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What sort of person should take over as chairman of the Design Council when George Cox’s tenure comes to an end this autumn? Who would you put in the frame?
It is imperative the next chairman of the Design Council transcends both the creative and the economic worlds. This convergence is central to the future of this country’s creative and cultural industries. Design must, of course, remain innovative and forever nibbling away at the frontier of public preference. But there is also the market test – the design world has a particular problem in scaling up to exploit commercial opportunities. The line to be trod is in combining cutting-edge design with aggressively commercial skills.
Will Hutton, Chief executive, The Work Foundation
George Cox’s big legacy is the Cox Review, the ultimate design brief for the nation. The new chairman will need to be a consummate designer, able to interpret and deliver that brief. Not to mention having business acumen and the political skill to navigate Whitehall. Who else but Sir Martin Sorrell? Maybe this will keep him so busy that us little guys will have a chance.
Richard Eisermann, Strategic director, Prospect
The chairman of the Design Council should be someone who knows the territory, the issues, the industries and the key people. Someone who has the energy, tenacity, time, intelligence and commitment to make change happen. And someone who takes the time to get out and about. Any chance George Cox could serve another term?
Ross Hunter, Managing director, Graven Images
How timely. A few of us are just about to get together for an evening to discuss the essential question, ‘What exactly is the point of the Design Council?’. George Cox’s successor as chairman should, at the very minimum, have a professional design background and be a person who is prepared to move the current private dialogue between the council’s executive and the Government towards a more public exchange, one that clearly demonstrates a strong empathy for the role and value of design in the UK. Ultimately, the post calls for someone who is dedicated to bringing the Design Council back to the people.
Tim Greenhalgh, Chief creative officer, Fitch
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