Russell Smith

Design
Branding
Direction
Illustration
Empathy
Listening
Adapting
Calm

Multidisciplinary, hands-on Creative Director of compelling and transformative brand identities that align with business needs.

Specialism 1

Visual Brand Identities

I craft visual routes to define the look, feel, and attitude of a brand. Whether remixing an existing identity or creating something entirely new, I set the visual direction for key brand assets to establish a cohesive and fully rationalised visual language. The goal is to create a "north star" — a guiding vision that inspires design teams and informs every touchpoint.

Specialism 2

Design and 
Brand Systems

I engineer adaptable brand systems that connect diverse business units while respecting market- and touchpoint-specific nuances. I build design philosophies and guidelines that fuel cross-unit collaboration without sacrificing individuality. The result is a system where each unit operates independently yet remains unmistakably part of the brand family — whether through a monolithic structure or a "house of brands" approach.

Specialism 3

User Interface Design

I design and deliver beautiful, functional, and responsive digital experiences — always UX-focused and often component-driven — anchored in modern design systems that ensure consistency across platforms. My work spans from internal tool creation to exploratory digital concepts. I collaborate deeply across disciplines to bring innovative business solutions to life.

Specialism 4

Leadership Philosophy

My leadership blends hands-on creative execution with a focus on growing team sensibilities and technical depth. I lead by example—mentoring teams to deliver thoughtful, high-impact work rooted in analysis, intuition, and curiosity. I believe in fostering a culture of humour, pride in craft, and creative freedom—where uniqueness is celebrated and “weirdness” becomes a strength. I champion adaptability, collaboration, and unconventional thinking to drive truly original outcomes.

Specialism 5

Multidisciplinary Expertise

Beyond Brand and UI design, I’ve explored—through both hobby and commercial need—Illustration, Videography, Motion Graphics, Logo Design, 3D, and Photography. These skills enable me to communicate fluently across disciplines, strengthening collaboration and expanding creative capabilities—both my own and those of the teams I work with—to meet the evolving demands of business growth.

A creative leader with over 17 years of experience driving brand and digital transformation across education, fintech, sport, and travel sectors. I'm a strategic design thinker that has crafted tasteful visual systems, and lead with hands-on execution for user-centric, scalable solutions — delivering across corporate and consumer-facing platforms.

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EF Education First - Creative Director

2023 - Present

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EF Education First - Art Director

2020 - 2023

A1

EF Education First - Senior Digital Designer

2018 - 2020

C3

Deloitte Digital - Senior Creative Designer

2015 - 2018

Deloitte Digital - Creative Designer

2013 - 2015

POSSIBLE - Freelance Digital Designer

2013 - 2013

Territory Studio - Freelance Digital Designer

2012 - 2013

Foviance - User Experience Design Consultant

2010 - 2012

The Insight Exchange - Freelance User Interface Designer

2009 - 2010

Samsung Design Europe - Interaction Designer

2009 - 2009

Sabotage Design - Freelance Interaction Designer

2008 - 2008

Court Three - Graphic Designer

2006 - 2007

Education

First Class, Bachelor of Arts (Honours), Design for Interaction

2006 - 2009. Ravensbourne, Chislehurst, England

Distinction, BTEC National Diploma, Multimedia

2004 - 2006. North West Kent, Dartford, England

Russell Smith

Creative Director

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