Sr. Designer
Gulf News newspaper/ Al Nisr Publishing
Total years of experience :25 years, 2 Months
My job in Gulf News Newspaper is a recollection of all my previous experience as a Visual Journalist.
My main task is to create world class layout for our newspaper, that is more than just seat in the computer, it involves meetings with editors, generation of creative concepts and execution of it to contribute with the process of communication and story telling.
That also requires often getting involve in creating big illustrations by myself or coordinating with the experts on the field.
Also involves to create infographics, that will explain complex subjects to our readers, a infographic require to do deep research and translate that into a visual piece that will explain a process or event in the fastest simplest way to the reader. I do infographics my self or guide the infographic artist.
Photo production is another big part of my job, I had conceptualized and lead photo-shot sessions several times to get the perfect picture.
I am also been entrusted in creation of styles for different products and to coordinate the design desk in absence of the Design Editor.
I been heavily involve in the projects for maximize productivity. The last one will improve a 40% the speed of layout and minimize style mistakes.
Part of my job is to generate ideas about relevant topics, research, plan the best visual solution and write the feature.
As a native Spanish speaker, I often work as a translator any given department that requires my help, usually in interviews with people who does not speak English.
All that had resulted in more than 20 awards international design and illustration awards in various institutions across the world.
I created and launched "Halo-Halong Kwento" a niche web video product dedicated for Filipinos in the GCC.
I oversee the whole content, creative and production process including direction and script writing, and sometimes video edition.
Participate in the hosting.
Actively support Marketing and Sales in strategies for Social Media and new forms of monetization.
I planned from scratch the creation of a pizza Parlor In Philippines. From zero to end, from name, logo, slogans, decoration, menu, purchasing, organization, training, design of the brick oven, and the manual press, plus the spaces in kitchen and tables, social media marketing. etc.
After a Year on, we decided to sale it, as I am resigning in Dubai, timings were a challenge.
It was probably the best experience of the decade for me.
I took a break of the Newspaper business to open my Pizza-Restaurant.
My small restaurant served pizzas made more traditionally than the franchises. Months later we included a Mexican dish called "tortas" that were as per our costumers: "The best in the whole city"
I was leading two newspapers at the time, was the head of the Design Teams, my role was of an Art Direction, training the designers in production techniques, hiring new staff and developing style handbooks;
For Editorial department I restructure it to enhance productivity and creative content.
For production, I lead a internal consultancy to reduce cost; the purchase of new equipment and the implementation of new software.
To research for market opportunities to create new editorial products, find what were the needs for that market niche and create a tailored product for it.
Once the niche was detected I was in charge to create the editorial concept and visual outlook of it, assemble a team, launch the product and keep it running, coordinate the editorial (editors and reporters) and the Design Team and photographic production.
We had mayor success in "Ego Magazine" product targeting teenagers and young adults in high schools and universities.
Derosa was at that time a printing shop for newspapers and magazines.
My role was to coordinate from pre-press the digital files; digitally enhance the photographic quality and deliver to press the materials for production.
I was also in charge of quality control, schedules for printing, purchases for paper, inks and all required raw materials for productions.
As well to give direct service in the layout of some of those publications, plus assistance and guidance in their production.
Customer service was part of my daily duties.
Part of my achievements were the reorganization of the workflow and the launch of a inventory system, plus the change of suppliers.
I had a role as web master feeding the website of the in-house publication: Hora Cero.
I reorganized the logistics of website re-coding the contents, in 2003 there was nothing such as a cheap data base, so we had to feed the web pages manually for the whole magazine.
My own small design company.
Our services were advertisign design and publicity campaing, photography, corporative design, editorial design and web design.
I managed a team of 20 cooks and helpers in a daily operation to feed 400 employees in 3 shift on Bisell factory, in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico.
I handle the operation, supplies purchase (weekly menu and buget), HR (salaries, assistance, vacations, hiring), inventory, quality control, customer service, special events organization, decoration and sales.
I started in the advertising section, first as junior designer; few months later in managing the work flow and customer service related to their ads.
6 months later I move to the editorial department as junior Illustrator and Layout designer.
Undergraduate