David Kester, Chief Executive of the Design Council, today unveils a significantly strengthened senior team with several new appointments providing expanded expertise in business and design leadership:
- David Godber, formerly Director of Nissan Design Europe, has been appointed as Deputy Chief Executive with a remit to lead the delivery of Design Council's programmes, strengthening the organisation's impact across UK industry. David joins the Design Council following a distinguished career in business, the oil industry, Lotus and Audi. An economist by training, he has been responsible for establishing one of the most successful international design centres in London over the last five years.
- Dr Andrea Siodmok, a trained industrial designer and academic, who has led the Design Council's Knowledge team, now takes on a wider role as Chief Design Officer. Andrea will provide design leadership across many areas including the development of new programmes to support innovation in the public services.
- Lesley Morris, a trained interior designer and academic who has led the Design Council's education programmes, takes on an expanded role as Director, UK Design Skills Alliance. Lesley will drive forward the UK Design Skills plan backed by government and industry to provide a joined-up approach to design sector development across schools, universities and the workplace.
The new Design Council appointments follow in the wake of several new government policies which have placed new emphasis on the role of design in innovation, enterprise and the creative economy. The announcement of the strengthened team also comes in advance of the forthcoming launch of the Design Council's three year strategic plan.
Welcoming the appointments, Chief Executive David Kester said:
'Design is moving firmly to the centre of policy as governments around the world seek to secure competitive advantage within the global economy. Our role is to ensure that policy translates to action and that we maximise our design and creative capabilities in the private sector and the public arena too. These new appointments deepen the skills across a strong team at the Design Council and will help us drive policy, deliver programmes and support industry, education and the wider design community in the UK.’
Notes to Editors
David Godber, Deputy Chief Executive, Design Council
Prior to joining the Design Council, David Godber was Director of Nissan Design Europe, where he set up one of the industry's most innovative product, brand and service design operations, resulting in a complete replacement of the Nissan product range. David has spent a number of years in the automotive industry, having been Commercial Director of both Audi and Lotus Cars, and prior to this, he specialised in senior planning roles in the petrochemical industry working for Texaco, Elf Aquitaine and Mobil.
During the last two years David has contributed to the Tax Credits elements of the Cox Review of Creativity in Business, and successfully pioneered the first successful claim in the UK for Tax Credits for design-led businesses. He has also been an active member of the Advisory Board for the Design Skills Plan and a regular speaker at Design Council forums.
Dr Andrea Siodmok, Chief Design Officer (CDO), Design Council
Andrea Siodmok has a PhD in Design and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, Andrea's design expertise spans consumer products, CD-ROM, Website and Interface Designs, which have been featured in 'Design for Success', 'Design Week', 'Revolution' and 'The Telegraph'. She has also taught product, automotive and interaction design in leading UK universities, developed research and innovation projects with large corporates and promoted a strategic approach to the future of the design profession.
Lesley Morris, Head of Design Skills, Design Council and Director, UK Design Skills Alliance
Lesley spent 18 years in design consultancies, working on commercial interior design and architectural projects and then in higher education for eight years, leading the MA Design Leadership programme at Middlesex University and teaching professional practice on undergraduate design courses.Lesley joined the Design Council in 1997 as a senior manager in the Education team and has recently led the development of the Design Skills Blueprint, a UK-wide strategic programme to help improve design skills and professional development. Lesley has also led the implementation of the Cox Review recommendations for higher education.
Contacts:
For further information, please contact:
Saskia Sissons, Design Council on 0207 420 5247 / 07773 768 073
saskia.sissons@designcouncil.org.uk
Nigel Campbell, Design Council on 0207 420 5282 / 07825 442 339
nigel.campbell@designcouncil.org.uk