From creative directors to animators, strategists to illustration agents, we have the perfect mentor waiting to meet you.
Keep scrolling to read more about our legendary mentors, who’ve volunteered their time to nurture the next wave of creative talent 👏
Meet the mentors
Meet the mentors
Gurleen Raj
Junior Design-Walli
Dishoom
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Hi! My name is Gurleen, I’m a junior designer at Dishoom where we dabble with South Asian artistic history and storytelling which is the core of my design. Aside from design I also like helping younger/grad designers to get their own confidence and demanding your space within the hyper cis white industry of design and I’m here to shout about it, whilst creating an equal level playing fields for everyone no matter your race, disability or queerness.
Abi Everett
Designer, Illustrator & Artist
Studio Everett
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I'm Abi, a multidisciplinary artist and designer, and Studio Everett is my little creative studio by the sea in Brighton. I've always been drawn to colour and contrast and this is a common theme throughout all my work.
Alongside client work which includes: visual identity development, commercial illustration, murals, packaging, website design, and creative direction for brands including Faith in Nature and Quorn, I flex other creative muscles by creating vibrant and playful illustrative products for @evergood.store, my online shop. I'm drawn to the organic lines and movement within nature, the bold colours of floral blooms and the contrast of different architectural shapes coming together in harmony.
Maddi Hutchinson
Senior Strategist
FutureBrand
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As a strategist, a lot of my work is taking complicated questions and research and cutting through to the simple, clear idea at the heart. Something that people just 'get'. That skill has served me well throughout my career; from curating my portfolio and building killer talks and presentations, to collaborating with incredibly creative friends on projects for esports leagues, luxury hotels, mental health charities... and tonnes more. Ultimately though, it's helped me find my way in the industry.
Ellie Chapman
Founder and Creative Director
Lim
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Ellie founded Lim, a global studio of visualisers. She believes everyone should work in a visual way and in the future it’ll be the norm. Today, she and her team of problem solvers, creators and storytellers are leading the way in visualising business content. Ellie’s career began in 2013 as a freelance graphic recorder and she quickly understood the power of visuals to help teams get stuff done. With a busy diary and an expanding network, her credibility grew quickly and in 2022 Lim was created. When she’s not leading Lim, Ellie enjoys sport and is a keen triathlete.
Tim Easley
Illustrator & Designer
Freelance
Chloe Dominique
Illustrator & Concept Artist
Freelance
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Chloe Dominique is a Freelance Illustrator and Concept Artist based in Norwich, working across Games, Animation and Children's Publishing.
Emotive storytelling is a leading focus in her work, whether that's illustrating picture books or visual development for animation. She loves projects that are full of heart, adventure and charm, with a special fondness for the offbeat and mysterious.
Iossie Ng Lei
Senior Designer
Wolff Olins
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I am a user-centred, brand-led Senior Designer currently at Wolff Olins London. My role is both being a problem solver and storyteller — flexing from driving the creative, to looking after the craft and execution of the work, whilst mentoring the more junior designers.
Supporting the next generation of creatives is very important to me, any opportunity to shine a light at under-represented, diverse young voices that’ll make our industry all the better!
Annika Rabone
Junior Creative
Mesh Marketing
Joe Smith
Lead Designer
Onwards
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I've been working in the industry for over 10 years now as a designer and creative within branding. Working closely with startups and scaling businesses has given me a great insight into clients’ needs and bringing an extraordinary idea to life whilst also making it practical to use in day-to-day usage. Aside from brand design, I have a massive interest in illustration, motion and audio design which helps to inspire and influence the way I create.
Paul O’Brien
Design Director
Freelance
Beth Harrison
Senior Designer
B&B Studio
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I'm a 26-year-old, female senior designer at B&B Studio, specialising in branding & packaging. Originally from up North, I headed to London after studying at UCLan and have experienced multiple agencies, working across FMCG packaging, brand creation and corporate branding. After coming from a poorly funded, male-dominated University course in the North, I have been keen to take all of the knowledge and inspiration I've gained so far, and use it to help young creatives navigate their way into the industry.
Rebecca Dell
Senior Illustration Agent
The Different Folk
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Rebecca manages The Different Folk artists and takes care of everything client-side. Her decade as an agent has been varied to say the least, having worked in both Berlin and London on illustration, photography and CGI projects for brand giants such as Google, Mercedes-Benz and adidas. Now, she's focused on helping connect her roster of artists with an array of creative opportunities, all while keeping an eye out for exciting new talent to bring on board.
Rachael Presky
Artist & Illustrator
Freelance
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Rachael Presky is a Commercial Artist and Illustrator from the UK. She creates artworks which aim to give everyone representation and a voice within the causes she is passionate about, from climate activism to promoting underrepresented women within the highest level of sport.
Rachael works across Advertising, Murals, Packaging and Editorial projects and is a regular feature on the Adobe Live UK streams. Her clients include Adobe, adidas, Vans, Flow Magazine, the British Red Cross, Klarna, Mondi/Pergraphica Premium Papers and many more.
