Rud Thygesen was a Danish furniture architect who became internationally recognized for his innovative designs. He was born on August 15, 1932, in Sæby, Denmark, to architect Adolf Thygesen and his wife. In 1938, the family moved to Hobro, where Thygesen spent his childhood.

After completing his education, Thygesen moved to Copenhagen in 1955 and trained as a tradesman at the decoration company Hindsgaul. He later worked for various furniture companies, including Tidens Møbler, where he designed his first piece of furniture, a sleeping bench, in 1961. This piece was displayed at the Danish Arts and Crafts exhibition at Charlottenborg.

The headmaster of the School of Arts and Crafts recommended Thygesen for admission to the institution, despite his advanced age and lack of carpentry training. He graduated from the school in 1966 and set up his own studio with fellow student Johnny Sørensen later that year.

Thygesen and Sørensen's furniture designs quickly gained international recognition, winning numerous prizes, including first prize in the Cabinetmakers' Guild's furniture competition, the National Bank of Denmark's Jubilee Scholarship, the Furniture Prize in 1978, the G Prize in Japan, and the "Best of Show" award from the Design Foundation in the USA.

Their furniture designs can be found in several museums worldwide, including the Museum of Decorative Arts in Copenhagen, the Museum of Decorative Arts in Oslo, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Thygesen lived in Rungsted in North Zealand until his death on January 1, 2019. He is buried at Hørsholm Cemetery. Rud Thygesen's contributions to furniture design have been lauded both in Denmark and internationally.