Mr. David Smith
President of Institute of Art, Design + Technology, Dún Laoghaire
David is President of IADT, Ireland’s only institute of art, design and technology. As the home of the National Film School, the Institute is a lead partner in establishing a European University for Screen Arts and Media. Widely recognised as Ireland’s campus for the creative industries, David is currently advancing the Institute’s strategic vision to become a specialised University for the Creative and Cultural Industries.
David is the principal and founder of Atelier Projects, an independent design practice. The studio is among the most decorated and awarded Irish design studios, with numerous national awards and international recognition for the quality of its work.
Through education, advocacy and the output of his studio practice, David has significantly influenced and contributed to the reputation of Irish graphic design over the last two decades. He initiated the three x 3 internship programme for graduates of Irish design schools (www.threex3.com) and co-founded the 100Archive (www.100archive.com) to record and capture the history and practices of Irish Graphic Design.
He was the first Irish designer to be inducted into the Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI – www.a-g-i.org) – a community of the “world’s best designers”. He was a member of the AGI Executive with responsibility for Education (2012–2016), and was Vice-President and International Secretary (2016-2019).
In 2024, David was honoured with the prestigious Catherine Donnelly President’s and Lifetime Award for his contribution to Irish Design and Creativity from the Institute of Creative Advertising and Design (ICAD).
He was a professional advisor and member of the Steering Group for the year of Irish Design 2015 (ID2015); a member of the National Design Forum (convened by the Minister of Business, Enterprise & Innovation); a founding member of Design Educators Ireland (2018) the representative body of third level design education institutions in Ireland; and he is currently a director of the Technological Universities Association (TUA). He recently concluded his term as Director and Chair of the Board of EduCampus Services DAC, having successfully overseen the merger of the company with its parent, HEAnet, in January 2026 and was nominated to the board of Asiera in May 2026.