I am an Art Director, Illustrator, and Creative Designer with a strong passion for transforming ideas into compelling visuals. My expertise spans across digital illustration, branding, and visual storytelling, blending creativity and strategy to create designs that resonate with audiences. With years of experience leading campaigns and hands-on illustration work, I thrive at the intersection of concept development and execution—from big-picture direction to the smallest design detail. Whether for advertising, branding, or editorial, I bring concepts to life with clarity, creativity, and impact.

James Gouw

I am an Art Director, Illustrator, and Creative Designer with a strong passion for transforming ideas into compelling visuals. My expertise spans across digital illustration, branding, and visual storytelling, blending creativity and strategy to create designs that resonate with audiences. With years of experience leading campaigns and hands-on illustration work, I thrive at the intersection of concept development and execution—from big-picture direction to the smallest design detail. Whether for advertising, branding, or editorial, I bring concepts to life with clarity, creativity, and impact.

Available to hire

I am an Art Director, Illustrator, and Creative Designer with a strong passion for transforming ideas into compelling visuals. My expertise spans across digital illustration, branding, and visual storytelling, blending creativity and strategy to create designs that resonate with audiences.

With years of experience leading campaigns and hands-on illustration work, I thrive at the intersection of concept development and execution—from big-picture direction to the smallest design detail. Whether for advertising, branding, or editorial, I bring concepts to life with clarity, creativity, and impact.

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Language

English
Advanced
Indonesian
Fluent

Work Experience

Art Director at Grab
April 1, 2022 - May 31, 2025
- Led the creative direction for major campaigns across multiple Grab services (GrabExpress, GrabUnlimited, GrabJastip, etc.). - Developed Key Visuals and campaign assets for seasonal events (Ramadan, New Year, etc.), ensuring brand consistency and cultural relevance. - Directed and supervised photoshoots and key visuals, from concept to execution, including typography and masthead treatments. - Collaborated with cross-functional teams to deliver integrated marketing campaigns that enhanced engagement and strengthened brand presence. - Produced illustrations, static ads, and digital assets tailored for platforms such as Meta and TikTok. - Presented creative concepts and decks to stakeholders, ensuring alignment between business objectives and creative outputs. - Mentored and guided junior designers to maintain creative quality and efficiency within the team. Key Achievements: - Won Citra Pariwara Gold (2022) in Directing category for “Modal Percaya” campaign. - Won Citra Pariwara Silver (2023) in Best Use of Digital Media for GrabUnlimited Saving Simulator campaign. - Won Citra Pariwara Bronze (2024) in Social Media Campaign for GrabExpress The Unlinkely Union campaign. - Delivered GrabExpress’s first-ever industry award through creative campaign execution. - Successfully launched Instant Hemat product campaign — GrabExpress’s first low-cost instant delivery service in Indonesia.
Creative Design Manager at Kanmo Group
January 1, 2022 - March 31, 2025
Working under Kanmo Retail Group to lead and manage ecommerce design teams for brand like mothercare, ELC, The Entertainer, Coach, Kate Spade and Nespresso. I have key responsibilities for : - Supervised and give direction for visual on website and all online marketplace platform. - Export and create visual data report for every week. - Make visual report for Q1 2022. - Provide trello power up for designer support to ensure effective and efficient workflow
Sr. Graphic Designer at Gojek (Gotix & Loket)
September 1, 2020 - December 31, 2022
I'm working under of Gojek Entertainment Group as a Senior Graphic Designer for Loket & GoTix. As a part of Gojek Group, Loket is focusing on selling online and offline event number 1 in Indonesia. GoTix is one of Gojek business unit, a technology company based in Jakarta, Indonesia. GoTix is focusing on online ticketing for both cinema tickets and online events. So far, i have key responsibilities for : - Conceptualize and execute graphic for all marketing support (desktop and mobilesite), include partnership - Create several visual for campaign - Create illustration assets (gotix icons) like Mbang & Mpop, etc. - Provide template for marketing support to ensure effective and efficient workflow - Initiate & lead creative discussion, brainstorming to finalize campaign concept & ideas
Graphic Designer at Traveloka
September 1, 2019 - August 30, 2020
Art direction across Grab brands
Art Director at Grab
January 1, 2020 - September 30, 2025
Art direction
Art Director at Grab
January 1, 2022 - September 30, 2025
Art direction
Graphic Designer at Banzai
December 1, 2017 - February 28, 2019
Banzai to is an online clothing brand established in 2018, created by me and a social media influencer, Edho Zell. We aim to spread positive messages through our product. I’m working on the product designs, instagram feeds, and all visual related things.
Graphic Design & Illustrator (Contract) at Traveloka Xperience
December 31, 2019 - September 30, 2025
Contract role focusing on graphic design and illustration for Traveloka Xperience campaigns and experiences.
Senior Graphic Designer at GoTix & Loket (Gojek Entertainment Group)
December 31, 2020 - September 30, 2025
Senior graphic designer responsible for design direction and asset creation for GoTix and Loket platforms.
Creative Design Manager at Kanmo Group
December 31, 2022 - September 30, 2025
Led the creative design team, overseeing brand visuals, campaigns, and design systems.
Art Director at Grab
December 31, 2019 - September 30, 2025
Art direction for Grab brand campaigns and product visuals across digital channels.
Art Director at Grab
December 31, 2025 - September 30, 2025
Continued art direction for Grab's branding and campaigns, shaping visual storytelling and design systems.

