IDA President

Mary Fox Linton

Fox Linton Associates

Mary established Fox Linton Associates Ltd in 1977 to work solely on interior architectural projects, having undertaking restoration of historical buildings and large private residences both in the UK and abroad. Mary has received many awards over the years. Most recently Mary has been awarded the Royal Oak Foundation’s Timeless Design Award to mark a lifetime’s achievement and contribution to the international world of design. 

IDA Chairman

Charles Leon

Charles Leon Associates

Charles trained originally as a theatre designer and has worked with several major British and International theatre groups. This work naturally led on feature film design and it was whilst working on a feature that he was approached to join a team of international of hotel designers. In 1997 Charles set up his own design practice, Charles Leon Associates specialising in hotel design. He has since broadened the range of the company to incorporate Architecture, Residential, Spa and Restaurant design.

IDA Managing Director

Colin Watson

IDA & BCFA

Colin Watson is Managing Director of the Interior Design Association (IDA) and the British Contract Furnishing Association (BCFA). He also sits on boards covering combined industry associations in the UK and Europe.

His early career included senior positions with BTR, GEC, and Thorn EMI before entering the furniture industry as Group Marketing and Design Director of a European Office Furniture Group. With 20 years experience in the market for commercial interiors he joined the BCFA in 2007 to build business initiatives for the industry and in 2009 was instrumental in setting up the IDA.

IDA Council Members

Jan Wilson

RPW Design

Jan Wilson is one of the most experienced designers working in the international hotel and leisure sector today. Having graduated in Australia with a degree in architecture, she came to the UK some 30 years ago and led teams handling a number of Europe’s then most prestigious hotel refurbishments.

Jan went on to establish RPW Design with two partners in 1988 and since then she has grown the company in terms of experience, reputation and size into one of the world's leading hospitality design practices.

Frances Blackham

Trevillion Interiors Ltd

Frances is the Design Director at Trevillion supplying architectural interior design solutions for both new build and refurbishment projects

Simon Jackson

Gensler

Simon is a Principal of Gensler’s Workplace practice area in London. With over 25 years of professional experience, his career has encompassed all aspects of commercial interior design: office, retail and hospitality - working for leading design agencies such as Fitch & Co as well as Charles Pfister Associates. 

A staunch advocate for ‘best practice’ in workplace design, it is Simon’s work on corporate office interiors, with global architecture and design firm Gensler, that has spurred a consuming passion to continually improve productivity and creativity in the working environment through the understanding of interior architecture and promotion of inside/outside design.

Harriet Forde

Harriet Forde Interior Design

Tony Booth

Design Coalition

IDA Council

Tony qualified in spatial design and has over 25 years experience in the retail and leisure sector. He joined the board at Design Coalition in 1997 and was appointed Managing Director in 2008. The company provides a professional design, architectural and project management service to international clients within the hotel and leisure sector.

Zaniz Jakubowski

Zaniz

Born in England Zaniz has since lived in New York and across Europe. She was cited in the US press as 'the interior designer of the 90s' and has worked for a long list of illustrious companies and well known individuals. Now based in the UK as principal of her own practice Zaniz has worked on offices, cruise ships, hotels, showrooms and theatre sets.

Adele@theida.co.uk