Join us on Wednesday 3rd June in London as we break down barriers to the creative industry and give traditional ‘mentoring’ a fun twist with friends of The Arena, across various creative disciplines!
This event is kindly being hosted by the wonderful team at GF Smith.
Ask your burning questions, get some snappy portfolio feedback or just have a general chit-chat, there are no rules!
Event details
Location:
GF Smith London HQ, London Bridge
Time:
Arrival from 6.30pm, kick-off at 7pm, wrap-up by 9pm
Date:
Wednesday 3rd June 2026
So what’s the twist?
Ever been speed dating? No? Neither have we…but the format still works! All mentees at this event will get the chance to speak to three different speed mentors, rotating every 10 minutes, with breaks in between to regroup.
You can be emerging at any age, so there’s no age limit on this event. If you have less than two years of industry experience, you can get involved!
Spaces are limited, so don’t hang about. Applications will close on Friday 15th May at 11pm GMT.
Meet the mentors
Meet the mentors
Beth Suzanna
Illustrator & Collage Artist
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Beth Suzanna is a mixed-race London based illustrator whose uplifting work is rooted in colour and connection. Using her work to champion individuality, identity and diversity, Beth creates bold, bright and joyful collage illustrations. Crafting the human experience. Her playful and tactile approach focuses predominantly on the human experience, portraiture and community. Working across Publishing, Editorial and Commercial briefs, as-well as Workshop Facilitation. Over the past few years Beth has created work for the likes of Bloomsbury Publishing, her debut picture book receiving five award nominations. Editorial Publications, such as Politico & The Guardian. As well as the V&A Museum and Hay Literary Festival as their 2023 illustrator in Residence. Her creative collage workshops have seen her collaborate with brands such as Hermès, G.F Smith and Casetify and back in 2022 she was a D&AD New Blood Festival Portfolios Judge.
James McLearie
Design Recruitment Consultant
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A London College of Communications BA Graphic Design graduate, James worked at Burberry, Alexander Wang, and White Cube, gaining six years of experience in the creative industry before joining Represent in early 2019. He now leads two of Represent’s key talent groups: junior designers across freelance and full-time roles, and mid-weights seeking permanent positions. James is dedicated to helping emerging creatives navigate the industry and land their next big opportunity.
Lisa Rahman
Creative Director & Design Consultant
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Lisa Rahman is a Creative Director and Design Consultant with over 18 years’ experience shaping editorial, brand and cultural storytelling across commercial and community organisations. Alongside her freelance practice, she is the founder of Open Hearts Club, a project exploring design for social good and community connection. Her approach begins with softness and listening, moving through archival research to unpack complex topics and then connecting threads to guide others towards meaningful creative outcomes.
Michelle Dwyer
Letterpress Artist
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Michelle is a letterpress artist based in Peckham, London, and the founder of Nice & Graphic, which she launched in 2020. She is known for her bold typography, vibrant colour palette, and optimistic outlook. She runs workshops in collaboration with local organisations, using print as a tool to engage and connect communities.
Steph Ramplin
3D Artist
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I’m an award winning Design Director with over 12 years of experience, shaping some of the world’s most recognised brands. I’ve served as a juror for Cannes Lions, Young Lions, and Pentawards, and I’m committed to championing creativity on a global level.
At the same time, a lot of my perspective comes from the challenges I’ve navigated and the mistakes I’ve made throughout my career. Today, I use my platforms to share those insights - hoping they can help, guide, and inspire others on their own journeys.
Wale Osunla
Designer
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Pronounced 'wah-lay', and not like 'whale', Wale is a graphic designer who accidentally stumbled into the music and entertainment scene.
Despite this unfamiliar space, his experience at Studio Moross sparked a passion for blending creative exploration with texture and storytelling. He's had the chance to work with a number of clients, including Roundhouse, The British Film Institute, and Riot Games.
Émilie Chen
Art Director & Designer
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Émilie Chen is a French graphic designer and art director who specialises in theatre posters, book covers, exhibition graphics, and key arts for TV.
Having previously worked in-house at the National Theatre and Penguin Books, she now counts amongst her clients Netflix, BBC, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Young Vic and Henry Moore Foundation.
Inside and outside of work, Émilie is passionate about making the creative industry more inclusive. She is a mentor with Kerning the Gap and D&AD Shift and ran the Ladies Wine & Design London chapter for eight years.
Kat Mellor
Senior Designer
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Hi, I'm Kat, a strategically minded Freelance Senior Designer, passionate about all things branding. I’m analytical, collaborative and love when design solves a problem to create a lasting social impact. I've worked at a number of agencies, including Pearlfisher, Saffron, and MultiAdaptor. Alongside client work, I've been a line manager, DEI committee leader, industry mentor and occasional event speaker. Outside of the studio, I love cooking, hiking and, whenever possible, dancing!
Martyna Wieliczko
Illustrator
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A South London based illustrator, Martyna's work revolves around overheard conversations, social rituals, small cultural quirks. With a light touch and a sense of humour, she transforms everyday moments into playful compositions that feel both nostalgic and warmly familiar.
Paul O’Brien
Design Director
Eva Hunt
Multidisciplinary Designer
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I'm Eva, a London based multi-disciplinary designer. I create playful, vibrant, and colourful designs that make a difference. My curious nature drives my quest for creativity through a multitude of disciplines. I’m self-taught and specialise in designing for education and social impact.
I love to collaborate with organisations and individuals to create unique and meaningful designs that tell a story. When I’m not working on client projects, I enjoy creating a mixture of digital and physical products for my online store. These range from phone wallpapers and phone cases, art prints, stationary and packing, and jesmonite homeware such as coasters, trinket trays and decorations. I take inspiration from things I find in the fridge, cities I’ve explored on my travels and growing up in the 1990s.
Kieron Lewis
Graphic Designer
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Kieron Lewis is a freelancer, part-time designer at Gusbourne, host for D&AD and public speaker with a BA (Hons) in Graphic Design, Marketing & Branding. Predominantly his area of expertise is in Editorial design.
With over a decade of experience in design, Kieron has successfully implemented several self-directed and client-based projects. His client list includes the Victoria & Albert Museum, Harper Collins and the South London Gallery. He has also designed an award-winning publication for Chronicles Books.
Matt Gilbert
Freelance Senior 3D Designer
Steph Howe
Illustrator, Graphic & Motion Designer
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Stephanie Jade is an Illustrator and Multidisciplinary Designer born and bred in London, UK. Her practice focuses on visual storytelling rooted in connection to humanity and capturing specific moments in time. Stephanie specialises in playful portraiture and lifestyle Illustration inspired by maximalism, vintage posters, and pop culture, emphasising personal exploration and emotional authenticity.
So what are you waiting for?!