My Life In Design Podcast

This week Claire sat down with Panna Rose, co-founder and managing director of London based brand design agency ODA. Panna’s background is on the account management and client relationship side of the business, and after many years as the MD of Williams Murray Hamm, set up ODA with partners Sarah Westwood and Grant Willis. She’s a trustee of Phab, a non-profit that provides places for people to feel independent, meet friends, and gain confidence. And an ambassador for Good Nugget. She’s won numerous awards including Transform, DBAs, D&AD pencils and worked on brands including Airtime, Costa Coffee, Royal College of Surgeons, King’s Trust Bank and Domino’s.

In this episode, Panna talks to Claire about:

+ Building a career in client services and account management, starting in packaging and moving into corporate identity and branding across leading agencies, before co-founding ODA

+ Developing strong client relationships, and as agency owner having both her agency’s back, and her clients’ backs as well

+ Supporting emerging talent through internships, work placements and encouragement to the next generation to get involved and stay curious

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Red Setter

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ODA

This week Claire is joined by Bryan Edmondson of London based design studio SEA, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary. He’s lectured in universities around the UK, speaks at conferences globally such as D&AD, Birmingham Design Festival and Northern Design Festival. He has work held at museums including the Cooper-Hewitt in New York City; and has created and worked with brands such as Jamie Oliver, EMI, Monotype, Adidas, Rolls-Royce, Christie’s, Nokia and GF Smith.

In this episode, Byran talks to Claire about:

+ Founding and growing a design studio over three decades and working across multiple sectors, including music, fashion, hospitality, beauty, and outdoor brands

+ The importance of business education, professional representation and support for the design industry

+ Advice for emerging designers: focus on quality, develop a distinctive voice, learn from design history, and persevere through rejection

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SEA

This week Claire is joined by graphic artist, printmaker and designer Anthony Burrill. He’s renowned for his ability to distill ideas into simple yet striking forms. His work is represented in the permanent collections of the V&A, the Design Museum in London and the Cooper-Hewitt in New York; and been exhibited internationally at institutions such as the Royal Academy in London, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and the Triangle in Milan. He’s spoken globally at design conferences in cities including London, Berlin, Barcelona, Toronto and Mumbai. Anthony also has an upcoming exhibition at London's National Theatre starting on the 22nd of October.

In this episode, Anthony talks to Claire about:

+ Early opportunities creating animations and graphics for MTV, followed by freelance work in advertising

+ Moving from commercial projects towards making independent artwork, prints and books

+ How letterpress printing and the phrase “Work hard and be nice to people” shaped a defining series of prints and his career (and the origin story behind that iconic print)

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Anthony Burrill

This week Claire is joined by legendary bookmaker, Irma Boom, who marks our 100th episode in the series. Irma Boom is the most widely renowned and laureated book designer in the world today. She's commonly known as the 'Queen of Books', having created around 600 of them. In her bold, experimental style, she challenges the convention of traditional books in both physical design and printed content. She was the youngest ever recipient of the Gutenberg Prize, and since has received over 50 more awards. A selection of her books are held from the permanent collection of MoMA and a personalised Irma Boom archive has been set up in the University of Amsterdam and the Vatican Library.

This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at D&AD’s London headquarters.

In this episode, Irma talks to Claire about:

+ Treating book design as an artistic, idea-led practice rather than simply designing a cover

+ The role of collaboration, creative control and persistence in bringing books to life
+ Creating for brands like Chanel, and researching the history of books through archives and libraries, including the Vatican Library

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Irma Boom

This week, Claire is joined by Tim Perry, a trained industrial designer who led the agency Webb deVlam through to its sale in 2016. Before that, Tim worked in design strategy at the height of Nokia’s success. He has judged for D&AD and Creativepool and is now a consultant, working with leaders of independent design agencies to help them grow. He has also developed a series of training courses focused on the business side of design.

In this episode, Tim talks to Claire about:

+ His time working at Nokia at its peak selling over a million handsets a day - and the impact of the iPhone launch

+ His move into packaging design, then scaling an agency and navigating the complexities of its sale
+ How he moved into design strategy consulting and advising independent agencies on growth

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TP Consulting

Signal Awards

This week Claire is joined by Greg Quinton, the co-chief creative officer of Design Bridge & Partners. Greg’s team has won over 2,000 awards at the highest level in design, over 380 D&AD pencils, including two black and over 20 yellow pencils. They’ve won 30 Cannes Lions, including the Grand Prix and Greg was jury president there this year. He served two terms as D&AD trustee and chair of education and is a coach at Imperial College London. He’s the co-author of the updated A Smile in the Mind, a graphic design university course favourite and has worked on brands such as HSBC, London Symphony Orchestra, The National Gallery and Aston Martin.

In this episode, Greg talks to host Claire about:

+ His luck in having creativity as part of the DNA of his family and being a right-brained person
+ On the importance of finding your passion and not chasing the money
+ How he doesn’t believe in perfection and that we’re all a work in progress

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Design Bridge & Partners

Kicking off the 10th series of My Life in Design is typeface designer Henrik Kubel, co-founder of London-based type foundry A2-TYPE.

