Biography

Max Burton is a leading product designer with a career that spans 35 years. He has worked on projects for some of the most prestigious brands in the world including Nike, Disney, Sony, Microsoft, Intel, Logitech, Virgin and Google. He has launched products across a broad range of industry verticals and product types including housewares, consumer electronics, medical, design systems and digital platforms. An industrial designer by training, Maximillian has earned numerous design awards and utility patents. His work has been exhibited at the Design Museum in London and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

He currently is the Creative Director of Industrial Craft, a design studio and store in San Francisco, California.

MATTER

Founder, CEO and Chief Designer

As the founder, CEO, and chief designer for Matter, Max defined the company's purpose, mission, and short and long-term strategic plans.  Within a few short years, Matter became the preeminent design agency in San Francisco, attracting exceptional talent and cutting-edge projects. Accenture acquired Matter in 2017.

frog

Executive Creative Director and Global Lead for Product Design

Max's objective at frog was to advance the product design capability in frogs' studios around the world. His role included hiring, capability planning, business development, thought leadership, and leading major programs. The most significant project he co-led was the MyMagic+ platform for Disney World in Florida, frog's most significant project in over three decades.

Nike

Creative Director: Nike+, Nike Timing and Monitoring

In 2006, Max became the Creative Director of Nike's TechLab, which designed Nike's first smart wearables called the Nike+ Sports Band and the Nike+ Sport Watch.
In 2004, Max Joined Nike as the Creative Director of the Timing and Monitoring. He led a team of designers and engineers to define product roadmaps, develop briefs, coordinate with the Nike brand.

Nike+ iPod Sport Kit

Nike+ Fuel System

Nike+ Sportband

Nike Kids Sportband

Nike Triax Vapor 300

Nike Oregon Series Watch

Nike Cylo C Metal Watch

Nike Imara Watch

Nike Keeva Watch

Nike Cylo C Watch

Nike Kids Imara Watch

Nike Hammer Watch

Nike Watch Concept

Nike Watch Concept

Nike Watch Concept

Smart Design

VP of Design, Senior Designer

Max joined Smart in NYC, 1995 as a senior designer. In 2003 he was promoted to VP and made a partner. Max designed over 20 OXO products at Smart that are still in production today, including the OXO toilet brush and plunger, colander, ice cream scoop, wooden spoons, cleaning brush, squeegee, etc.

OXO Scrub Brush

OXO Squeegee

OXO Hideaway Toilet Plunger

OXO Lemon Reamer

OXO Stainless Steel Ice Cream Scoop

OXO Stainless Steel Locking Tongs

OXO Colander

OXO Stainless Steel Colander

Revere Sauce Pot

Imation USB Storage Lock

HP Portable Scanner

Delphi XM Radio

Becton Dickson Insulin Pen

Black Magic Brush

Duracell Premium Flashlight

Max's Personal Work

Vitarel

Brass Top Credenza

Floating Shelves

Articles

City with a brain

When Pixels Dominate Design, Your Hardware is the Brand

A Good Chair

The Design of Everyday Life

How experience-led design informed a revolutionary new barbecue called Ferno

Connected spaces: the new frontier in product design