The International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) announced the results of the elections held on October 22 during its 25th General Assembly for the appointment of the organisation’s executive board for the 2007-2009 term. The international governing board, consisting of eleven prominent design authorities will be lead by Prof. Carlos Hinrichsen as the new president.
The Icsid Executive Board for the 2007-2009 term consists of the following individuals: President Prof. Carlos Hinrichsen (Chile), President-Elect Dr. Mark Breitenberg (USA), Treasurer Brandon Gien (Australia), Wen-long Chen (Taiwan), Leimei Julia Chiu (Japan), Martin Darbyshire (United Kingdom), Prof. Lorraine Justice (China), Dr. Darlie Koshy (India), Jae-jin Shim (Korea), Kazuo Tanaka (Japan) and Judit Vàrhelyi (Hungary).
This General Assembly was marked by the organisation’s 50th anniversary – a milestone achievement for an organisation that continues to contribute to the present and future well being of industrial design and its unique membership network. “From a global perspective, Icsid’s success during the past 50 years comes from its universal outlook, as well as its ability to serve local and regional markets,” commented Prof. Hinrichsen. “We will continue to make our network stronger, make Icsid regional meetings more vibrant and Icsid Interdesigns better known and understood by world leaders and funding agencies.”
Prof. Hinrichsen shared his vision for the upcoming term and announced his intentions to continue with the successful work set out by the previous board to move Icsid to the next level of growth and co-operation within the international design community.
Much like his predecessor Prof. Dr. Peter Zec, Prof. Hinrichsen intends to work to encourage and strengthen the dialogue with other international organisations. This term will also be marked by another significant achievement for design with regards to the development of the International Design Alliance (IDA), as Icsid and the International Council of Graphic Design Associations (Icograda), prepare to welcome a third member – the International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI), to the strategic alliance that focuses on multidisciplinary design.
Prof. Hinrichsen also noted, expert predictions on emerging economies from China, India, Korea and Vietnam that show that these countries will continue to invest in infrastructure and education and develop the necessary institutions for the new world to become more technologically advanced. This demand for infrastructure will therefore generate significant opportunities for design industries, where Icsid can play an important role as the facilitator between these countries and the design community as the value of these countries increase on a global platform.
In his closing remarks, Prof. Hinrichsen explained that his commitment for the term could be summarised by the following: collaboration, networking and initiatives focusing on local matters or topics. These will build on the organisation’s strategic direction for future issues of regional impact and of global significance.
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About the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid)
The International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) is an international non-governmental organisation for professional industrial design. Founded in 1957, Icsid currently counts over 150 members in more than 50 countries, representing an estimated 150,000 designers worldwide. Icsid members are professional associations, promotional societies, educational institutions, government bodies, corporations and institutions — all of which contribute to the development of the profession of industrial design.
Icsid facilitates co-operation and interaction among these societies and supports a global network through which design institutions worldwide can collaborate. Through shared interests, experiences, and resources, Icsid provides an international platform for its members to be heard as a powerful voice.
Icsid also holds consultative status with UNESCO, UNIDO, ISO and WIPO to support and highlight design in international forums.