About
David Webster is a Partner at IDEO and leads its global Health & Wellness practice.
David knows from experience that design thinking can massively improve the health-care ecosystem for patients, professionals, and organizations. He is inspired by the rapid escalation of technologies and a new generation of colleagues who are looking to create meaningful impact in the field. He sees a broad range of opportunities for innovation, from advancing surgical tools to developing consumer brands that make healthful eating irresistible.
David, whose formal training is as a mechanical engineer and industrial designer, is particularly passionate about designing experiences that pivot around physical objects. He prefers sketching and building to sitting still and typing. And he can’t get enough of robots.
Since joining IDEO in 1997, David has worked on all kinds of projects and client relationships; highlights include developing a new category of bicycle for Shimano and the first digital magazine for Zinio. He also led and grew our San Francisco office for many years. Before IDEO, David designed Yamaha motorcycles with GK in Tokyo, invented new food products with WhatIf in London, and built new factories for Unilever in Europe.
A native of Scotland, David now lives in Northern California with his wife and two young children.