Hi, I’m Chris Challinor. I’m an award-winning designer with 20+ years of experience across branding, packaging, print and editorial. I’ve led creative teams and built strong client relationships for brands like Royal Mail, AstraZeneca, BBC, and The Independent, delivering compelling identities on time and on budget. I thrive on turning big briefs into clear, design-led solutions. From launching Studio Up to collaborating with top agencies, I’m driven by strategic thinking, mentoring teams, and creating work that helps brands stand out in competitive markets.…

Chris Challinor

Hi, I’m Chris Challinor. I’m an award-winning designer with 20+ years of experience across branding, packaging, print and editorial. I’ve led creative teams and built strong client relationships for brands like Royal Mail, AstraZeneca, BBC, and The Independent, delivering compelling identities on time and on budget. I thrive on turning big briefs into clear, design-led solutions. From launching Studio Up to collaborating with top agencies, I’m driven by strategic thinking, mentoring teams, and creating work that helps brands stand out in competitive markets.…

Available to hire

Hi, I’m Chris Challinor. I’m an award-winning designer with 20+ years of experience across branding, packaging, print and editorial. I’ve led creative teams and built strong client relationships for brands like Royal Mail, AstraZeneca, BBC, and The Independent, delivering compelling identities on time and on budget.

I thrive on turning big briefs into clear, design-led solutions. From launching Studio Up to collaborating with top agencies, I’m driven by strategic thinking, mentoring teams, and creating work that helps brands stand out in competitive markets.

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Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Design Director/Associate Creative Director at The Chase
December 31, 2012 - July 17, 2025
Creative lead of a design team of 6+ designers on print, editorial and branding projects. Managed timelines, print production, artwork and distribution for concurrent projects with budgets up to £65k. Commissioned photographers, illustrators, copywriters, motion designers, animators and printers. Led accounts for BBC, AstraZeneca, Transport for London, Land Sec, Laurence King Ingenious media and Royal Mail. Managed key accounts including Marks and Spencer, M&S Money and Inmarsat Global Satellite Telecommunications.
Founder/Creative Lead at Studio Up
January 1, 2012 - Present
Creative Lead with overall responsibility for a small design studio, building and maintaining client relationships, presentations, pitches and project cost estimations to boards, stakeholders, and decision makers. Assembled and led multidisciplinary teams to deliver projects on time and budget. Clients included Royal Mail, Jersey Post, Royal British Legion Industries, WSUP Water & Sanitation for the Urban Poor, Mind & T-Rex Entertainment. Collaborated and freelanced for a number of agencies including Earth branding, Friend Studio, Jack Morton Worldwide, Jack Renwick Studio, Butcher and Gundersen, WMH&I.
Freelance Creative
December 31, 2009 - July 17, 2025
Worked freelance collaborating with multiple agencies such as Earth branding, Friend Studio, Jack Morton Worldwide, Jack Renwick Studio, Butcher and Gundersen, and WMH&I on branding, reporting, roadside retail, service station design, brand packaging and campaigns.
Senior Designer at HGV Design
December 31, 2008 - July 17, 2025
Worked and collaborated with some of the UK’s leading design agencies including Pentagram, The Chase, Williams Murray Hamm, and William and Joseph on editorial, brand packaging, print, and reporting projects.
Senior Designer at The Chase
December 31, 2008 - July 17, 2025
Overall creative lead and project manager of print, editorial and branding projects, with an average budget of £50k. Clients included Mishcon de Reya, Bedell Cristin, The Independent, Skandia and Royal Mail.
Middleweight Designer at The Chase
December 31, 2006 - July 17, 2025
Started as a junior designer and progressed to Middleweight, working on various brand, packaging, print and editorial projects. Managed small client relationships within a team of creatives for clients including AstraZeneca, British Council, Royal Mail, Brand 7 David Beckham, National football museum, The Co-operative bank.

Education

BA Graphic Design at Norwich University of the Arts
January 1, 1997 - January 1, 2001

Qualifications

BA (HONS)
July 30, 2001
Award-winning Creative
January 11, 2030 - January 11, 2026

Industry Experience

Other, Financial Services, Education, Healthcare, Retail, Travel & Hospitality, Telecommunications, Professional Services, Non-Profit Organization, Media & Entertainment, Transportation & Logistics, Government