NEWS: Ben Terrett awarded CBE for services to design

Renowned design pioneer and our co-founder and CEO, Ben Terrett, has been appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the King’s Birthday Honours List in recognition of his outstanding contributions to design in the public sector and creative education.

Ben is best known for his work in the Government Digital Service, helping to drive pioneering digital transformation of the state and public services in the 2010s.

Ben led the design of GOV.UK, an extraordinary feat which replaced hundreds of individual UK government websites, helping to transform Whitehall and improve services for millions of people across the country.

The design principles underpinning GOV.UK have had significant global influence and were a key factor in the UK being ranked number one in the world in digital government in 2016.

The accolade comes only weeks after PD won the King’s Award for Enterprise in International trade, the highest official accolade for British businesses, in recognition of our success in helping to deliver smarter, fairer services through digital innovation and structural reform.

Ben has also served as Deputy Chair of University of the Arts London, Deputy President of Design & Art Direction, Group Design Director at the Co-op and Design Director at advertising agency Wieden + Kennedy. 

Ben Terrett said:

“I am delighted to receive this CBE which is an important recognition of the role design can play in making public services easier and more joyous to use.

“Good design in the public sector isn’t just about how things look; it’s about how things work. A service that is designed well will be accessible, inclusive and respectful of people’s time - making things simpler, clearer and faster for everyone.

“I am proud to have contributed to that mission with brilliant colleagues at Public Digital, the Government Digital Service, and many other organisations. This honour is also for all of them.

“My hope is that this award today encourages more designers to take on the hard, important problems at the heart of our society.”