Ryan Brown
Senior Experience Designer
Elmwood
Deanna Bains
Senior Designer & Illustrator
Iris Worldwide
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Deanna Bains is currently a full-time designer & illustrator at IRIS Worldwide, and a freelance illustrator based in London. With a passion for all things curious and playful, she approaches her work as a communication tool, aiming to tell unique stories and amplify voices along the way. In her work you will always find a sense of quirk, bright, bold colours and often a pattern or two.
When not designing, you’ll find her with a camera or ice-cream in hand (usually both).
Katie Cadwell
Design Director
Freelance
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Katie Cadwell is a freelance Design Director, working with studios worldwide (like DesignStudio, Koto, DixonBaxi, How&How) to make joyful, impactful work. She runs The NDA Podcast, which brings opinionated guests with unheard, opposing views together – to discuss all the industry issues kept under waiver.
William Benton-Diggins
Managing Director
Creative Natives
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I spent the last 15 years working in creative agencies and tech startups as a creative leader.
Working across with lots of bring brands in the travel and automotive space including Jaguar, Land Rover, TUI, Shell, Honda, Vodafone, Resi, Wejo.
Nowadays I run a creative recruitment agency to offer career support for creatives and connect creative talent with great businesses in the UK.
Miltos Bottis
Creative Director
Studio Miltos Bottis
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Miltos Bottis is an award-winning Designer and Director with over 10 years of experience. He started his career in Greece, where he worked with agencies like G Design Studio, Semiotik Design and AG Design Agency. In 2017 he settled in London, where he worked with agencies like Pentagram, DesignStudio and SEA Design. In 2020 he joined How&How and helped kick off and became Associate Design Director to their London office. He is now running his own practice.
Harkiran Kalsi
Graphic Designer, Illustraor & Muralist
Freelance
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Harkiran is an energetic and exciting freelance artist who uses her art to bring positive vibes and uplift people. Her work is an exciting blend of graphic design, murals, illustration and freehand typography. She began her career in her hometown of Leamington Spa working for Coventry City Council and Warwickshire College but soon after landed a job in London working for BBC Children in Need which led her to work with some amazing organisations such as Comic Relief, Footlocker x NBA, New Balance, #Merky Books, Channel 4 and more.
Sophie Routledge
Brand Designer
DixonBaxi
Tom Peake
Illustrator
Freelance
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I'm a freelance editorial and commercial illustrator based in Manchester, UK.
With a strong leaning towards conceptual illustration, I use graphic forms and rich colours to create thought provoking artworks.
Selected clients include: Vogue, McDonalds, RITZ, Bentley Motors, Financial Times, Chevron, Which? Travel Mag, Harvard Business Review & Women's Health
Rosa Kennedy
Motion Designer
Amenitiz
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I'm a self-taught motion designer who just got my first full time job after doing just over 2 years of freelancing to gain experience :)
I love collaborating with other artists and learning on the job. Genuine believer of 'fake it til you make it' as no one on earth knows what they're really doing.
Nick Cozier
Digital Designer
Hearst
Kulsum Karolia
Designer
Manchester United FC
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Hi I’m Kulsum, a tea-drinking Northerner. I studied Graphic Design at the Manchester School of Art and graduated from University in 2021. I have been working as a Designer for Manchester United pretty much since finishing University.
I love being able to work with people from various creative backgrounds and have a keen interest in analogue design.
Sophie Lawrence
Midweight Designer
Landor & Fitch
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I am a born and bred Mancunian living in London, and I am currently a mid-weight designer at Landor & Fitch. I have 5 years of experience in various branding and packaging agencies, working on clients such as Starbucks, Nestle, Kelloggs and FIFA.
Having spent most of my junior designer career during peak Covid, I understand how this major shift has affected young designers’ mental health and the imposter syndrome we all face. I hope by being a mentor I can offer some comfort and friendly advice for those who are facing the design industry post-Covid.
Lou Kiss
Illustrator
Freelance
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I am a freelance illustrator with a strong focus on editorial and advertising work. Before graduating from Middlesex University with a first class degree in Illustration in 2021, I worked several years as a graphic designer. I enjoy creating conceptual illustrations on complex topics such as mental health, women's rights, LGBTQ+, and opinion pieces. Some of my clients include The Washington Post, Google Arts & Culture, Politico Europe, The Big Issue, and Glamour.
Stephen Ong
Animator & Motion Designer
Freelance
Francesca Smith
Designer
BGN Agency
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I'm Fran a Brand Designer at BGN and creative graduate from the University of Leeds. In 2022 I won the D&AD Portfolio Picks. I have an adventurous approach to design with film and television inspiring a lot of my work. Outside of the 9-5 I dedicate a lot of my spare time creating hopefully helpful content for creatives on LinkedIn like sharing resources, personal branding tips and self confidence advice.