What makes a great Creative Director?

Graham Sturt
CD 101
Published in
6 min readApr 19, 2021

Sione Raaijmakers, Independent Creative Director, Birmingham, UK

About Sione

Sione is a freelance Creative Director with over 20 years of experience in the design industry. Before ‘going solo’ she was Global Communication Design Lead at Philips Design in and Creative Director at The Mighty Shed.

After studying Graphic Design in The Netherlands and at The Royal College of Art in London, she made her first steps into the design industry at FITCH and has since held positions at Interbrand, HEMA (large Dutch retailer) and Phillips Design in Amsterdam. Missing England she moved back to the UK in 2015 and continued her career in Birmingham. Her portfolio is filled with a broad body of work covering many areas within design. She has played a central role in brand strategy, brand identity, packaging and design for many local and global brands.

In 2017 Sione co-founded Women Unltd. to address the gender imbalance of female creative leaders in the industry. She mentors students from underrepresented backgrounds and supports her local design community through her involvement with local art schools.

Sione has a passion for books and book design, she writes poetry and prose and enjoys ‘growing things’ in her garden.

Questions

Tell us your own path from Designer to Creative Director.
After my graduation at University in The Netherlands I decided to continue my studies abroad. Through a family friend I managed to get a portfolio review with the design design legend Wim Crouwel. He suggested I apply for the Royal College of Art in London, which I did and I got in. Luckily, I managed to win a couple of art grants to cover the costs so I could continue my design journey in London.

After my graduation at the Royal College of Art I had a lucky break and found a job at FITCH which was/is a large retail branding agency in London. I loved my job there and got a great start in the industry. During my time at FITCH I worked for a female creative director who was a great role-model for me. I haven’t had a female CD since, which is quite a sad state of affairs.

After a few years at FITCH I decided it was time to go back to The Netherlands. I found a job as a mid-weight designer at Interbrand in Amsterdam and stayed there for a number of years. Later I moved to design in-house at a large retailer as an art director and eventually as Creative Lead at Philips Design, the in-house design department of Philips Electronics.

Five years ago I moved back to England and continued working in branding and design in Birmingham as Design Director at Green Room Design and later as Creative director at The Mighty Shed.

What was the hardest part of the transition from Designer to Creative Director?
Not having a creative partner at the same level to share thoughts/ideas with. Having to manage agency politics.

What specific qualities are essential to become a great Creative Director?
Empathy, selflessness. Working in service of the team.

Tell us about some of the pros and cons of being a Creative Director.
Pros: opportunity to have a platform and influence to work in the way you want to.
Cons: very little support or coaching opportunity for yourself — you’re expected to ‘know it all’. Tend to be pulled in lots of directions and having to manage up, down and sideways.

In your view what are the primary responsibilities of the Creative Director in an agency setting?
Creating a supportive and collaborative creative culture that supports all members of the team in their growth. Having a clear idea of who you are as a leader and what your values are gives you a framework from which to manage.

Describe your management style.
Compassionate and clear/direct.

How long did it take you to feel completely comfortable in your role?
I am not there yet.

Did you ever suffer from what’s known as ‘imposter syndrome’? If so, how did you deal with this?
Yes, when I feel like an imposter I force myself to remember my accomplishments and remind myself that I belong here and that I deserve to be here. This usually helps.

What has been your biggest learning experience as a Creative Director?
How important it is to know yourself, what kind of leader you are and to have a clear POV.

Is it important to set and adhere to a creative vision for the agency? If so, why?
It is important to have a set of values as a leader, which guide you as a leader.

Should a Creative Director be hands on or hands off?
Hands off, but hands on when the team needs it, but this should really be very occasional. Giving the team trust to do the work — even when they are up against it — is vital for their confidence and growth.

What tips do you have for building and nurturing a healthy and vibrant creative culture within an agency?
Recruit a diverse group of creatives (not clones of yourself).
Review and crit work as a team and make sure all voices are heard and can contribute
Embrace difference (personalities, ways of working etc.) and celebrate individual strengths

What tips do you have to continuously inspire creative teams?
Stimulate sharing of ‘things we’ve seen out and about’ in the team
Share inspirational stories/ideas yourself
Talk about creatives that inspire us
Make sure the teams gets to go outside

How do you maintain your own creativity to ensure you remain on top of your game?
Do what refuels me, which are long walks, read books, go to a museum/gallery.

How do you create a balance between giving your team creative space while maintaining overall responsibility for the creative output?
Early on in the project ensure there is enough time for the team to think, reflect and create and continue to guard that throughout the process.This includes time for reviews with the team and critical thinking and questioning by the team and myself.

In your opinion what is the best way to give feedback on creative work?
Depends on the person and the stage in the project. Sometimes you have to be directive, sometimes it’s better to be supportive/coaching. I think a CD needs to adapt their management style all the time.

How do you defend creative ideas to stop bad things happening to the work?
Always explain your thinking and have a solid POV and rationale.

What has been your biggest success as a Creative Director and why?
A few years ago I proposed to my then employer to include a branding proposal to an initially interior design only pitch for a local brewery. I managed to secure the branding work which resulted in a great visual identity for the local brewery. The work the team and I created now matched the brewery’s innovative and entrepreneurial spirit changing the public’s perception of the brand from an anonymous large brewery to a small brewery supporting the local community. The ‘new face’ has enabled the brewery to go into their new brewery and next phase of the company with confidence. My relationship with the brand and the people at the brewery has lasted for many years and it is great to still be involved and see the brand and brewery go from strength to strength.

What was the best piece of advice ever given to you as a Creative Director?
Keep your focus on doing great work, don’t focus too much on relationships.

And finally, what advice would you give to anyone who has recently been promoted to the role of Creative Director?
Protect your time, you will be pulled in many directions. Make sure you focus on your job first and allow time to reflect and think.

About the author

Graham Sturt is Creative Director / Partner at creative agency, D8.

Originally from England, he lived and worked in London for more than a decade before relocating to Amsterdam to follow his passion for Dutch design.

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Graham Sturt
CD 101
Editor for

Graham Sturt is an English Creative Director based in Amsterdam.