Education

High School at Bina Bakti Highschool
January 1, 2010 - January 1, 2012
Visual Communication Design at Maranatha University
January 1, 2012 - January 1, 2013
Fine Arts with Painting Concentration at Institut Teknologi Bandung
January 1, 2013 - January 1, 2018
High School Diploma at Bina Bakti Highschool
January 1, 2010 - January 1, 2012
Visual Communication Design at Maranatha University
January 1, 2012 - January 1, 2013
Bachelor of Fine Arts (Painting) at Institut Teknologi Bandung
January 1, 2013 - January 1, 2018
High School at Bina Bakti Highschool
January 1, 2010 - December 31, 2012
Visual Communication Design at Maranatha University
January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2013
Fine Arts at Institut Teknologi Bandung
January 1, 2013 - December 31, 2018
High School at Bina Bakti Highschool
January 1, 2010 - December 31, 2012
Visual Communication Design at Maranatha University
January 1, 2012 - December 31, 2013
Fine Arts (Painting Concentration) at Institut Teknologi Bandung
January 1, 2013 - December 31, 2018

Qualifications

Add your qualifications or awards here.

Industry Experience

Software & Internet, Retail, Media & Entertainment, Travel & Hospitality, Professional Services
    paper Avatar Asset Illustration - MaenYo Apps
    For Maenyo, I designed a set of avatar illustrations to represent different user personas and characters. These avatars were crafted with a clean, expressive, and whimsical look, ensuring they resonate with both children and parents. The assets were intended for use in marketing, educational materials, and user engagement activities, giving Maenyo a consistent visual voice that feels both approachable and distinctive.
    paper Spot Illustration for MaenYo
    I created a series of spot illustrations for Maenyo, designed to add a playful and engaging touch to their brand materials. The illustrations were developed in a kids-friendly, cheerful style, making them versatile for use across digital and print platforms. The goal was to visually capture Maenyo’s fun and approachable identity while ensuring the assets could seamlessly integrate into their communication materials.
    paper Updated Portfolio
    This updated portfolio showcases my journey as a Creative Art Director & Illustrator, highlighting a blend of advertising campaigns, branding, and children’s illustration. Over the years, I’ve developed a versatile body of work that balances strategic storytelling with playful visuals. Key highlights include: Award-Winning Campaigns: Modal Percaya (Citra Pariwara Gold 2022) and Saving Simulator (Citra Pariwara Silver 2023), demonstrating strong creative direction in large-scale brand campaigns. Grab Campaigns: Creative leadership on projects such as Instant Hemat Launch, GrabUnlimited, and seasonal campaigns (Ramadan, New Year, etc.). Illustration Works: Children’s books, educational card games, and character designs with a kids-friendly, fun, and engaging style. Creative Leadership: Experience mentoring junior designers, refining workflows, and elevating visual storytelling across digital and offline platforms. This portfolio reflects my dual expertise: strategic Art Direction for brands and illustration that connects with audiences emotionally.