Award-winning Creative Director with 12+ years across publishing, advertising, brand strategy, and experiential design. Co-founder of Imagnary House — Africa's most internationally distributed independent children's publisher. Known for building brands with soul, leading with curiosity, and creating work that lives beyond the page.
Creative Director & Co-Founder
Jan 2020 – PresentImagnary House · Part-time · Cape Town
★ Best Children's Publisher Africa — Bologna Children's Book Fair 2025
- Lead all creative direction across the publishing process — from concept through to finished book
- Collaborate with illustrators, authors, and publishers to craft visually rich, compelling children's stories
- Drive international rights expansion via rights agents; titles sold in 13+ territories
- Built a self-funded, profitable business with minimal upfront capital
- Spearhead IP development across formats: audiobooks and early-stage animation projects
Art Director, Designer & Strategist
Jan 2014 – PresentFreelance · Remote
Independent creative consultant partnering with brands, agencies, and publishers across brand identity, campaign development, and strategic design. Human-centred design thinking certified.
- Virgin Active — Freelance Art Director (2015 & 2019), fitness class rebrand
- iO-Sphere — Creative Director, e-learning platform for data & AI training (current)
- United Nations & PRME — Global education initiative via Amsterdam agency BRAIN
- Lobster Ink — Concept development & execution for digital learning design
- Have You Heard (Absa) — Weekly email campaigns and catalogs
- Duke Advertising — Art direction for Coronation, Environ, Wonga, Riscura
- IMA (Experiential) — Activations for Lipton, Lays, Mastercard, Discovery, Simba, SKYY Vodka, Momentum, Metropolitan, Massmart
- Other clients — JIVE, Heineken, Smirnoff, Timbercity, Woolworths, Lucky Star, Schick, Moirs
Creative Director
Jan 2024 – Feb 2025Mwah! Barley Milk · Freelance · South Africa
- Shaped brand identity and go-to-market strategy, positioning Mwah! as a disruptor in SA's alternative milk industry
- Secured retail listings in Checkers and Spar; contributed to the brand's successful sale
- Directed content creation, events, and integrated campaigns to grow brand awareness
Freelance Senior Art Director
Jun – Nov 2022Triggerise · Global Non-Profit · Amsterdam
Art direction for a global not-for-profit triggering positive life choices for young people worldwide, with a focus on HIV and Mental Health awareness.
Founder
Sep 2014 – Jan 2020Sk8 for Gr8 · Social Enterprise · Cape Town
- Founded a social enterprise pairing designers with youth from under-resourced communities to co-create original skate deck artwork
- Ran progressive mentorship workshops in research, ideation, and creative execution
- Auctioned originals to fund future workshops; prints sold at sk8forgr8.com
- Selected for Red Bull Amaphiko; collaborated with Facebook & Oculus on a VR film
Art Director, Strategy Department
Apr – Aug 2015IMA (formerly Stretch) · Contract · Cape Town
Embedded in the strategy team to concept, plan, and art direct experiential brand activations. Transitioned to freelance to pursue Sk8 for Gr8 full-time.
Art Director
Jan 2013 – Aug 2014JWT South Africa · Cape Town
- Worked across TV, print, experiential, radio, and in-store for major brands
- Key accounts: Smirnoff, Schick, Kalahari, Shell, Lucky Star, Moirs, Hungry Lion, Johnson & Johnson
- Collaborated closely with strategy to develop communication strategies and roll-out plans
- SA Young Lions 2013 — Joint 2nd Place, Cinema category (48-hour challenge)