Henrik’s work spans cultural, editorial and brand identities, with major projects including bespoke typefaces for Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark and Rail Alphabet 2, created with pioneering designer Margaret Calvert for Great British Railways. He has also designed type for organisations including The New York Times Magazine and The King’s Trust, with his work recognised by D&AD, the Type Directors Club and ISTD.

In this episode, Claire talks to Henrik about:

+ His discovery of type design and why custom type is so vital to branding
+ Knock-backs, education and the importance of self-belief
+ How he’s embracing AI right now - and what he thinks the future holds for type design

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A2-TYPE

In this bonus episode, recorded live at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity, Claire met up with Roger Sho Gehrmann, the VP of Partnerships at MassiveMusic. One of the pioneers of audio branding, MassiveMusic shapes brands through music, sound, and voice, including names like TikTok, L’Oreal, Colgate and Philips. Roger has become known as 'the sonic branding guy’ and here he shares his trailblazing audio brand journey.

Roger shares his career from a ‘jingle’ obsessed childhood in Australia, to art school and to forging his own creative path with skate videos leading to his first major career opportunity.

He discusses the concept of sonic branding and the importance of sound in communicating brand values and emotions
He also shares his advice to young creatives entering the design and branding industry

In a bonus episode, recorded live at the Northern Design Festival, Claire met up with Emma Barratt, global ECD at Wolff Olins. One of the industry’s most trusted leaders in branding, she speaks regularly on global stages and heads up juries at places like D&AD, The One Show and the LIA Awards. She leads large-scale brand transformations for some of the world’s most influential companies, including Uber, Decathlon, Hyundai, Google and Blank Street.

In this episode, Emma shares her journey into design and talks about being a proud Northerner and proud dyslexic - and her interest in the evolution of branding. She shares her experiences of working for global brands and studios, and the transformational impact of design on business. She also provides insights into the culture at Wolff Olins, and perspectives on the current state of the industry

With thanks to the Northern Design Festival for hosting this episode.

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Wolff Olins

In the last episode of series 9, Claire met up with Laurence Bendjenad, Creative Director of the brand design agency Lonsdale in Paris.

Laurence talks through her journey from dropping out of her law degree to finding her passion in design. She talks about working for some of the best CPG brand agencies and the opportunities to travel and live in San Francisco and NYC.

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Lonsdale

This week Claire meets up with legendary designer Michael Johnson, founder of brand design consultancy Johnson Banks. He’s known for defining and designing brands that make a difference, such as UCL, Shelter, Jodrell Bank, University of Cambridge, RIBA and the UN Climate Change Conference - COP26. Michael speaks design conferences around the world, teaches at leading institutions including Ravensbourne, Kingston University, Glasgow School of Art, ArtCenter Pasadena, NYC’s School of Visual Arts, and the University of Cambridge. He is an award-winning author of multiple books including the ground-breaking Branding: In Five and a Half Steps. He has dozens of designs within the V&A’s permanent collection, he’s been the recipient of D&AD’s President’s Award and the winner of seven yellows and a black pencil.

In this episode, recorded live at Johnson Banks studio, Michael shares his career journey, complete with early challenges and rejections, to writing to Wally Olins (co-founder of Wolf Ollins) and a new door opening…

He talks about the evolution of his studio with it’s focus on working with brands that make a difference and the importance of aligning client work with personal and company values.

He also discusses the current focus on trends over longevity in brand design and how young designers need to focus on ideas.

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Johnson Banks

This week on the podcast, Claire sits down with Jessie McGuire — Managing Partner of the independent design & creative studio Thought Matter. This year’s winner of the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award for Communication Design.

With a career spanning some of the most respected studios in the industry, Jessie has built a reputation for shaping work that is not only beautifully crafted, but effective — helping brands connect more meaningfully with their audiences.

In this episode, Jessie shares her journey into design and how her career has evolved over time, reflecting on the realities of building a creative career that doesn’t always follow a straight path.

She also talks about the tension between creativity and commerciality — why great design can’t just look good, it has to work — and what success really means for studios today.

Along the way, we explore leadership in creative environments, the importance of knowing when to push and when to listen, and why the value of design is often only recognised in hindsight.

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Thought Matter

Cooper Hewitt National Design Awards

This week Claire met up with Sarah Williams - President of AIGA NY, where she champions the future of design for all, and co-CEO of branding agency Beardwood&Co. An award-winning creative leader, she has been recognised by the DBA Effectiveness Awards, The Clio Awards, and PAC Global, and has worked with brands including Hyatt Hotels, Yankee Candle, Pottery Barn, Corona, and Bath & Body Works, as well as speaking at conferences such as How Design Live.

In this episode, Sarah shares her journey into design - from growing up in a small town and discovering a love of music and album art and her move to New York.

She shares her early steps into design, her first job at Landor and her 20 year experience growing Beardwood&Co. alongside Julia Beardwood and Ryan Lynch.

She also discusses her role as president of AIGA NY and its role in fostering community and mentorship in the design industry.

