BEDA Leadership Transition: Mark Illi Appointed President

21/05/26

The Bureau of European Design Associations (BEDA) enters a new chapter of its leadership as Mark Illi steps into the role of President, following years of close collaboration with former President Christina Melander. This transition reflects both continuity and renewal for the organisation, which has long been a central voice for design in Europe.

BEDA extends its sincere gratitude to Christina Melander of the Danish Design Center for her outstanding leadership and dedication. During her tenure, Christina played a pivotal role in strengthening BEDA’s position as a recognised and respected organisation across Europe. Her commitment has helped reinforce BEDA’s network, expand its influence, and ensure that design remains a vital part of European policy and innovation discussions.

Her achievements have laid a strong foundation for future growth, and her impact will continue to resonate throughout the organisation and its community.

Reflecting on his new role, Mark Illi (Swiss Design Association) highlights the importance of continuity and collective effort:

“After years of working together with Christina Melander, I have stepped up into the role of BEDA President. It is a responsibility I take on with great pride — and with deep respect for what has been built over the years.”

BEDA’s stability and reputation are the result of sustained commitment from its members since its founding in 1969. This long-standing engagement remains central to the organisation’s success, ensuring that BEDA continues to represent and support the European design community effectively.

Under Mark Illi’s leadership, BEDA will focus on reinforcing its role as a professional and reliable partner while delivering clear, tangible value to its members. His priorities for the coming years include:

Strengthening BEDA’s professional positioning as a trusted and dependable European design body
Delivering measurable value for members and partners through concrete initiatives
Enhancing BEDA’s influence at the EU level, ensuring that design remains integral to policy and innovation agendas

A key initiative in this direction is the MADres project, which is already delivering direct benefits to designers and member organisations. This project exemplifies BEDA’s commitment to translating strategy into impact.

The European design sector is navigating a complex environment marked by tighter budgets, rising expectations, and increasing competition for recognition and resources. Mark Illi emphasises that these challenges underscore the importance of BEDA’s work, noting that this is exactly when BEDA matters most and when active involvement from the community is essential.

By fostering collaboration and active participation across its network, BEDA aims to strengthen the resilience and visibility of the design sector in Europe.

As BEDA moves forward, it does so with a strong leadership team. Supporting Mark Illi is BEDA Vice President Antonella Andriani, who will play a key role in advancing the organisation’s strategic priorities and ensuring continuity in leadership.

“As a founding member of BEDA, ADI believes it is extremely important to participate more and more actively in design-driven social, cultural and economic development at the European level. As Vice President of BEDA, I am committed to facilitating members to share and define best practices to improve Europe’s competitiveness with the common and ultimate goal to improve the quality of life.” — Antonella Andriani, BEDA Vice President | Association for Industrial Design (ADI)

Together, the leadership team is committed to building on BEDA’s legacy while adapting to new opportunities and challenges. With the continued engagement of its members, BEDA is well-positioned to remain a driving force for design in Europe.