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Rowan Kelly

@rowankelly

Creative Director at Standard Bank Group / Liberty, who built Liberty’s CI Guide and online brand management system.

At Standard Bank Group / Liberty, I direct the in-house design studio’s creative quality and commercial performance. I lead a team of six and run its budget and cost-recovery service.

I built and maintain the Liberty CI Guide and online brand management system, including its ongoing development. I also negotiate and manage licensing agreements with Getty Images, Adobe and Microsoft.

At STANLIB and Liberty, I helped rebrand Liberty Group and STANLIB, creating colour templates and selecting fonts that remain in use today. I also worked across their corporate identities and internal campaigns.

I started out in design and layout, working on campaigns, packaging, corporate identities and magazine layouts. I’m a conceptual designer with a strong focus on typography and brand identity, and hold a Licentiate of the International Society of Typographic Designers.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Creative Director and Studio Team Leader

Current

Standard Bank Group / Liberty

Aug 2015 - Present (11 years 2 months)

Owns the direction, quality, and commercial performance of the group's in-house design studio. Leads a team of six, manages budgets, cost recovery, brand systems, and vendor contracts.

Creative Direction Team Leadership Budgeting CAPEX Cost Recovery Brand Management InDesign Illustrator Photoshop After Effects Premiere Pro StreamTime Contract Negotiation

Senior Designer

STANLIB and Liberty

Jan 2008 - Dec 2015 (7 years 11 months)

Rebranded Liberty Group and STANLIB, creating color templates and selecting fonts still in use. Delivered corporate identity work, campaigns, signage, and internal communications.

Corporate Identity Branding Campaign Design Adobe Creative Suite Typography

Designer / Layout Artist

Isikhova and People Magazine

Jan 2006 - Dec 2006 (11 months)

Handled magazine layout and client ads for South African Jewellery News and SASOL mini brochures. Organized shoots and styling for international model Caprice Bourret.

Magazine Layouts Advertising Design Photo Shoot Coordination

Designer

Scarab Origination

Jan 2006 - Dec 2006 (11 months)

Created packaging for McCain, Soft n' Free, and Plush, and corporate identity for PG Bison, Sappi, and others. Overhauled studio hardware and software.

Packaging Design Corporate Identity Adobe Creative Suite

Designer

GAP Advertising

Jan 2002 - Dec 2006 (4 years 11 months)

Created campaigns for SoftSheen•Carson Professional (L'Oréal division) and directed shoots for Hyde Park Shopping campaigns. Performed model retouching.

Advertising Campaigns Art Direction Photo Retouching Photoshop

Lecturer

Design Center

Jan 2001 - Dec 2001 (11 months)

Taught 2nd and 3rd-year Graphic and Multimedia students in Photoshop, FreeHand, and QuarkXPress while completing final year.

Teaching Photoshop Freehand Quark Xpress

Apprentice Designer

Media Link and Wetpaint Designs

Jan 2000 - Dec 2000 (11 months)

Created layouts for Fedsure and launch materials for Dwarsriver Chrome Mine. Produced ads for Mattress Factory, Toys R Us, and GSM, plus packaging for TCS and a shoe range for Buffalo.

Layout Design Advertising Packaging Design