Enabling Design Across Europe
BEDA has been continuously working to support and advance design across Europe. The MADres project is developing a range of tools (including the National Policy Labs) for the design community to use in both practical and long-term ways. Our work is also expanding through collaboration with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and strategic plans for the EU Workplan for Culture.
BEDA Welcomes New President and Vice President
BEDA is pleased to announce that Mark Illi, from the Swiss Design Association (Switzerland), has officially begun his three‑year term as BEDA President.
Antonella Adriani, from the Association for Industrial Design (ADI) in Italy, has been appointed BEDA Vice President. Following Mark Illi’s presidency, she will succeed him as BEDA President at the end of his term, ensuring continuity and strong leadership for the organisation’s future.
“Design is what humanity does to interact and organise itself and its environment. Europe has a long design experience and the resources to match. Let’s translate that capability throughout our societies — for sustainable growth and prosperity.” – Mark Illi, BEDA President
The BEDA Board of Directors, Term 2026-2028
BEDA now has 10 board members from nine countries. This includes the commitment of previous board members and four new board members, and also includes the President and Vice President. The newly elected BEDA Board of Directors serving a two-year term are as follows (in alphabetical order):
- Bart Ahsmann, CLICKNL, The Netherlands – Board Member since 2024
- François Caspar, Alliance France Design, France – Board Member since 2026
- Dita Danosa, Latvian Design Center, Latvia – Board Member since 2024
- Stijn Debaillie, Designregio Kortrijk, Belgium – Board Member since 2026
- Regina Hanke, (BEDA General Secretary) Deutscher Designtag e.V., Germany – Board Member since 2022
- Michał Stefanowski, Design Association SPFP, Poland – Board Member since 2026
- Isabelle Vérilhac, APCI – Promotion of Design, France – Board Member since 2026
- Tom Watts, Design and Crafts Council Ireland, Ireland – Board Member since 2024
Welcoming New Member Organisations to BEDA
At its annual General Assembly, BEDA members ratified two new organisations as full members of BEDA.
Design Campus Competence Centre, Hungary
Design Campus is a multidisciplinary innovation hub connecting education, research and industry through design‑driven thinking, and fostering creativity and collaboration. Click here for more information.
Design Federation, Estonia/Greece
Design Federation, which also includes ED Festival and ED Awards, is a European organisation developing platforms that recognise, connect and strengthen design across Europe. Click here for more information.
BEDA wishes to say thank you to our member organisation Bayern Design and their flagship event ‘Munich Creative Business Week’, and the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development and Energy for their support in hosting the General Assembly in Munich.
______________________________________
About MADres
MADres is a strategic initiative by BEDA and co-funded by the European Union.
The initiative advances design as a key enabler of Europe’s transformation for sustainable growth and economic value.
MADres aims to strengthen the European design community and deepen expertise in three focus areas: AI competencies and digital ethics, planetary design and accessibility, and business cases and development.
To sustain this, MADres ensures long-term impact by developing a Living Design Policy Framework—a flexible, adaptive model equipping our governments and institutions to integrate design into national and EU-level policy agendas.
About BEDA
BEDA, the Bureau of European Design Associations, is a pan-European advocacy with around 50 member organisations in nearly all European countries – representing millions of designers.
BEDA speaks for the design community and influences policy development among members and in turn their governments.
BEDA champions the role of designers in a business and a social context, promoting all organisations and governments to embrace design methodologies to solve complex problems and to lead innovative practices.
______________________________________
Media Kit includes: image, logos, quotes, CC licence and press release texts in English, Spanish, German, Italian and French.