Who's who: Introducing APID

A look at the new board of directors of APID

Farida Kamber Al Awadhi
Managing director, Cinmar Design
President, APID

What is the importance of having an association such as APID?

The industry has developed without any monitoring of the quality of services or the ethics of the profession.

This is why we see intruders in the market trying to play the role of the professional interior designer. The act of their intrusion has left consumers exposed and has introduced unhealthy competition in the market. Therefore, it is imperative to have an association such as APID that aims to protect both professional interior designers and consumers.

Hazem el Khatib
Managing partner, Design Design
Vice president, APID

How will you make APID more relevant to the design community?

APID has emerged from the heart of the design community. A part of APID’s objectives is to identify and resolve the common problems that the industry faces. Furthermore, APID drives towards connecting its members and opening doors to new opportunities, nationally and regionally.

Bashar Al Yawer
Managing director, Guideline Interiors
Director, APID

What will your new role entail?

I will try my best to present APID in all fields, as well as to governmental bodies, and worldwide. I decided to get involved because I believe that the interior design profession needs to have more integrity and competence.

Fernando Arteaga
Associate director, Hirsch Bedner Associates
Director, APID

What will your new role entail?

My role is to assist APID and all of its members in achieving their key objectives in the shortest term possible. Personally, I will use my international experience to incorporate elements that have proven to be successful in other countries, so we can have an association that embraces professionalism and has the credibility of a serious organisation. HBA is a founding member of APID and we believe that APID is the perfect platform to develop a successful dialogue between government, the private sector and international bodies.

Gary Lawton
CEO, United Design International
Director, APID

What will your new role entail?

In my new role, I hope I will be able to bring my experience of the industry to the table, in order to help define the future strategy of the organisation and to assist in developing existing members’ participation, in order to further establish APID in the design community.

EXECUTIVE COMMITEE

Christian Merieau
Managing director, Samuel Creations
Executive Committee Member, responsible for Events

What will your new role entail?

My role will be to develop a conceptual framework detailing the type of events that would be of most interest to APID members. From my perspective, the events hosted by APID should provide a platform for relationship building and an opportunity for the community to debate topics affecting our business in the Middle East. We expect to host six major events in 2010. One important event for all interior designers to keep in mind will be the new Festival of Interior Design that will put an annual spotlight on the region’s creative potential.

Jan Arentoft
Manager, A&D, Gemaco Furniture
Executive Committee Member,
responsible for Education

What will your new role entail?

All APID members already have a high level of education, as they are graduates from all over the world. But if we want to keep up with our colleagues ‘back home’, it is important to maintain, develop and refresh our competencies, so that our companies can provide the same or a better level of service, and can handle overseas competition. We need to stay tuned for new challenges and to provide optimal solutions for our clients and the communities we help create.

Gianni Sharrouf
Business development and marketing
manager, Purity
Executive Committee Member, responsible for International Relations

What will your new role entail?

As chairman of the international relations committee, my role will include developing regional chapters for APID, twinning APID with other regional and international design associations, helping bring international design events and inspirational speakers to the UAE, teaming up with international awards organisations and developing the relationship between the interior design community in the UAE and abroad.

Nathalie Habib
Group marketing and PR manager,
Greenline Group
Executive Committee Member, responsible for PR and Marketing

What will your new role entail?

I will put in place a marketing strategy that provides new initiatives that meet APID objectives. The most important input I will provide is creating communication platforms that will raise the profile and image of this association in the eyes of the media, industry professionals and both the local and regional economic and commercial sectors.

Nemr Sidani
Managing director, Archdome Interiors
Executive Committee Member, responsible for Membership

What will your new role entail?

I will be in charge of the membership committee, which has the role of increasing APID memberships. This will be done by putting in place a robust action plan which will try to cover most of the design community not only in Dubai but also in the Middle East. APID is tackling problems that we as professional interior designers face every day. By uniting, we will strengthen the interior design industry and this will be for the benefit of everybody: interior designers, clients and suppliers.

ADDITIONAL MEMBERS

Kenneth Laidler
Chairman, KLD
Past president

A 7th board membership will be reserved for the universities and will be rotated amongst them.

Faten Alsarraf
Managing director, Final Fix Interiors
Executive Committee Member, responsible for Professional Practice.