By A Correspondent

Bruce Duckworth, principal at Turner Duckworth, starts his year as D&AD President. Each year, D&AD appoints a President from the Board of Trustees to lead the charge and shape the conversations for the year ahead. The job of the President is to galvanise the creative communities and bring them together to inspire and celebrate the finest in design and advertising. With D&AD Festival returning for a second year in 2017 as well as an international roster of President’s Lectures, Bruce wants to use this year to set an agenda of his own.

Duckworth wants to raise the profile of designers, to elevate great design and to strengthen the relationship between D&AD and the design community. To give design a louder voice, whilst still bringing all the different communities within D&AD together under one roof.

Said he: “This year I’d like to strengthen the relationship between D&AD and the design community. To bring the design community back into D&AD. And to give design a louder voice…How? We need to make D&AD a hub for our creative community. A place where the different creatives come together. One of the things I love about D&AD are the conversations I have with people from other disciplines, from different industries, people with different ways of seeing things. I find it energising, inspiring, and creative.”

In addition to the new President, there have been eight new creatives elected to the D&AD Board of Trustees: Alexandra Taylor – Consultant Head of Art, Mrs. McGuinty; Bruno Maag – Chairman, Dalton Maag; Graham Shearsby – ‎Chief Creative Officer, Design Bridge; L.A. Ronayne – Creative Director, Havas London; Kath Tudball – Design Director, The Partners; PacoConde – Group Creative Director, BBH London; Steve Spence – Lecturer, London College of Communication; and Thomas Manning – Junior Creative, Havas London (New Blood Trustee).

Tim Lindsay, Chief Executive, D&AD commented, “I would like to extend a warm welcome to Bruce who brings with him experience from a stellar career in the design industry. It comes as no surprise that he has big plans to bring the D&AD design community closer together and we are excited to see how his leadership will help to guide and shape D&AD over the coming year.”

“September always brings change here at D&AD but this whole year has been one full of new beginnings: the first ever D&AD Festival, the launch of New Blood Shift and we are days away from the inaugural D&AD Impact Awards. I’d like to thank Andy Sandoz on behalf of all my colleagues at D&AD and the Board of Trustees for his fantastic commitment over five years culminating in a great Presidential year.”