Industry players in the interiors industry gathered recently in an important forum which seeks to harness synergy for the progressive growth of the sector at a national level. The interiors forum is a necessary platform for industry peers to network and forge strong alliances for the overall growth of business, and is held periodically within the year.
Organized by Ideal Interiors East Africa in conjunction with the Interior Design Association of Kenya (IDAK), the first forum in 2015 was an important inkling on various opportunities available in the marketplace and how they can be exploited by all and sundry.
“This is an important forum that brings together key players in the industry,” said Humphrey Odhiambo, who is the Managing Director of Ideal Interiors East Africa. “Every stakeholder must be here to meet other peers for a meaningful business engagement.”
New ways
The interior design industry is geared to witness an emergence of new ways of doing business with dedicated product suppliers as a result of Design Bill queued for tabling in Kenya’s National Assembly.
As like minds who would be guided by the forthcoming law, the interiors design sector players comprising; Product Manufacturers and Suppliers, Architects and Interior Designers, Developers and Real Estate Managers, Product Specifiers; met at this high profile event to discuss the progresses in the industry and how they could move forward.
This particular business networking forum was themed: Building Synergy of Innovation in Design.
The event explored, among other things, the upcoming Design Bill, and what benefits the industry can derive from it should it be passed. The Bill is meant to empower industry players to have more breadth in terms of mandate and influence in how business is done in the industry.
Vet and approve
The Design Bill would among other things ratify the existence of an authority that would have powers to professionally vet and approve entities within the sector. IDAK and other related bodies stand a great chance to gain from this by being recognized by government for this important role.
Members of the association therefore, stand to gain a lot when businesses will be streamlined and professionalism instilled in the industry as a functional element of delivery and existence.
In his submission, IDAK Secretary General Samson Malaki said the Bill was at an advanced stage of consideration, and would require the backing of all industry players.
There was a submission from the Kenya Industrial Property Institute (KIPI) on patents and copyright, and why interiors stakeholders needed to protect their intellectual property by all means.
During the event, CEO of Quadrant Shift Africa Bobby Yawe challenged stakeholders to embrace new ways of doing interiors because trends were shifting sporadically and rapidly. He said stakeholders shouldn’t be left behind because of ignorance.
Ideal Interiors East Africa officially launched its TV Show programme called Ideal Interiors Show, which is scheduled to take off in coming weeks on one of the local TV stations.
