The Design Council has appointed John Mathers as its Chief Executive. The Design Council also announced the appointment of two key roles in its Cabe team - to strengthen its programs for the built environment and lead the process of design review. David Waterhouse has been appointed as the new Head of Programme Development and Alan Thompson is Cabe's new Head of Design Review.
John Mathers joins the Design Council from his role as Chief Executive of the Holmes & Marchant Group, one of the world's iconic design brands. He has over 30 years' experience in the design industry. Mathers has held various roles, including Head of Brand at Safeway, and led a number of marketing, brand and design consultancies in the UK since the mid-1990s.
Mathers has always had a commitment to the development of the design industry, was president of the Design Business Association for an unprecedented three years, and currently acts as the Association's spokesperson for its 20:20 Mentoring Scheme.
"I'm very pleased, and excited, to be joining the Design Council," commented Mathers. "It's an organisation I have worked with, and supported, for a long time and it has a key role to play in the UK over the coming years. I look forward to helping build its importance as an independent champion of the power of design."
David Waterhouse joins as Head of Programme Development from JBP PR & Parliamentary Affairs where he was Associate Director and Head of Local Government Affairs. Prior to joining JBP David was Head of Planning and Renewal in the Housing and Growth Directorate at the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) where he was responsible for the Housing Market Renewal and Growth Programmes across England. Prior to working for CLG, David was Planning Policy and Project Manager at the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA). David is a Director and Deputy Treasurer of the Town and Country Planning Summer School, and is a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer to Planning Aid for London. He is a recently appointed Academician at the Academy of Urbanism.
Alan Thompson was Senior Advisor for CABE between 2009 and 2011. During this period he was lead advisor for the London 2012 and Olympic Legacy Panels and CABE's Crossrail Panel, reviewing Europe's largest infrastructure project. Alan also led on CABE's National Panel, overseeing design quality for England's most significant and complex development proposals. Alan also contributed to CABE's School Review Panel, which saw over 300 education projects. Alan trained in architecture and urban design and his practice, prior to joining CABE, was mainly in the field of education and healthcare design and masterplanning. Alan is an Academician of the Academy of Urbanism and a Fellow of the RSA.
Both David and Alan will work closely with Nahid Majid, Director of the Cabe team, and Kathy MacEwen, Head of Planning and Enabling.
"I'm delighted that David Waterhouse and Alan Thompson will be strengthening the Cabe team," commented Nahid Majid, Director of the Cabe team at the Design Council. "This is an exciting time for us - we have developed new services and refined existing ones, and the feedback from our clients has been extremely positive. Both David and Alan will play a crucial role developing our programmes and I am confident with their help that Cabe will continue to provide great services."