[2] The IDI was originally known as The Society of Designers of Ireland (SDI) when it was founded in 1972 at meeting in the Shelbourne hotel in 1972 attended by 60 people.
Other past–presidents include Robin Walker founder of Scott Tallon Walker and winner of two RIAI Triennial Gold Medals, Frank Ryan, Selma Harrington and Arthur Gibney who was also a former president of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland(RIAI) and president of the Royal Hibernian Academy, RHA.
[5] The current IDI President is Mary Doherty, founder of Red Dog, who replaced Dominic Southgate of Boxclever in November 2022.
The 2016/17 president was Ms George Boyle, an architect and social entrepreneur [7] Its Past-President for 2015/16 is Cork based designer and CIT lecturer Marc O'Riain, who was elected in April 2014.
[10] In September 2020, IDI appointed former Dynamo agency director Charlotte Barker as its inaugural chief executive.