Design Council reaches out to industry with ‘sounding board’

The Design Council is aiming to improve its links with industry with the launch of a new ‘sounding board’ – an informal group of practising designers who will input feedback and ideas to the Design Council.

The sounding board comprises 36 members with expertise including design, the built environment, business and technology. Members include Morag Myerscough of Studio Myerscough, Lawrence Zeegen from the London School of Communication and industrial designer Sebastian Bergne.

The group will meet every quarter, with the first meeting to be held in February. Representatives from the Design Council, including chief executive John Mathers, will be in attendance.

The Design Council says the meetings will be ‘pretty informal and very discussion-based’. It says the aim of the new initiative is to ‘act as an open and inclusive platform to discuss design and contribute ideas and expertise’.

The initial meeting will look to ‘find out what they think are some of the key issues facing design and the creative industries’.

Design Council chief executive John Mathers says, ‘The sounding board members are all passionate about design and will bring a fresh perspective to activities at the Design Council. We are very fortunate to be able to draw on such expertise and talent.

The sounding board comprises:

Carmel Allen, brand champion, Heals
Alistair Barr, managing  director, Barr Gazetas
Ian Baverstock, founding partner, Tenshi Ventures
Sebastian Bergne, industrial designer
Alice Black, deputy director, Design Museum
Anne-Marie Bulat, art director and designer
Steve Cheliotis, chief executive, the Centre for Brand Analysis
Bonnie Dean, chief executive, Bristol and Bath Science Park
Chris Downs, principal, Method
Dennis Furniess, vice president, design, Unilever
Tom Hulme, design director, IDEO
Hanif Kara, design director and co-founder, AKT II
Anja Kluver, digital director, Prospect
John Latham, acting vice chancellor, Coventry University
Sean Lewis, founder, Brands Applied
Gary Lockton, founder, Grandad Digital
Chris MacLeod, marketing director, Transport for London
Howard Milton, chairman, Smith & Milton
Rodney Mylius, brand guru, Marks and Spencer
Morag Myerscough, founder, Studio Myerscough
Beverley Neilsen, director of employer engagement, Birmingham City University
Amelia Noble, founder and director, Amelia Noble and Partners
James O’Callaghan, founder and director, Eckersley O’Callaghan
Giles Redmayne, business director, Purpose
Sarah Ronald, founder and managing director, Nile
Fanny Sigler, creative director and consultant
Tim Stonor, managing director, Space Syntax
Chris Thompson, founding partner, Viadynamics
Colin Tweedy, chief executive, the Building Centre
Sophie Thomas, founding director, Thomas Matthews
Serena Tierney, head of intellectual property, Bircham Dyson Bell
Harriet Vine, co-founder and creative director, Tatty Devine
Bill Wallsgrove, head of ideas, Brand Voice
Sarah Wigglesworth, director, Sarah Wigglesworth Architects
Derek Wyatt, founder, Amber Digital Consultancy
Lawrence Zeegen, dean of school of design, London College of Communication

• The Design Council has also appointed three new trustees to its board: Steve Pearce, design principal, Skype; Annika Small, chief executive, the Nominet Trust; and Terry Tyrrell, worldwide chairman, The Brand Union.

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