Karen Welman – who co-founded design agency, Pearlfisher – passed away on Monday 24th June aged 59, following a heart attack, whilst on holiday in Greece with family and friends.
Karen first met husband-to-be and future co-founding Partner of Pearlfisher, Jonathan Ford, when, fresh out of their respective design colleges, the pair worked for Michael Peters & Partners in the 1980’s. During this time, they spent three years in New York helping build the agencys American office, which then became Sterling Design – a new brand of agency that she helped establish. They moved back to the UK and joined forces with friend and colleague, Mike Branson, to found Pearlfisher in 1992.
