Antalis UK Head of Specification Claire White has been named the first female president of the Shop and Display Equipment Association
Antalis has announced that its UK Head of Specification, Claire White, has been appointed President of the Shop and Display Equipment Association (SDEA). Her appointment marks a significant milestone for the trade organisation, making her the first woman to hold the presidency in the association’s history since its foundation in 1947.
White’s leadership role was officially confirmed during the SDEA’s 79th Annual General Meeting on 27 May 2026. Her appointment follows a successful one-year tenure as Vice President, alongside extensive previous service as an active Council Member. She succeeds outgoing president Mark Chatterton of Morplan, whilst James North of Northbanks Design has been elected as the association’s new Vice President.
Claire White said, “I am incredibly honoured to serve as the first female President of the Shop and Display Equipment Association, where I champion innovation across the retail display sector.”
White brings a comprehensive background in retail management, spatial design, and material specification to the presidency. Having initially studied spatial design, she focused on visual merchandising and store aesthetics, accumulating years of practical experience regarding how physical commercial environments influence the consumer experience. In her current market-facing role, she applies this technical knowledge to assist brands, retailers, and interior designers in selecting and matching substrates for live commercial installation projects. Her work covers the retail, exhibition, and commercial interior sectors, with a particular emphasis on aiding the industry’s transition towards sustainable, 100 per cent recyclable material alternatives.
At Antalis, White leads a specialised team of specification consultants operating across the visual communications and creative papers divisions. The team provides technical guidance to help design agencies and brand managers navigate complex substrate selection processes, ensuring high-impact creative retail concepts can be manufactured efficiently.
The appointment highlights White’s professional standing within the sector and underscores Antalis’ ongoing commitment to fostering creativity, structural innovation, and sustainable progression across the wider retail display, signage, and design industries.