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AIGA NY

BEARDWOOD&CO

This week on the podcast Claire, sits down with Kiser Barnes, chief creative officer and partner at Red Antler. The episode was recorded in front of a live audience at Red Antler’s new Manhattan studio.

From startups to Fortune 100 brands, Kiser has helped shape some of the world’s most recognisable companies, including Google, LVMH, Crocs, Delta Airlines, Calvin Klein and McKinsey. A Cannes Lions Grand Prix winner and Ad Age Innovator 50 (2025), he’s also spoken globally and serves on the board of AIGA.

In this episode, Kiser shares his journey into design - from photography to the creative influence of New York.

He shares his take on AI’s impact (and opportunity) in the creative world, with the hire of Red Antler’s new AI creative lead

He also discusses the role of mentorship and why creative experimentation matters more than ever.

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Red Antler

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On the podcast this week Claire met up with Mitch Monson, executive director of creative and partnerships at Sibling Rivalry. An award-winning creative leader, his work has been recognised by organisations including the Clio Awards, Art Directors Club and the Broadcast Design Association, and he has received three Emmy Awards.

Mitch has led brand and broadcast campaigns for global clients including Marvel Studios, NBC Sports and NBC Olympics, Netflix, HBO, Amazon Studios, Warner Brothers, BBC and The Walt Disney Company. He is also a regular speaker and juror for leading industry organisations such as AIGA and The One Club for Creativity, and earlier in his career designed the iconic Love Symbol for Prince.

Mitch reflects on his journey from aspiring to join the military to forging a creative career in design and production, and co-founding his own production company.

He talks about his collaboration with the musician Prince, including the design of the Love Symbol, and his work for the Marvel Universe.

He also discusses the impact of mentorship and community in shaping a creative career - including involvement in initiatives like Move Together and Assembly.

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Sibling Rivalry

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Content warning: This episode contains discussions of sexual abuse and substance abuse (timestamps 03:07 - 06:23)

On the podcast this week Claire met up with James Martin, an award-winning designer, author of The Honest Guide to Creativity and Logo Design, and founder of the studio Made By James. He is known for his distinctive brand identities and straight-talking creative education.

Through his studio and content platforms, he has built a global following, worked with international clients and creative businesses, and become a trusted voice on logo design, personal branding and creative entrepreneurship.

In this episode, James shares his unconventional career journey - from going back to school after feeling lost in his teens, to launching Baby Giant Design Co., to building the Made by James brand.

James talks openly about carving your own path as a creative and why there’s no single ’traditional’ route to success.

He also reflects on the evolving design agency model, shifting budgets, and the importance of never settling creatively.

Links:

Made By James

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This week Claire met up with Paul Watmough-Halim and Jan Stein, the co-founders of the brand studio Hyperfocus.

Paul was named by Creative Boom as one of the top creatives of 2025, and has spoken around the world with Jan at festivals such as D&AD. Paul was head of design at clothing brand Bench and has worked on German media channel Funke and the Olympic Games for Coca-Cola. Jan has worked on brands such as Google, Swisscom and Red Bull and both are the co-hosts of the Brand Review on YouTube.

On the podcast they share their early discovery of art and design, their uniting love of skateboarding, to the influence of music, DJ-ing and creating album art. Jan shares the huge impact of growing up in East Berlin when the wall came down and seeing the world through new eyes. And they share the creative and eye-catching ways that they’ve made their mark in the world of brand design and becoming the 'go-to' for other agencies to design their websites.

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Hyperfocus

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The award-winning Rejane Dal Bello, founder of Studio Dal Bello, joined host Claire Blyth at a live audience recording at D&AD’s headquarters, talking about her book ‘Citizen First, Designer Second’ and its unique perspective on design.

On the podcast Rejane shares her design journey through her book, with insights, and advice for designers who want to make a meaningful impact.

She discusses the undervaluation of design in society and the need for greater awareness of its impact.

And she explains why she hates the word branding and the feeling of creating hierarchies in design.

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Rejane Dal Bello

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In the first podcast of series 9, Claire met Samar at Pentagram’s new London studios for a wide-ranging conversation on design, culture, and global identity.

Samar is known for her creative, multilingual approach to design, working at the intersection of cultures. Her work spans major global projects - from city rebrands such as Dubai, to launching Apple’s brand in Arabic, and campaigns for many clients including Porsche across technology, culture, and AI.

On the podcast, Samar shares her journey from Beirut to London, and her path to becoming a Pentagram partner in 2023

She explores the challenges of building cohesive brands across languages and cultures

And offers sharp insights into today’s design industry, from trends to challenges

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Pentagram

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In the last of the series, Claire sat down with Phil Jones, a true design innovator and a major force in the UK’s creative, digital, design and sports industries. Now best known as the founder of the invite-only Podge Lunches, Phil is also a mentor, consultant, and former MD of leading digital and typography agencies. He’s a pioneer of digital design and was voted into the BIMA Digital Hall of Fame in 2012.

On the podcast, Phil shares his epic career journey from typesetting for London’s best design agencies, founding one of the first digital studios in the UK and creating the first websites for brands including Canon and Diesel, to the origins of the very first Podge Lunch - and how it became such an influential design community-building event.

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