Isabelle Vérilhac

Mission Statement

With a cross-disciplinary background, a PhD in Materials Chemical Physics, and a Post-Diploma in Design & Research, she is committed to building collaborative projects that
support a sustainable and inclusive future. Since 2024, she has served as Development Director at APCI – Agence pour la Promotion du Design, and contributes to the French Design Council. In 2025, she created a new French design award to highlight the positive impact of design in driving ecological,
societal, and economic transitions.

Isabelle spent 17 years as Head of Innovation and International Affairs at the Cité du design- ESADSE (Saint-Etienne Higher School of Art and Design) in France. She founded
the materials library and the Business & Innovation Hub in 2010, and served as the focal point for Saint-Étienne UNESCO City of Design from 2019 to 2023.

She joined BEDA Board for the first time in 2014, taking on the roles of Treasurer, Vice President and ultimately President of BEDA (2021-2023).
Since 2022, she has been the Coordinator of the Large-Scale Skills Partnership for the Cultural and Creative Industries Ecosystem for the European Commission, under the
Pact for Skills initiative.

She chaired the Design Europa Awards in 2023 and continues to serve as a jury member for subsequent editions.
Operating from Saint-Étienne, France, and remaining deeply connected to local partners, she advocates for the power of design in France and across Europe.

“I believe our collective energy can open the path to a sustainable and inclusive future!” – Isabelle Vérilhac

Now, returning to the Board, I wish to reinforce BEDA’s strategic positioning, particularly in relation to DG EMPL and the European agenda on skills. Skills are the foundation of all
transitions—human-centred, future-oriented, and essential for new jobs, new production models, and new ways of living. Strengthening BEDA’s influence in this domain is critical for the future of the design sector and for Europe’s competitiveness. I am ready to contribute actively to this next chapter: consolidating BEDA’s role as a strategic partner for EU institutions, expanding international collaborations, and ensuring that design—and designers—remain at the heart of Europe’s transformation.