George Sowden studied architecture at Gloucestershire College of Art. In the 1970s, Sowden moved to Milan to work with names such as Ettore Sottsass and Olivetti, and in the 1980s he became one of the founders of the design collective, Memphis Group. He has won numerous design prizes including the prestigious Compasso d'Oro Award. Today he continues to live and work in Milan. For HAY, Sowden has designed the Coffee and Tea Pot and the salt and pepper Grinder.