My first experience of working in a design agency was with Parker Barry Creative in Cambridge. It was a self-initiated work placement straight after graduating from university in May 1998. I had a brilliant time helping to create mood boards and even had the opportunity to design wine labels for a prestigious local vineyard — a pretty exciting introduction to the industry.

That same summer, just as I was setting out on my career in the South-East of England, the new G3 iMac launched. It was revolutionary — and a thing of beauty. At the time, few could have predicted the impact it would go on to have, but it certainly felt like an exciting moment to be entering the world of design.

My first “proper” role was as a Mac operator in a print house, where I also doubled as receptionist. It was a hands-on environment and a fantastic place to learn. I picked up invaluable technical skills and benefited from the generosity and experience of some very talented people.

My next role was at a direct mail and graphic design agency. As a junior designer, I was given the rare opportunity to art direct an entire advertising campaign — overseeing everything from photoshoots through to final artwork. It was a steep learning curve, but an incredibly rewarding one.

From there, I joined a marketing and events agency as a middleweight designer, specialising in branding, large-format events and traditional print. It was here that I further developed my ability to think strategically as well as creatively.

Over the years, I progressed through increasingly senior roles across a range of companies. One standout experience was working on an intensive Information Architecture-led project for Telstra during a stint in 2006 in Melbourne, Australia — a challenging and educational opportunity.

Although I’d dabbled in website design along the way, my first real immersion in digital came in 2009 with Rouge Media. Back then, designers were expected to be all-singing, all-dancing — spanning brand, print, UI and UX, long before those disciplines became clearly defined roles in their own right.

Since then, as digital has taken centre stage, I’ve held a variety of senior and lead positions — both freelance and permanent — delivering work across a broad spectrum of products. From global platforms requiring strategic thinking and complex UX, to large-format digital installations, social media, and playful game graphics, I’ve continued to evolve alongside the ever-changing landscape of design.

These days, I freelance remotely from my well-equipped home office in the heart of beautiful Carmarthenshire, Wales. I’m slowly but surely learning Welsh, with the aim of being reasonably conversational by the end of 2026 — watch this space!

Work-wise, I’m fortunate to collaborate on a wide variety of projects for an equally diverse range of clients. One week I might be shaping complex clinical data products; the next, designing Alexa voice apps, social media campaigns or even game design. And yes, there’s still the occasional piece of print work too. The variety keeps things interesting — and keeps me on my toes. There’s always something new to explore, refine or learn, which is exactly what I love about this industry.

At its core, design is about solving problems — and I’m a problem solver by nature. It’s never just about aesthetics. Whenever possible, I like to understand the bigger picture: the context, the constraints and the wider objectives behind a project. Gaining a deeper understanding of what agencies, clients and end users truly need almost always leads to a stronger solution — both visually and functionally.

Over the years, I’ve also developed something close to superhero-level mind-reading skills — particularly when the brief is, shall we say, a little on the brief side. It’s not the ideal starting point, of course, but experience has taught me how to read between the lines and quickly grasp what’s really required.

I’m comfortable thinking at the macro level — shaping ideas, systems and strategy — and then zooming right down into the micro details that bring everything together. Context switching is part of my daily rhythm, and I genuinely enjoy the balance of big-picture thinking and meticulous execution.

I’ve been described as intuitively creative and thorough in delivery. With nearly three decades of experience behind me, I’m quick to pick up new tools, technologies and challenges. Ultimately, my goal is simple: to create great work that works — for you, your clients and their customers.

Good communication is of the utmost importance in any relationship, and I'm always striving to ensure constant touch points and provide updates throughout the working day. I try to fit as seamlessly as possible into your team and am happy to quickly adopt your working processes. I have experience with different project management tools such as Jira, MS Teams, Slack or even Excel spreadsheets if that's still your thing.

If you'd like to see if I'm a good fit, feel free to contact me!