7th October 2021
The Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD, is pleased to announce the re-appointment of Toby Scott and appointment of Thomas Murray to the Board of the Design and Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI).
Commenting on today’s announcement, the Tánaiste said:
“The design and craft sector play a vital role in our economy, providing sustainable jobs right across the country. I am confident that Toby and Thomas’s input at Board level will be instrumental in continuing to develop the Council and the overall sector in Ireland, contributing to our economy and culture while working to enhance Ireland’s international reputation for excellence in design and craftsmanship.”
Andrew Bradley, Chair of the Design & Crafts Council Ireland said:
“I would like to welcome Thomas to the Board of DCCI and I am pleased that Toby has been reappointed. Their expertise and experience will be a valuable asset to our Board and I look forward to working with them in the coming years to deliver on DCCI’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 Thomas and Toby will play a key role in the sector’s continued development and success.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITOR
About Toby Scott
Toby Scott is a catalyst in the creative industries and an innovator within the commercial and public sectors.
As a facilitator, he has been a director of the UK Design Council, 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 a developer, 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.
About Thomas Murray
Thomas Murray currently has responsibility at Principal Officer level for a number of policies and programmes related to the development of indigenous industry in Ireland including budgetary and governance oversight of Enterprise Ireland and the Local Enterprise Offices.
His brief includes working with stakeholders to drive a national policy for design and to develop plans for a national design centre in support of innovation and competitiveness.
He has broad international experience having previously served for a number of years (2014-2018) at Ireland’s Permanent Representation in Brussels as Ireland’s Trade Counsellor and as Ireland’s representative on the EU’s Trade Policy Committee where he was responsible for a number of EU trade negotiations and for pursuing Ireland’s trade policy interests on behalf of the Government
Additional information
CRAFTS COUNCIL OF IRELAND LIMITED
Trading as the DESIGN & CRAFTS COUNCIL OF IRELAND
Branded as the DESIGN & CRAFTS COUNCIL IRELAND
About the Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI)
The Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) is the national agency for the commercial development of Irish designers and makers, stimulating innovation, championing design thinking and informing Government policy.
Vision: That Ireland is recognised and valued for its culture of design and craft.
They provide a range of programmes, supports and services for designers and craftspeople, learners and teachers, retailers and gallerists, shoppers and collectors, media and partner organisations in order to raise the standard and profile of Irish design and craft. Their activities are funded by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment via Enterprise Ireland. They currently have 63 member organisations and over 3,200 registered clients. You can view the Public Directory of Craftspeople where you can search for registered makers (who have opted to be listed in the public craft directory) by name, county, product and discipline as well as samples of their work. See also their list of membership organisations which includes design and craft Guilds, Associations, Networks and Societies (GANS). DCCI's shareholders are represented by member organisations and institutions whose membership includes voting rights at our AGM, see more details here. The Board of Directors of the Design & Crafts Council Ireland (DCCI) is made up of both Ministerial nominees and elected members. There are 12 board members in total, 8 elected by the membership organisations (‘Elected Members’) and 4 Ministerial appointments (‘Nominated Members’), including the Chair. Mr Murray replaces Mr Paul McKeown who completed his term of office.
Further information can be found in their industry and annual reports which are available to download from the publications section of their website.
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