Antalis welcomes Claire White’s appointment as president of the SDEA

Print Solutions

Antalis has announced that Claire White, UK head of specification, has been appointed president of the Shop & Display Equipment Association (SDEA), becoming the first woman to hold the role in the association’s history since its foundation in 1947.

Claire’s appointment was confirmed at the SDEA’s 79th annual general meeting on 27 May 2026, following her service as vice president over the past year and previously as a council member. She succeeds Mark Chatterton of Morplan, with James North of Northbanks Design elected as vice president.

Commenting on her appointment, Claire said: ‘I am incredibly honoured to serve as the first female president of the Shop & Display Equipment Association, where I champion innovation across the retail display sector.’

Claire brings to the role extensive experience across retail, design and material specification. Her career began on the frontline of the retail industry. After studying spatial design, she developed a strong passion for visual merchandising and store design, building many years of experience in understanding how physical environments shape the customer experience. Today, she uses that expertise to help end users and designers align materials with live projects across a broad range of sectors, including retail, exhibition and interiors, while also supporting the transition to sustainable, 100% recyclable options.

In her role as UK head of specification at Antalis, Claire leads a team of specification consultants across visual communications and creative papers. Together, they help brands and designers navigate the complex world of materials, enabling them to bring high impact creative concepts to life.

Claire’s appointment reflects both her personal contribution to the industry and Antalis’ continued commitment to supporting innovation, creativity and progress across the retail display and design sectors.