Oliver Passon Huxter
Designer
Location
Brighton, United Kingdom
Toptal Member Since
June 20, 2018
With nearly 20 years of creative experience, Oliver has led custom one-off UI/UX projects and managed the digital transformation of international media companies. No project too large or too small, he has in-depth experience working across multiple regions and languages. He graduated in graphic design from the acclaimed Central Saint Martins School of Art and holds an MBA from Herriot-Watt University. He's an easy team player and communicator.
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Work Experience
2017 - PRESENT
Owner, Consultant
ophcom.com
- Provided UX/UI design and SVG animation for a Middle East based employee ideation programme, a web app and intranet platform design in Arabic and English language.
- Designed brand identity, strategy, and UI for an online kids clothes recycling project.
- Created a typographic online project introducing "the Cockney Alphabet". Series illustrating traditional English Cockney rhyming slang using photography, 3D modeling, 2D and 3D animation, film, and illustration.
- Designed the digital brand strategy for an organizational feedback app for government agencies, including visual strategy, UX, and audience focus.
- Provided brand and identity review and strategy for an established international prop making company. Including visual identity review across all touchpoints, graphics, photography, styling and online strategy and content review.
Technologies: CSS, HTML, InVision, Sketch, Cinema 4D, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe CC
2013 - 2016
Network Creative Branding Manager
Al Jazeera Media Network
- Set up the Network Creative Branding Team delivering digital UX/UI design for both web and mobile, digital and print collateral materials, video production, set, studio and events design and multi-media promotional content. This enabled the company to bring over 70% of all design work in-house.
- Implemented the first network-wide visual brand strategy bringing seven divisions, including five broadcast channels, into line with a comprehensive and consistent design language system. Ensured the system was used across all touch points and adopted by all relevant teams.
- Led the creative design direction and implementation of the Network's digital transformation. Brought all digital properties into the Design Language System, updated UX journeys and updated all digital systems both for production and publication.
- Launched three international broadcast television channels and led the design and development of all associated digital properties in America, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East markets in three languages.
- Led the UX and UI teams for product development and strategy of five news mobile apps. This included developing design language systems that would work across multiple languages and were flexible enough to develop individual UX journeys depending on regional markets and audiences.
Technologies: CSS, HTML, InVision, Sketch, Cinema 4D, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe CC
2012 - 2014
Creative Director
AJ+
- Created the brand identity and design guidelines for AJ+, an online and mobile app based short form current affairs and entertainment videos platform, distributing original content from its own mobile app and across online platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The YOuTube channel alone now has over 1 billion views and is the leading online short-form news and current affairs provider.
- Led the development of UX journeys for distribution and consumption of short-form news and current affairs videos and animations - a new media format at the time and a trailblazing model that has led to many imitators today.
- Led the design and development of UI for the mobile application allowing for consumption of video and animated content, online chat and debate forums, personalization of content, subscriptions, and survey interactions.
- Developed content design guidelines for animated graphics, data visualization, and video production film and editing.
- Hired and established the creative digital and video production teams. This included training and setting up all production and daily workflows as well as hardware and software technology installations.
Technologies: CSS, HTML, InVision, Sketch, Cinema 4D, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe CC
2006 - 2013
Creative Manager
Al Jazeera English Channel
- Set up, interviewed, and hired all staff and managed the Washington DC creative department for the launch and first year of the English language broadcast TV channel in 2006. This department was responsible for all digital, video, and print production and design of content coming out of the Americas.
- Managed an international and multi-lingual team of 16 designers and film promotional producers from Qatar in the Middle East. Taking, creating, and assigning briefs and projects including bespoke interactive digital content, web and social media marketing campaigns.
- Refreshed the channel's digital presence including a comprehensive redesign of the website, mobile app, and social media identity and visual strategy.
- Managed daily administration and budget for the department and coordinated and presented to senior stakeholders and external partners.
- Delivered video promotions, title sequences, and animated shorts and data visualizations.
Technologies: CSS, HTML, Cinema 4D, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe CC
2004 - 2006
Senior Designer
C21 Media/twofoot4 design
- Designed UI/UX.
- Developed identity and branding.
- Completed work for (among others) Warner Bros., Fremantle Media, and Universal Music Group.
- Oversaw the creative output across digital and three printed monthly magazines. This included digital site asset production and maintenance and prepress production and media management.
- Contributed to the production of all official and printed content for NATPE (Las Vegas), MIPCOM (Cannes) and Rose D'Or (Lucerne) festivals.
Technologies: QuarkXpress, CSS, HTML, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe CC
2001 - 2004
Owner, Consultant
ophcom.com
- Created the identity and branding strategy for RJH Associates, an environmental business consultancy firm in the UK. This included all print materials and digital presence guidelines and initial designs.
- Redesigned all the digital and print communications materials for the UK Environment Council. Initially, I proposed this as a pro-bono proof of concept project to convince senior management of the possible benefits of a design review. The initiative resulted in an 800% increase in audience engagement and the updated design was implemented across all agency communications.
- Worked on the team for the launch of CosmoGirl! UK for National Magazines. This included DTP design, web design, and photography art direction and commissioning.
- Served as a consultant for the launch of Bliss magazine for EMAP Publishing, developing both print and digital design templates and both product and fashion photography art direction.
- Worked on the relaunch team for Sugar and J17 (the oldest girls' fashion publication in the UK).
Technologies: QuarkXpress, CSS, HTML, Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe CC
1997 - 2001
Deputy Art Editor - Computeractive! magazine
VNU Publishing
- Served on the launch team for this incredibly successful (@ 500,00 sales PCM) computer magazine.
- Created the cover image for each issue and website - either creating digital illustrations or art directing and commissioning photographic shoots.
- Managed the online creative content both from internal contributors and external commissions.
- Produced all POS and marketing designs and materials.
Technologies: CSS, HTML, QuarkXpress, Final Cut Pro, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe CC
Education
2016 - 2018
Master's Degree in Business Administration
Herriot Watt University - Edinburgh, Scotland
1994 - 1997
Bachelor's Degree in Graphic Design
Central Saint Martin's College of Art and Design - London, United Kingdom
1990 - 1993
Master's Degree in History
Edinburgh University - Edinburgh, Scotland
