Paul Rowan

Personal Information

Few Canadians have contributed to the world of design as much as Paul Rowan. Throughout his nearly fifty-year career, Paul has worked tirelessly to create and promote thoughtful, elevated design with the dream of making the world a more beautiful place. In 1980, Paul co-founded Umbra with his childhood friend Les Mandelbaum. Initially the only designer, Paul was responsible for all product design and manufacturing, creating modern, affordable housewares that led Canada into a new era of design. As Umbra grew into a global brand, Paul built a design team, primarily recruiting from OCADU, establishing a long-lasting relationship with the university.
Paul’s passion for education and nurturing new designers led him to pioneer an innovative program in 2000 between design schools and Umbra, starting with Pratt University. Students collaborated with Paul to create products, with winning submissions produced and marketed by Umbra, providing royalties to both students and schools. This competition model was extended to numerous design schools worldwide, including Emily Carr, The Design Centre in Pasadena, and Humber College. These collaborations generated significant revenue and led to many internships and full-time jobs at Umbra and other leading design companies. Paul also sat on the OCADU board of directors for six years, contributing to initiatives like the Imagination Catalyst, an incubator promoting entrepreneurship among OCADU graduates.
Paul’s contributions extend beyond Umbra and OCADU. He has been involved in numerous educational initiatives and competitions, such as a design competition with EAFIT University in Medellin, Colombia, and advisory roles in various design startups. He has written articles for Misc Magazine and frequently speaks at design institutions and events globally, including TEDx Toronto and the Ontario Economic Summit. Paul’s achievements include his mesh can design being added to the permanent collection of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and receiving multiple awards, such as the Best Design Strategy Award and the Premier’s Award for Outstanding Achievement from the Colleges of Ontario. Currently, Paul is a partner and senior advisor at the design consulting firm Arch’ve, where he continues to support design education and advise emerging designers.