Dr Vanessa Brady OBE to speak at the Bathroom Association Connect Conference

The Bathroom Association has confirmed Dr Vanessa Brady OBE, founder & CEO of the Society of British & International Interior Design (SBID), as a featured speaker at the Bathroom Association Connect Conference 2026, taking place on Thursday, 8th 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.

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.”