BEDA picks Thomson for top post

The Bureau for European Designers’ Associations is set to appoint British consultant Michael Thomson as its next president.

Thomson’s seat was secured last Saturday at BEDA’s general assembly, where he was elected as vice-president of the organisation for the next two years, with immediate effect. The Design Connect founder then becomes president until 2009.

Design Business Association chief executive Deborah Dawton greeted Thomson’s appointment as an important step for British design in Europe.

‘The UK can really start to influence what happens at an EU level,’ Dawton says. ‘Europe needs someone influencing its policy with respect to design.’

‘There are a number of things we want to bring about in design at a European level, such as [persuading Brussels] to set up a European design research unit to collect data on the industry. Many of these institutions have no language for design,’ Thompson says.

BEDA represents 32 design associations and industry institutions from 20 countries in Europe, and seeks to promote best practice and policy initiatives in the international design arena.

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