I’ve been lucky enough to work on some very high-profile print projects, and in recent years I've had top-level experience of web design and in the process acquired an understanding — and love — of digital media. This puts me in a very privileged position and I'm currently on a mission to convince the world that the constraints and behaviours of the digital world are not incompatible with timeless editorial design values.
I’ve been a staff art director on wonderful magazines like Wired and Colors, and worked with some of the most prestigious newspapers in the world. I’m still creative director of The Guardian, because it’s probably the best editorial design job there is — the 2005 redesign which I was responsible for is widely acknowledged as the most important newspaper design project of the last 20 years. But I also work independently with other media organisations and publishers, sometimes on full redesigns but increasingly as an advisor and speaker.
With the help of some very talented teams I’ve picked up all the top awards — World’s Best Designed from SND, a gold medal from SPD, and the big one — a black pencil in the D&AD awards, which has never been given to another editorial design project. I’ve learnt along the way that collaboration is the key to success in big projects and I’ve worked with some brilliant designers and clients, but I also make sure that I participate as a designer, and not just a creative leader, in every assignment.