In Dubai, in front of an audience of renowned international designers and architects, the International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI) inaugurated Titi Ogufere, CEO of Essential Interiors Consultancy and Publisher Essential Media Group as President.
She is the first President of African descent with the unanimous support and vote extended by the IFI members during the General Assembly in 2017.
As CEO/Creative Director of Essential Interiors Consultancy, publisher of Essential Interiors Media, founder of the Interior Designers Association of Nigeria (IDAN) and Design Week Lagos (DWL), West Africa’s first global design fair, Ogufere brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the organisation. Titi joins as the 21st president of the federation as it nears its 60th and continues to expand, internationally and across all levels of society, furthering the contribution of the Interior Architecture/Design profession through the exchange, development of knowledge, experience in education, research and practice, through fellowship and community.
The new President will focus on shifting the narrative of African design by creating stronger links leading to collaborations between the continent and the rest of the globe with IFI resources. She strongly believes design should be inclusive and as the global voice and authority for professional Interior Architects/Designers, IFI must prioritize this as its central agenda.
Titi Ogufere, IFI’s president said: “I am excited about this opportunity, especially as the first African to become president of the International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI). The design industry is particularly intriguing because if a design doesn't solve a problem and isn't of use to a broad group – not just in the developing nations, but globally – then I'd say it's not a very successful design. I look forward to strengthening relationships across the region, using design to solve problems and improving the profession of architecture and design on a global level” She says.
Steven Leung, IFI President, 2017-2020 said: "I formally congratulate Nigeria, Africa and the Interior Designers Association of Nigeria (IDAN) on the appointment of Ms. Titi Ogufere as the incoming President of the International Federation of Interior Architects/ Designers.
"We are pleased to have Ms. Ogufere as the first President of African descent with the unanimous support and vote extended by the IFI members during the General Assembly in 2017. We see this opportunity for IFI, to help to expand and uplift literacy, awareness, fellowship and cooperation – not just within the discipline of Interior Architecture/Design but also at a societal and cultural level", he added.
Titi Ogufere is a pioneering designer, design advocate, critical thinker and visionary. She believes that the potential for design to change society and bring economic development in the developing countries is underrated. Ogufere champions the cause with a relentless drive in breaking boundaries, pushing the agenda of advocacy, sustainability, collaboration, growth, identity discovery, problem-solving and education. She has received acclaim for her design approach and is at the forefront of the industry in Africa.
As the Creative Director of Essential Interiors Consultancy, an interdisciplinary practice and consultancy that works at the intersection of design, innovation and sustainability, she promotes design thinking that solves problems. The award-winning practice was set up in 2002 and has since established an international identity with a wide variety of projects that are context-specific, innovative, experimental, critical and theoretical. Through her design practice, Essential Interiors Consultancy, Titi has designed high-end residential, commercial, and hospitality projects for an exclusive list of highly select clients across the globe. She is also CEO of Essential Media Group (EMG), a full-service media company spread across the platforms of Publishing, Events and Digital Media. EMG publishes 2 leading magazines, organizes a design festival, two highly specialized exhibitions, conferences, an awards programme and has published over 25 books including This is Africa: Traditional Design, Modern and Contemporary (2017), In Conversation with Demas Nwoko (2019) and Vernacular Design: Redefining the Narrative (2019).
Titi is an exceptional creative genius with an interior design career that began in 2002 and is arguably among the top 10 leaders of the design world in Africa. As a leader and pioneer in the field, she is also the founder of the Interior Designers Association of Nigeria (IDAN) and Design Week Lagos (DWL), West Africa’s first global design fair. In recognition of her contributions as a true leader in the design community in Africa, Titi was elected President of the International Federation of Interior Architects/Designers (IFI) and begins her tenure in February 2020. IFI is the world body for the Interior Architects/Designers industry headquartered in New York.
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