Greg Kaats, Designer in St. Gallen, Switzerland
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Greg Kaats

Verified Expert  in Design

Designer

Location
St. Gallen, Switzerland
Toptal Member Since
April 27, 2020

As an art director and senior designer based in Switzerland, Greg has worked for some of the world’s top design agencies, studios, and corporate in-house design departments. They’ve been able to rely on his experience and professionalism in projects ranging from full cycle global branding, creative strategy, and launch planning with deliverables including, but not limited to, brand identities, product packaging, and UX/UI design.

Portfolio

Work Experience

Creative Director | Senior Designer

1990 - PRESENT
Urbanglyph
  • Acted as principal art director, senior graphic designer, and consultant for various clients, from SMEs to large corporations. Collaborated across all functionalities, ensuring proper brand communication to targeted and group-specific markets.
  • Provided art direction and conceptual design for on-brand visual communications to best communicate the clients' products effectively. Design thinking with a thorough knowledge of user-centered and user experience design (UED) and development.
  • Designed and produced digital branding for websites and advertising campaign promotions. User interface design, UX, and UI design for device and machine interface and control. iOS and Android apps, prototyping, usability, planning, and design.
  • Developed branding, logos, corporate and company identity design, brand standards, and guidelines for proper brand application across all digital and print touchpoints.
  • Designed, directed, and produced product packaging and all related advertising, promotional collateral, catalogs, brochures, outdoor signage, and illustration.
  • Provided "Integrated brand thinking" by collaborating effectively across global multi-functional teams for markets in the USA, EU and Asia. Current focus in the EU, Switzerland, China, and the US.
Technologies: Apple Numbers, Apple iWork, Apple Keynote, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Office, Adobe Muse, InVision, Zeplin, Sketch, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe CC

Art Director | Senior Designer, Packaging Design and Production Manager

2012 - 2013
Bodum AG
  • Art directed packaging and all communication aspects of marketing support, including corporate identity, advertising, web banners, shop signage, and promotional materials and products.
  • Developed creative concepts, layouts, and determining solutions for all packaging from concept design to final execution. Generated designs for all retail packaging, related sales literature, and user instructions.
  • Checked and established production procedures, cost analysis, and development of mockups. Monitored, developed, and maintained packaging standards. Reviewed sample requests and approvals.
  • Art directed photography and handled in-house photography and retouching.
  • Managed all exterior vendor teams of photographers and printers in Europe and China.
Technologies: Adobe CC

Art Director Packaging | Design and Production Manager

2008 - 2012
Incase Designs
  • Handled packaging design and implementation for placement in Apple, Best Buy, and Target retail environments for a global consumer product and electronic retail packaging for MacBooks, iPods, and iPhones.
  • Art directed and engaged in developing creative concepts, strategic thinking, presentation, and planning for new and existing packaging across the entire product line, as well as managing packaging engineering and structural design.
  • Established production protocols and staffing to meet Apple's launch of new products. Determined objectives, budget, and guidelines from concept to final execution.
  • Managed a print team of designers, freelance production artists, copywriters, and proofreaders. Directed and prepared photography.
Technologies: Adobe Illustrator, Adobe CC

Assistant Production Manager | Senior Production Designer

2000 - 2008
The Thompson Design Group
  • Produced new brand packaging lines for Haagen Dazs, Dreyers, Edys Ice Cream, Blue Diamond, Cascadian Farm, Contadina, Del Monte, Nestle Confections and Purina brand merger, ConAgra, Clorox, General Mills, Green Giant, and Old El Paso.
  • Applied and developed a new design for existing and new packaging templates. Led the production team for large-scale production projects.
  • Assisted management in coordinating assignments with production artists and independent contractors. Did due diligence for new and existing packaging design adaptations to ensure brand cohesiveness and identity.
  • Maintained a thorough knowledge of pre-press production for offset and flexo printing and vehicle signage. Served as a subject-matter expert for NLEA and government packaging regulations.
Technologies: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator
1980 - 1982

Associate's Degree in Advertising Design

Colorado Institute of Art - Denver, Colordo, USA

JULY 2019 - PRESENT

Design Strategy: Design Thinking for Business Strategy and Entrepreneurship

The University of Sydney

JULY 2019 - PRESENT

Version Control with Git

Coursera Atlassian

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