Duncan Stevens

I built the company’s financial models and go-to-market strategy from the ground up, mapping out the competitive landscape, conducting market analysis (pricing strategy and category trends), and gleaning consumer insights to drive our product roadmap and production plan.

I also lead our branding and our go-to-market, channel and distribution roadmaps: from designing investor pitch decks to craft

Co-founding a regenerative land restoration platform for Southern Africa, where climate adaptation, land justice, and investable returns intersect.

South Africa faces degraded agricultural land, deepening climate vulnerability, and unresolved land restitution, challenges traditional conservation and development models have failed to address together. Earth One Trust sits at that intersection: mak

Participating in a 4-month immersive programme focused on impact investing and sustainable finance. Engaged in over 20 curated sessions, peer-group projects and networking opportunities with global practitioners.

Exploring system-level relationships between money, investment and sustainability; co-developed seed ideas for regenerative finance models and expanded a global network of impact-orient

Joined a six-month action-inquiry learning journey in climate systems change. Through three modules, personal coaching and live workshops, I am applying systemic thinking to my own climate-innovation context, designed adaptive processes for complex change, and built facilitation and leadership capacity to drive interdependent transformation.

I was brought in to establish and lead Margin Innovation’s ESG and Corporate Impact practice, shaping a robust strategic roadmap from the ground up. I designed and operationalised a full ESG framework, grounded in stakeholder research, industry analysis, and measurable objectives, to align the organisation’s activities with its mission of broad-based poverty alleviation.

As part of this role, I a

I co-founded Regenera as a multidisciplinary collective dedicated to social innovation through design. In this pro-bono venture, I led design interventions for marginalised communities focused on building food and water resilience and women’s empowerment under climate stress.

We applied biomimicry and human-centred design methodologies to develop sustainable solutions aligned with the United Nat

I served as Head Lecturer for iXperience’s UX Design course, where I revamped the curriculum to embed sustainability and ethical design principles alongside core UI/UX concepts.

I transformed the programme into an intensive bootcamp, distilling complex design psychology, colour theory, and user research methods into an accessible format for remote learners. I also mentored multiple cohorts of st

In an initial 3-month engagement, I served as Design Manager to kickstart Margin Innovation’s ESG initiative and amplification strategy.

I conducted baseline research, defined early ESG objectives, and collaborated with cross-functional teams to craft core messages highlighting the organisation’s mission of broad poverty alleviation.

The frameworks and strategies developed in this period provi

I led global design research projects for studio intO, managing multi-regional teams and delivering actionable insights to Fortune 500 clients. I oversaw end-to-end project delivery, from scoping and proposals to field execution and analysis, keeping research on schedule and within budget.

A key part of my role was aligning local research experts across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas to

As a UX and Consumer Researcher for studio intO, I provided on-the-ground user insight in South Africa for global client projects. I conducted local user interviews and cultural research to help international teams understand South African consumer behaviour, ensuring that business strategies were informed by authentic regional perspectives.

For nearly two decades I ran my own bespoke jewellery brand, honing my entrepreneurial and creative skills in equal measure. As the Founder and Creative Director, I handled everything from original design and production through to branding, sales, and client management.

I translated emerging fashion trends into unique collections and marketed them via strategic campaigns and high-profile placeme

I conducted a context-specific design research project for the SAAO observatory in Sutherland as part of my industrial design thesis. The project focused on developing innovative lighting solutions for the observatory that preserved dark-sky conditions while meeting operational needs. I gathered on-site data and collaborated with astronomers to create recommendations that balanced human usability

I advised a boutique eyewear manufacturer (The Oculus) on improving its production processes and sustainable design practices. After mapping the company’s workflow through staff interviews and observation, I identified bottlenecks and gaps. I then implemented new systems and tools that streamlined production and reduced lead times.

Additionally, I introduced sustainability measures, such as reca

I participated in a pro-bono design sprint with the Greater Tygerberg Partnership and engineers from Aurecon to develop a public ablution block for informal traders in Cape Town.

I helped design systems for the facility’s operation and maintenance, addressing challenges like security, privacy, water scarcity, and vandalism. Our team engaged local traders to incorporate community input into the d

BTech Industrial Design

Produced campaign and brand design across hospitality, entertainment, and casino divisions.
Delivered targeted media and promotional content for multi-market audiences.
Created retail and casino promotions that drove engagement and on-site activity.
Managed TTL event creative across outdoor, digital, and print.
Streamlined advertising outputs to reduce waste and improve efficiency.

Key Achievemen

Managed photographers, production and created a cohesive magazine-style guide. Created in-house advertising/advertorials for brands which included Converse, Mastercard, British Airways etc.

Ensured the visuals, messaging and/or interactive and motion designs were on point and helped establishes budgets and timelines and managed artist relationships.

Roles and Responsibilities
⋮ Spearheaded design and marketing initiatives, ensuring brand consistency and effective communication across diverse African markets.
⋮ Managed media campaigns, optimizing reach and engagement through targeted strategies.
⋮ Refocused advertising and PR to streamline processes and reduce carbon impact, contributing to sustainable practices.
⋮ Created impactful retail and

SERVICES PROVIDED: Brand positioning, PR, Social media campaigns, UX/UI, Corporate Gifting, Strategy, Marketing, Art Direction, TTL Advertising Campaigns

SOUTH AFRICAN CLIENTS: Vodacom, Subaru South Africa, Standard Bank Private Bank, Clientele Life, Nuby, Times Media Group ex Avusa Group (Sunday Times, The Times, The Weekender, The Sowetan, Sunday World, Daily Dispatch, Business Day, Gallo Recor

I was initially employed as the Creative Director for this niche South African Publisher and managed the creative and editorial directions of a number of B2B and B2C publications for over a year.

The B2C publication was a high LSM equestrian publication, whilst the B2B publications were trade and retail-related publications incl. an African trade resource publication for the continent.

After 18

Branded sound atmosphere styling to enhance ambiance tailored to peak trading hours and customer usage of the venues. Head of customer relations, venue research & programming, budgets and, supplier relationships.

CLIENT LIST: Soho House plc (Soho House, Babington House, The Electric, The Cowshed Spa Mayfair, Shoreditch House, Soho House New York), The First Restaurant Group Pty Ltd (The Ebury, T

Graduated Cum Laude, firsts (<75%) achieved for all courses taken: Design (subjects included Product/3D Design, 2D Design, Technical Drawing, Illustration), Art Theory, Business Management and Materials.

Primary Thesis: 'Driving in the Dark: Context-driven vehicle mobility and visibility around ground-based observatories'. Honours Thesis for the SAAO (South African Astronomical Observatory)

Project Lead: Manis 5K Project
Paired Thesis: NEVA. Western Cape contextual personal cooling product design and research
BitPro Project Lead: Greater Tygerberg Informal Trader ablution project, Bellville

Studied design & manufacture of jewellery

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