Nat Maher

Interim Managing Director BOSH TV, founder of Kerning the Gap

Maher has only been working in the design industry since 2008, starting out with the Design Business Association. Since then she’s rocketed up through ranks at design consultancies, most recently as managing director at Good and CEO of Pollitt and Partners.

Alongside this, Maher has founded Kerning The Gap, an organsisation which started out as a side hustle but this year became her full time job.

Simply, Kerning the Gap is “a collective of like-minded people who want to see more women in design leadership roles, hear their voices and be inspired to create change”.

It’s vital work in an industry where “63% of graphic design students are women; yet only 17% are creative directors”, according to KtG

Through mentoring, resources and events as well as satellite groups being set up around the country the organisation has grown and now positions itself as The Equality Network for the Design Industry.

The remit of the work has grown to include Black, Asian, minority and ethnic groups who collectively account for just 12% of leadership roles.

Maher’s pragmatic view on increasing diversity means that she takes a wholly inclusive stance on solving the problem and encourages anyone and everyone who is engaged with design to get involved.

Design Week has been a long-time supporter of Maher’s work with Kerning the Gap and we hope that this award helps to keep it on the industry’s agenda.