I'm a designer from Johannesburg, South Africa I am a highly experienced design professional with over two decades of experience across publishing, media, and corporate environments. I specialise in leading visual design from concept through to final production, combining creative excellence with strong technical and operational discipline. My expertise includes art direction, document and layout design, brand identity development, and print‑ready production, supported by a deep understanding of typography, colour management, and visual consistency. I have a proven ability to translate business and editorial requirements into effective design solutions, working closely with stakeholders, marketing teams, printers, and production partners. I am experienced in managing end‑to‑end design workflows, including briefing, concept development, budgeting, scheduling, quality control, and final sign‑off. I also bring strong leadership capability, having successfully led and mentored design teams while maintaining high standards under demanding timelines. I am technically proficient across the Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat) and have a solid foundation in desktop publishing, digital proofing, and direct‑to‑plate printing. I balance creativity with governance, accuracy, and brand compliance, and I am recognised for my attention to detail, problem‑solving ability, and pragmatic, delivery‑focused approach to design that supports both operational efficiency and business objectives.…

Don Adrian Kisten

I'm a designer from Johannesburg, South Africa I am a highly experienced design professional with over two decades of experience across publishing, media, and corporate environments. I specialise in leading visual design from concept through to final production, combining creative excellence with strong technical and operational discipline. My expertise includes art direction, document and layout design, brand identity development, and print‑ready production, supported by a deep understanding of typography, colour management, and visual consistency. I have a proven ability to translate business and editorial requirements into effective design solutions, working closely with stakeholders, marketing teams, printers, and production partners. I am experienced in managing end‑to‑end design workflows, including briefing, concept development, budgeting, scheduling, quality control, and final sign‑off. I also bring strong leadership capability, having successfully led and mentored design teams while maintaining high standards under demanding timelines. I am technically proficient across the Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat) and have a solid foundation in desktop publishing, digital proofing, and direct‑to‑plate printing. I balance creativity with governance, accuracy, and brand compliance, and I am recognised for my attention to detail, problem‑solving ability, and pragmatic, delivery‑focused approach to design that supports both operational efficiency and business objectives.…

Available to hire

I’m a designer from Johannesburg, South Africa

I am a highly experienced design professional with over two decades of experience across publishing, media, and corporate environments. I specialise in leading visual design from concept through to final production, combining creative excellence with strong technical and operational discipline. My expertise includes art direction, document and layout design, brand identity development, and print‑ready production, supported by a deep understanding of typography, colour management, and visual consistency.
I have a proven ability to translate business and editorial requirements into effective design solutions, working closely with stakeholders, marketing teams, printers, and production partners. I am experienced in managing end‑to‑end design workflows, including briefing, concept development, budgeting, scheduling, quality control, and final sign‑off. I also bring strong leadership capability, having successfully led and mentored design teams while maintaining high standards under demanding timelines.
I am technically proficient across the Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Acrobat) and have a solid foundation in desktop publishing, digital proofing, and direct‑to‑plate printing. I balance creativity with governance, accuracy, and brand compliance, and I am recognised for my attention to detail, problem‑solving ability, and pragmatic, delivery‑focused approach to design that supports both operational efficiency and business objectives.

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Skills

Experience Level

Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Graphic Designer/Production Editor at Naspers/Media 24
July 1, 1998 - September 30, 2002
Production Editor & Senior Designer responsible for the end‑to‑end production and design of True Love Magazine. Led layout, flat planning, and cover design across the main publication, supplements, and annual calendar. Managed colour correction and image retouching, ensured print quality through direct liaison with repro and printing houses, and supervised press runs in Cape Town. Played a key role in production governance through weekly production meetings and monthly strategic sessions with Naspers management, while collaborating closely with advertisers to optimise visual placement and commercial impact.
Senior graphic designer at YFM Radio station
October 1, 2002 - December 31, 2004
Production Manager & Senior Graphic Designer responsible for the design and production of YMag and the overall marketing and branding of YFM. Led visual communication across print, advertising, and outdoor media, including billboards and promotional materials. Managed end‑to‑end production workflows, liaised with repro and printing houses, and supported operational budget costing. Delivered copywriting for advertising campaigns, managed advertising bookings, and ensured client requirements were met, while maintaining brand consistency across all visual outputs.
Art Director and Copywriter at Mamas & Papas Family magazine
January 1, 2027 - August 31, 2012
Art Director and Copywriter responsible for the end‑to‑end design and creative direction of the magazine, including layout, cover design, flat planning, and print‑ready production. Led editorial concept development, image sourcing, retouching, and colour correction, and managed the scheduling of fashion and cover photo shoots. Delivered copywriting and sub‑editing, signed off final content prior to print, and developed marketing and branding proposals for major events such as the Baby Expo and Baba Indaba, ensuring strong brand alignment and audience engagement.
Senior Typesetter/Designer at Stuido 5
September 1, 2012 - September 30, 2013
Senior Typesetter / Designer specialising in the design and production of corporate annual reports. Responsible for implementing client amendments, ensuring accuracy, and preparing high‑resolution, print‑ready artwork. Worked closely with stakeholders to meet tight deadlines while maintaining high production and quality standards.
Manager Document Design at Standard Bank Group
February 2, 2026 - Present
As Manager of Document Design, I was accountable for the end‑to‑end governance, design, and management of all forms across the Standard Bank Group. I acted as custodian of group‑wide form standards, ensuring regulatory compliance (including NCA, FAIS, FICA, CPA), corporate identity alignment, cost containment, and operational efficiency. I provided strategic direction and oversight for document design initiatives, working closely with product owners, business units, compliance, risk, and external vendors to deliver coordinated, compliant solutions. I led and managed a team of design officers, overseeing workload allocation, performance management, capability development, and delivery against agreed timelines and budgets. My role included planning and tracking work requests, managing turnaround times for new and amended forms, enforcing design and quality standards, and preventing the use of unauthorised documentation. I was also responsible for reporting, MIS, and executive‑level updates, as well as contributing to budget planning and cost control. In addition, I drove process improvement and innovation within Document Design, supporting the transition from pre‑printed to electronic forms and promoting best‑practice solutions aligned to the bank’s strategic objectives.

Education

Matriculation Bachelor Pass at Meadowlands Secondary High School
January 1, 1987 - December 31, 1991
Diploma in Desktop Publishing at Executive Computers Training Centre
February 1, 1995 - December 20, 1995
National Certificate in Design Techniques Specialising at Red & Yellow Creative School of Business
May 31, 2022 - May 31, 2023

Qualifications

Matriculation Bachelor Pass
January 1, 1987 - December 31, 1991
Desktop publisher in Graphic Design
February 1, 1995 - December 20, 1995
UX/UI Deisgner
October 1, 2021 - May 31, 2023

Industry Experience

Financial Services, Media & Entertainment, Professional Services

Skills

Experience Level