Presidential Duties
As President of the British Institute of Interior Design I am often asked what the role entails. The follow-up question is usually, “do you get paid?” I will answer the second question first: the position is entirely voluntary, as are all the positions held on the Council of Directors, committees and various other contributors. At a recent panel talk I established that my involvement is to promote professionalism, competency and excellence in interior design– it's not about me, personally. I am acting as the figurehead and champion of the BIID, our members and as a voice of the wider interior design industry. I do that via media interviews, public speaking engagements and attending awards and other events.
The role: There are many parts to the role, some are concise and refined, like providing leadership to the Council of Directors, including chairing Council meetings. Beyond that, promotion of the BIID within the entire design community is open-ended, and I have my mind set on making the most of this opportunity the members have bestowed upon me.
Planning ahead: Our annual Director Planning Day provides a platform to develop, monitor and drive the strategic development of the Institute with my fellow council members. This is one of my favourite days of the year, as we are able to spend the day together, enjoy open dialogue, share insights, conversations and experiences together and consolidate these into our unified plan for the year ahead. This work also feeds into the tasks of our various committees such as Sustainability, Diversity & Inclusion, and our review of our goals for our crucial three-year strategy.
Sustainability, circular and regenerative design are ethical design subjects that absorb a lot of my time and energy. I take part in many panel discussions, and hear voices on these issues from leaders within the industry.I am constantly taking new information on board, and developing my own stance on how to achieve these aims.
Our staff: BIID staff are the backbone of the institute, and are a wonderful team of passionate, hard working individuals. They are overseen by our Chief Operating Officer who attends regular meetings, and ensures excellent communications. That enables us to keep a broad overview of the Institute and equips us to represent our members to the best of our abilities. Part of my role as President is to assist with recruitment of new staff members, annual reviews for existing staff and staff disciplinary matters as required. This provides time to get to know the staff team better, and listen to how they, as a core team can contribute to developing the business.
Financial regulation: As a membership body, we exist to serve our members. As a not for profit organisation, we maintain financial transparency with our Registered Designers annually at our AGM. There, any concerns can be raised and addressed by the council of directors, staff team and an independent accountant. As President I also chair the Finance Committee. That is made up of the past, current and vice presidents and regularly oversees the financial position of the institute.
Term ending: At the end of my Presidency year I will step down at the Annual General Meeting, but only after I present to attendees a report on the achievements I have overseen. Past President Lindsey Rendall did such a sterling job earlier this year, I only hope that I can report such a positive and inspiring end to my time in office. As I write this I am already 6 months into my term, and our first ever BIID awards are taking place in the next few days. Time is going fast, so I am going to make the most of it – let’s see what the next 6 months will deliver!
