I'm a freelance Design Director / Senior Designer specialising in branding and advertising. Having spent the past seven years heading up the design team at The Gate London, I now work independently with agencies, and creative teams. I bring a mix of high-level design and hands-on, senior-level execution to every project.

Allison Ball

I'm a freelance Design Director / Senior Designer specialising in branding and advertising. Having spent the past seven years heading up the design team at The Gate London, I now work independently with agencies, and creative teams. I bring a mix of high-level design and hands-on, senior-level execution to every project.

Available to hire

I’m a freelance Design Director / Senior Designer specialising in branding and advertising.

Having spent the past seven years heading up the design team at The Gate London, I now work independently with agencies, and creative teams.

I bring a mix of high-level design and hands-on, senior-level execution to every project.

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Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Senior Graphic Designer at Freelance
March 1, 2026 - Present
I am an experienced Senior Graphic Designer. I have been freelancing for a range of clients and industries, ranging from Insurance, Tech, Finance, Motor, Fashion, Food and Media including hospitality and Energy. I bring a mix of high-level design and hands-on, senior-level execution to every project.
Design Director at The Gate London
February 1, 2019 - February 28, 2026
Running a department of 10 Designers and Artworkers, I liaised directly with Clients, Senior Management, internal Creatives, and Creative Services to keep the Studio aligned and meeting tight deadlines. I balanced this leadership with a heavy hands-on design role, taking briefs from initial concept through to final delivery, leading major rebrands, running pitches, and delivering comprehensive brand projects and multi-disciplinary campaigns. Alongside the creative work, I focused on building, managing, and mentoring the team. This involved everything from recruiting new talent and setting up account-specific squads for clients like The AA and Shell, to appointing internal brand guardians and establishing new agency-wide workflow processes.
Senior Designer at Leo Burnett London
March 1, 2014 - August 1, 2016
Integrated advertising agency with McDonald’s as its main client; also worked on Kellogg’s, Co-op, Coca-Cola, Creative Circle, Malcolm Venville, NSPCC, Amnesty International and RNIB.
Head of Design at Craftwork
April 1, 2013 - February 1, 2014
Headed up a small design team in an advertising agency; led multi-brand campaigns for clients including Greenall’s, Echo Falls, Hardy’s Wines, Bowmore Distilleries, Bounce, Sodexo, Galbani, President Cheese, Daisy Chain and Sellotape.
Senior Designer at The Red Brick Road
April 1, 2011 - June 1, 2012
Integrated advertising agency work; worked on Tesco as headline client and on Suzuki, Savills, Brewin Dolphin, Ladybird Records, National Rail and Jagermeister.
Senior Designer at Baber Smith
April 1, 2008 - May 1, 2010
Advertising and publishing company; clients included Lakeside, Cabot Circus, Brent Cross, Meadowhall, American Express, Scottish Power, DSGi, Ideas Tap and Family Investments.
Senior Designer at MEDIA24 - Touchline Media
February 1, 2007 - June 1, 2007
Editorial design; art direction; design lead for pitches and the first issues of new titles; first issues handed to a dedicated design team.
Senior Designer at Crystal UK, Graphicor, Greathead’s & Imag inology
January 1, 1997 - January 1, 2007
Early career across three design/marketing companies in South Africa and London; responsible for brand development including new identity guidelines, literature, direct marketing, branded merchandise, packaging, annual reports, event branding, and point of sale.

Education

Add your educational history here.

Qualifications

Graphic Design Diploma
January 11, 2030 - June 24, 2026

Industry Experience

Energy & Utilities, Agriculture & Mining, Consumer Goods, Gaming, Media & Entertainment, Non-Profit Organization, Real Estate & Construction, Retail, Software & Internet, Telecommunications, Professional Services, Other