Women in Furniture Network

Zoë Bonser

Portfolio Dircetor, Clarion Retail

As Portfolio Director, Zoë currently oversees 7 live events in the retail sector including January Furniture Show and Manchester Furniture Show, Home & Gift, Top Drawer Spring and Autumn, Scotland Trade Fair Spring and Autumn, as well as the digital platform REVEAL.  Zoë is passionate about supporting young talent, coaching and mentoring and in particular empowering women within the workplace to fulfill their potential. Zoë has successfully launched 3 networks dedicated to women, latterly the Women in Furniture Network, which aims to improve the visibility of women in the furniture sector as well as provide much-needed networking opportunities and access to a new mentoring platform.

Joanna Hauptman

Co-Founder, Hyde House

Joanna is the driving force behind Hyde House, where she has seamlessly married her passion for bespoke furniture design with her unwavering commitment to crafting captivating interiors that resonate with sophistication. Having started out in the vibrant world of publishing and fashion, Joanna's journey has been a tapestry of influences that culminate in her distinctive design sensibility. Her early years in the fast-paced realm of fashion publishing armed her with an acute understanding of trends and an instinctive grasp of aesthetics. This invaluable experience set the stage for her seamless transition into the realm of interior design, where she has elevated the concept of luxury living.

Katie Marshall

Managing Director, Vidato Interiors UK and Director of Bluebird

Katie has over 20 years experience in the furniture trade, starting in furniture retail management in the Yorkshire region and expanding skills to representing manufacturers to the trade. She then held a position for 5 years in a National UK Sales role with Yask manufacturing from Poland, which further developed on to include the US. From here Katie held tenure for 13 years with Stressless furniture handling the North East and Scotland including all independent retailers and the HSL multiple. She is now the Managing director of Vidato Interiors UK, a bespoke upholstery manufacturer in the Netherlands and also Director of Bluebird Agents and Consultancy handling a number of manufacturing agencies for the UK.

Simone Suss

Founder of Studio Suss

Simone is the Founder of Studio Suss and recognised as one of the “Country and Townhouse 50 Finest UK Interior Designers 2024”. The studio's projects range from new-build private residences for high-net-worth individuals across the world, to commercial developments and branded office and retail spaces for companies.    

Simone trained at Central St Martins College of Art and Design, the Chelsea School of Art and Design, and the Inchbald School of Design and is a regular guest lecturer at several design schools. She is an alumnus of the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership and sits on the Professional Practice and Sustainability committee of the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) whom she represents on the Construction Industry Council Climate Change Committee.  She is a founding signatory of Interior Design Declares who she represents on the Built Environment Declares Steering Group, collaborating with colleagues to set the interior design industry’s sustainability agenda and long-term strategy.