design to achieve effective wayfinding in complex script environments.
Using her experience Julia has made significant progress in further developing MSD projects in the field of Arabic sign typography and design, further developing our relationships with our Middle East client base.
- _MA in Typeface Design
- _Multi-script type design, multi-script typography,
- _Design planning & graphics
- _Research in typography, communication & information design
- _2008-09 Monotype Scholarship Award attending University of Reading, UK
Matt Ramm
Technical Design Consultant
With 18 years experience in technical sign design and manufacture, Matt's expertise in design engineering has enabled him to deliver key elements for a number of major construction projects in the UK and overseas. Five years experience in the Middle East has given Matt an excellent understanding of the needs particular to projects in this region.
As part of our Heathrow T5 integrated team, Matt produced detailed designs for numerous signage products from concept stage to fully resolved production drawings. This included extensive research into new technologies with particular emphasis on the viability of LED technology.
- _Middle East wayfinding planning experience
- _Dubai Roadways planning experience
- _Specialism in technical sign specification
- _Heathrow T5 Merson wayfinding team member
- _Expert in preparation of CAD specification drawings
- _Output produced to client-specific drawing standards
- _15 years sign consulting experience
Roddy Strang
Key Accounts Director
Trained as a Graphic Designer and gaining extensive experience during his 20 years in the sign industry, Roddy brings an invaluable wealth of design and construction knowledge to any signage project he is a part of.
Recently, as our Key Accounts Director, he has continued to successfully develop our relationships with longstanding key clients, as well as designing products and signage schemes for clients such as Tesco, M&S and TJX Europe.
Presently based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, he continues to deliver exceptional product design, customer service and project management.
- _Middle East sign project experience
- _More than 20 years in sign design and product development
- _Key Client Liaison and Key Account Management
- _Extensive experience dealing with both clients and other designers
- _Proven conceptual and technical design abilities
- _Extensive knowledge of materials and manufacturing processes
Gael Davidson
Design Department Manager
With programme management experience on major national rebranding programmes for Volvo and Santander, Gael has the skills and experience to keep any major design project on track. 17 years experience in the sign industry give her an incredible wealth of experience that enhances the outcomes of all design projects she manages.
Previously responsible for logistical management of major projects, Gael has gained a wide range of relevant skills in her progression from Estimator to Project Manager to Senior Project Manager prior to her current role of Design Department Manager.
- _Responsible for co-ordination and management of the entire MSD team (based in Glasgow and remotely)
- _Monitors team’s progress towards all key stage submission dates
- _Ensures all key project milestones and completion stages are met
- _Technical and aesthetic design skills
- _Architectural consultancy skills including Interior Design and Space Planning
Stuart Dodds
Design Project Leader
With 16 years in the sign industry, working almost exclusively in the transport sector, Stuart has a wealth of experience in both airport and rail signage projects. From project managing our Heathrow T5 sign design commission to delivering major rail signage programmes, Stuart has extensive experience of large-scale transport signage projects.
In the last 3 years his extensive airport sector experience has been supplemented by a number of rail projects, including high-profile projects such as Southeastern’s HighSpeed service (HS1) from St Pancras and managing the specification design for South West Trains’ station re-signing programme.
- _16 years sign project design and management experience
- _T5 project team leader
- _Led airline rebrand in Europe and North America
- _In-depth understanding of airport environment
- _Proven skills in high-level liaison and management reporting
- _Extensive site supervision experience
Roddy Angus
Managing Director
As Managing Director of MSD and Group Managing Director of Merson Group, Roddy’s strengths lie in the strategic planning and high-level direction of major design projects. Formulation of the project team including sourcing any additional expertise required from our roster of trusted consultants is another key role he excels at.
Having selected and assembled our design project team for Heathrow T5 and managed the delivery of our master-planning, wayfinding and sign design for Abu Dhabi Airport, Roddy has a wealth of major project experience.
Key attributes and roles:
- _Strategic Business Planning and Strategic Project Planning
- _Overall Control and Management of Project Implementation
- _Key Client Liaison
- _Sets reporting procedures and monitors progress against strategic objectives
- _Key Account management with BAA for 6 years
- _Strategic development of MSD’s Transport Sign Design Division
Tarek Baz
Project Manager
Tarek is a Mechanical Engineer with 11 years experience in Manufacturing, Production Management, Product Design and Development.
Most of Tarek's experience is within signage and industrial projects in the Gulf and North Africa regions. He is based in Beirut and manages some of MSD's projects in the Gulf region.
