Derek Yates BA (Hons)

Derek Yates is an educator, writer, and designer, he is currently the Head of Industry Integration & Curriculum Development at Ravensbourne University London. He has held senior academic roles at three of the UK’s top creative universities, where he has developed innovative strategies that enable students to ‘learn with industry’. 

Derek has led collaborative projects with major global brands including Apple, Kopparberg, Sky, The O2, Barclays, Britvic, and Deloitte, as well as with leading creative studios such as Uncommon, JKR, Accept & Proceed, and Electric Theatre Collective. These collaborations have generated internships, live commercial projects, funded student showcases, and career development support. Highlights include Apple’s Unsigned Stories programme and a long-standing partnership with Kopparberg that has delivered more than £40,000 in student prize funding. 

Through his research platform Alt/Shift, Derek championed externally engaged academic practice, calling for stronger links between education and the wider design world. He has been featured in Design Week, been interviewed by Creative Review, and has delivered keynote talks at universities across the UK, Europe, and China. He has also been a keynote presenter to the Council for Higher Education in Art & Design and at two annual conferences of the Graphic Design Educators Network. 

He is the author of Communication Design: Insights from the Creative Industries, published by Bloomsbury Fairchild, which explores emerging practices and professional insights in design. He has also written for respected publications such as Eye: The International Journal of Graphic Design and Threaded Magazine. 

A long-time advocate for greater representation and diversity in the creative industries, Derek’s early career as a designer included work featured in several BBC music documentaries and the V&A’s permanent collection, particularly his collaborations with Grammy award-winning artists Soul II Soul.