Deborah Dawton

Design Business AssociationChief Executive

Dawton has made a major contribution to the industry on two fronts. One part of her work involves helping designers and design consultancies establish best practice so that they can become more effective and aware of their rights.

The other is concerned with raising the profile of design and showing how it can help shape businesses so that they can grow and become more effective when design is invested in.

She’s done this on the global and domestic stage for 15 years in her current role where she is chief executive of the Design Business Association.

She’s a great ambassador for British design as an export and in another concurrent role with the Bureau of European Design Associations she has promoted the value of design and the design economy to the European Union.

She also trained as a designer, which is what gives her such a great understanding of the industry.