Marc TANNER

TANNER Marc passed away on 15th August 2016, aged 58, after a battle with cancer. He leaves his wife, Ann, whom he married in November 2015, after 20 years together and sister Karen and family. Marc was a renowned industrial designer, who over nearly 40 years, designed products across many sectors. His work included domestic appliances, IT equipment, mobile phones, audio equipment and in recent years, had a large focus on medical devices. He led the industrial design team at IDC for 11 years and cared deeply about making products that improved people's lives. During his time at IDC, his projects earned numerous awards including: Red Dot, Medical Design Excellence, Red Star China and IDEA awards. IDC's MD, Stephen Knowles, remembers, "One of Marc's great strengths was the way he used his passion for design to inspire others. He mentored many designers, taking time to explain his philosophy and help colleagues improve. Over the years many people have acknowledged Marc's great influence on their approach to design." Born of English parents in Glasgow, his father's work as a shipwright took the family, including his younger sister Karen, to Newcastle Upon Tyne when he was 9 years old. After studying Industrial Design at Northumbria University, Marc achieved a First Class Honours Degree in 1979. That, and an earlier industrial placement at Moggridge Associates in London, convinced the founder, Bill Moggridge, to offer him a job, which he accepted -declining an offer to study at The Royal College. When Bill opened a second consultancy, IDTwo in Palo Alto, California, Marc spent over a year there to support growth before returning to the London office in 1982. Moggridge Associates later became IDEO, where Marc worked in product development for 24 years. Ray Graham, who remained a close friend to Marc from student days, remembers Marc's love of music and sport, "Marc amassed an eclectic collection of music in every format available. He had a passion for the outdoors and his love of rugby and skiing were surpassed only by his devotion to sailing. Marc was accredited with several Royal Yachting Association qualifications, and recorded 1,756 miles as Skipper, plus an additional 4,315 miles as crew." Marc will be missed for his warm hearted personality and sense of fun. As a product designer, the world has lost a creative talent, though his design principles will be an enduring legacy.