7th July 2017
New members appointed to the Board of the national agency for the commercial development of Ireland’s design and craft sector
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise and Innovation, Frances Fitzgerald TD, today announced the appointment of Andrew Bradley and Toby Scott to the Board of the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCoI).
Andrew Bradley has been at the forefront of brand and design thinking in Ireland for over 20 years. His company Bradley Brand specialises in working with owner-managed companies to assist them in realising the commercial potential of a strong brand in delivering a competitive advantage and customer loyalty. He is an active member of the Institute of Designers in Ireland (IDI) of which he was President from 2013 to 2015 and he led the team to establish the IDI’s Design Enterprise Skillnet, a training initiative which he currently chairs.
Toby Scott is a catalyst in the creative industries and an innovator within the commercial and public sectors. He has been a director of the UK Design Council and a director of Arts Council England as well as head of Creative Industries for the UK Government. He established the Irish Centre for Design Innovation and was Senior Design Strategist for the Design 4 Growth pilot scheme delivered by Dublin City Local Enterprise Office (LEO). He is a co-founder and Learning Director of FRAMLABS and Knowinnovation.
Minister Fitzgerald said: “Andrew Bradley and Toby Scott join the Board of DCCoI at a pivotal time as the organisation builds on the successes and achievements of the Government-backed Irish Design 2015 initiative and focuses on identifying and exploiting further opportunities to grow design and craft in Ireland. The sector plays a vital role in our economy, providing sustainable regional jobs right across the country. I am confident that Andrew and Toby’s input at Board level will be instrumental in strategically developing DCCoI and the design and craft sector in Ireland, contributing to our economy and culture and to Ireland’s international reputation for excellence in design and craftsmanship.”
Commenting on today’s announcement, Breege O’Donoghue, Chair of the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland said: “I am delighted to welcome Andrew and Toby to the Board of DCCoI. Their expertise and experience will be a valuable addition to our Board and I look forward to working with them in the coming years to deliver on DCCoI’s ambitions for Ireland’s vibrant design and craft sector. Key areas of focus for the future include stimulating innovation, championing design thinking and informing Government policy on the development of design and craft in Ireland. I am confident that Andrew and Toby will play an instrumental role in the sector’s continued development and success.”
DCCoI convened Irish Design 2015 (ID2015) on behalf of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Enterprise Ireland. The landmark year-long programme of activity in Ireland and internationally showcased to the world the wealth of design and creative talent in Ireland and encouraged investment in design and design thinking in order to increase exports and generate additional employment.
A number of legacy activities and initiatives were developed during 2016 to build on the success of ID2015, including DCCoI being mandated by Government to lead a consultation process in developing strategic plans for design in Ireland in collaboration with key stakeholders. Ireland – the Design Island: a consultation paper towards a National Design Strategy was published in February 2017 when Minister Mitchell O’Connor also announced the establishment of Ireland’s first Ministerial-led National Design Forum. DCCoI is currently finalising the organisation’s strategic plans to the end of 2020.
The appointment of the new Board members follows the departure of Dermott Rowan, managing director and co-owner of Kiely Rowan Plc and Pat Hughes, Managing Director of the Carraig Donn Group,earlier this year at the end of their terms as directors of DCCoI.
The DCCoI Board is made up of a total of 12 directors – four directors (including the Chair) appointed by the Minister for Enterprise and Innovation, and eight directors elected by the member organisations. Each position is for a term of three years, with a maximum of two terms of three years.
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For further information, please contact: Press Office D/Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation ph. 6312200 or press.office@djei.ie
About the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland
The Design & Crafts Council of Ireland (DCCoI) is the main champion of the design and craft industry in Ireland, fostering its growth and commercial strength, communicating its unique identity and stimulating quality design, innovation and competitiveness. DCCoI's activities are funded by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation via Enterprise Ireland. DCCoI currently has over 60 member organisations and over 3,200 registered clients. In collaboration with partner organisations, DCCoI convened Irish Design 2015 (ID2015) on behalf of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Enterprise Ireland. ID2015, which emerged as an idea from the Global Irish Economic Forum in 2013, was a year-long programme exploring, promoting and celebrating Irish design through signature events on the island of Ireland as well as in prestigious partner venues in international capitals of design and commerce throughout 2015. www.dccoi.ie
About Andrew Bradley
Soon after qualifying as an Industrial Designer at NCAD, Andrew Bradley realised that his interests lay in assisting companies realise the potential of design and set out on a career in design management. His company Bradley Brand specialises in working with owner-managed companies to assist them realise the commercial potential of a strong brand in delivering a competitive advantage and customer loyalty. He believes that a business’s reputation is built on customer experience - brand defines it, design creates it.
Andrew has extensive experience managing multidisciplinary design teams to deliver a wide range of design solutions from creating new brand identities, to retail environments, to online strategies. Clients include Applegreen, Colourtrend Paint, Keelings, MHL Hotel Collection, SuperValu and Weir & Sons. Throughout his career, Andrew has been an active member of the Institute of Designers in Ireland (IDI) and was President from 2013 to 2015. He led the team to establish the IDI’s Design Enterprise Skillnet and chairs this training initiative. He is currently a Mentor to LEO DLR.
About Toby Scott
Toby Scott is a catalyst in the creative industries and an innovator within the commercial and public sectors. As a catalyst in the creative industries, he has been a director of the UK Design Council and a director of Arts Council England as well as head of Creative Industries for the UK Government. He established the Irish Centre for Design Innovation and was Senior Design Strategist for the Design 4 Growth pilot scheme delivered by Dublin City Local Enterprise Office (LEO). He has also been a board member of the UK Crafts Council.
As an innovator, Toby is a co-founder and Learning Director of FRAMLABS and Knowinnovation. He works with a number of NGOs and agencies such as the United Nations, the NHS and NASA to apply design thinking to solve “Wicked Problems”. Within business, he helps companies such as Cisco, Liberty Mutual and Irish Life create future value for their customers through the strategic use of design.
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