Tell us a bit about your role! Is there a “typical” day?
I’m Chief Creative Officer at Saffron, the global branding and design agency. I oversee the work of our global design team split between London, Madrid and Vienna, making sure the work that we produce is outstanding and memorable.
There is not really a “typical day”- I’m lucky enough to be able to travel between our different Saffron locations and for our clients, so every day is pretty exciting and different. But an ideal day keeps a good balance between meetings, working hands on a job and finding time to have good and inspiring conversations with colleagues and partners.
What was the biggest challenge in getting to your current position?
I didn’t have a real challenge in that sense – except maybe to have the patience to stay in the same company for 20 years and grow along with Saffron. I’ve had the privilege to work alongside the founders of Saffron, Jacob Benbunan and the late Wally Olins, since I joined as a Senior Designer.
They were generous enough to support me in my career and I was promoted to Creative Director in 2007, joined the Executive Committee in 2010, and became a Board Member in 2015. I’ve been Saffron’s Chief Creative Officer since 2016. One of the most challenging things I had to learn as I grew into leadership roles, was to figure out when to stay hands on with a job and when to delegate and let things go, trusting my team, colleagues, and peers.
What is your personal background and what role did it play in your career?
Prior to studying design in Stuttgart and Ulm, I was trained as a craftsman in sign making, screen printing and restoration. This has given me inestimable practical knowledge and experience which I’m still benefiting from today.
What is your biggest career-related win? What is your biggest loss?
Winning the YouTube rebrand with Saffron against our global competition has been a milestone in my career wins. Losing the rebrand of an amazing car company was quite a disappointment.
Which individuals and/or agencies do you gain inspiration from? Do you have any heroes in the industry?
I don’t really have specific heroes. I admire outstanding work from everyone and have a lot of respect for all those who can get a great idea over the line and not have it diluted in the day to day.
Over the years with Saffron, I’ve been exposed to great talent, and we’ve worked with amazing people as partners and clients who made our work even better.
If you could go back to your teenage years, would you have done things differently? Do you have any regrets?
Nothing I would regret, but I should have dared more.
If you weren’t in your current industry, what would you be doing?
My grandfather was a designer too, so I never really wanted to be anything other than a designer. But I love driving, so I would probably be a taxi or Uber driver.
What’s your one big dream for the future of the industry?
To not get carried away by the potential of technology and to preserve the craftsmanship of our profession.
What are your top tips for aspiring creative professionals?
Work hard, persevere and enjoy every stage of your career. You’re running a marathon, not a sprint, even if some people are in a bit too much of a hurry to get titles and medals. Every step counts and adds up to your experience.
Try to find people you really respect and can learn from, get them to support you in your aspirations, don’t give up and things will come your way.
What are your top tips for other creative leaders?
Don’t take yourself too seriously.
When you think about your team, what is the thing that matters to you the most?
Saffron is a very special place, and we work as one single team across offices and time zones every day. We’re truly connected and know each other incredibly well. There’s a strong culture in place.
What matters most to me for our team is creating a sense of belonging and of partnership. Encouraging teamwork to spark ideas, create dependability and develop resilience is crucial to achieve creative excellence. Along the way, I always try to be a role model and encourage other senior team members to do the same.
Do you have any websites, books or resources you would recommend?
I always think that life itself is the best resource for creativity. I try to make the most of my commuting and travels and find inspiration in everything I see, read or capture on the go. Attending design conferences and talks is something I enjoy as it helps to see how our colleagues go about things and where we stand as an industry.
I also recommend younger team members to have a look at business papers and financial press. In the end, the work we do as designers is conditioned by the business world. It's very important for creatives to develop commercial awareness and understand how things work out there and how they are connected to what we do.
