The Bathroom Association has confirmed Dr Vanessa Brady OBE, Founder & CEO of the Society of British and International Interior Design (SBID), as a featured speaker at the Bathroom Association Connect Conference 2026, taking place on Thursday, 8 October 2026, at The Grand Hotel, Birmingham.
The annual conference brings together the bathroom sector’s supply chain and partners for a day of insight, discussion and networking, followed by an exclusive gala dinner.
Design, trends and growth: what the bathroom sector needs next
With the 2026 conference theme set as ‘Stronger Together’, the programme focuses on how the industry can collaborate on what customers actually need, aligning across standards, innovation, sustainability, skills and market expectations to build a stronger, more resilient sector.
In her session, Dr Brady will bring an interior design lens to the bathroom category, examining how evolving trends are shaping product expectations, from aesthetics and materials to functionality and the overall user experience, and what this means for manufacturers and the wider supply chain. Her talk will explore how the sector can respond to shifting consumer priorities and translate design insight into commercial opportunity, helping the category grow through smarter specification, better-informed product development, and stronger collaboration between design, manufacture and delivery.
Amy Kirk, Engagement Director and conference organiser at the Bathroom Association, said: “Vanessa’s expertise is invaluable in helping our sector understand what today’s consumers want, how trends are shaping specification decisions, and how manufacturers can respond to drive growth. Her session speaks directly to our Stronger Together theme, because the best outcomes happen when design intent and product reality are joined up across the supply chain.”
About Dr Vanessa Brady OBE
Dr Vanessa Brady OBE is an international award-winning interior designer, business consultant, and founder of the Society of British and International Interior Design (SBID), with over thirty years of experience spanning construction, B2B procurement and post-analysis of the design profession. She speaks on behalf of the UK Government for the Creative Industries, representing the interests of the interior design profession, and received an OBE for services to Interior Design and the UK Economy.
Most recently, Dr Brady was bestowed with the Freedom of the City following an extensive campaign to protect intellectual property rights for interior designers in the UK. She was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Design in recognition of her achievements in interior design education and won the Woman in the City Award for the Built Environment in 2013.
About the Connect Conference
Connect Conference 2026 will feature keynote talks, panel discussions and dedicated networking time, followed by an exclusive gala dinner. The charity raffle and auction, as well as the Thirty-Under-Thirty Awards, also return.
Sponsorship opportunities and delegate packages are available with options including day delegate passes, gala dinner attendance, and accommodation packages. View the Connect Conference website for more details.