Design Director with two decades of experience leading cross-disciplinary creative teams at the intersection of design, technology, and storytelling. I create brand experiences that move — emotionally, visually, and interactively — through a craft-driven approach that blends design systems, motion, and innovation. From concept to production, I bridge creative vision and technical execution — inspiring teams to think boldly, design intelligently, and deliver with precision. My work spans experiential, digital, and film — always grounded in narrative and driven by curiosity. Partnering with agencies, studios, and brands to define creative direction, visual systems, and storytelling across digital and experiential projects. Directed global, cross-platform creative work for some of the world’s most respected brands — shaping digital, experiential, and motion-driven storytelling. Helped evolve the agency’s digital offering through animation and interactivity. Developed early frameworks for motion design in branded communication. Delivered award-winning digital and motion design for global clients including Jaguar, Nestlé, and Barclays.…

John Buckell

Design Director with two decades of experience leading cross-disciplinary creative teams at the intersection of design, technology, and storytelling. I create brand experiences that move — emotionally, visually, and interactively — through a craft-driven approach that blends design systems, motion, and innovation. From concept to production, I bridge creative vision and technical execution — inspiring teams to think boldly, design intelligently, and deliver with precision. My work spans experiential, digital, and film — always grounded in narrative and driven by curiosity. Partnering with agencies, studios, and brands to define creative direction, visual systems, and storytelling across digital and experiential projects. Directed global, cross-platform creative work for some of the world’s most respected brands — shaping digital, experiential, and motion-driven storytelling. Helped evolve the agency’s digital offering through animation and interactivity. Developed early frameworks for motion design in branded communication. Delivered award-winning digital and motion design for global clients including Jaguar, Nestlé, and Barclays.…

Available to hire

Design Director with two decades of experience leading cross-disciplinary creative teams at the intersection of design, technology, and storytelling. I create brand experiences that move — emotionally, visually, and interactively — through a craft-driven approach that blends design systems, motion, and innovation. From concept to production, I bridge creative vision and technical execution — inspiring teams to think boldly, design intelligently, and deliver with precision.

My work spans experiential, digital, and film — always grounded in narrative and driven by curiosity. Partnering with agencies, studios, and brands to define creative direction, visual systems, and storytelling across digital and experiential projects. Directed global, cross-platform creative work for some of the world’s most respected brands — shaping digital, experiential, and motion-driven storytelling. Helped evolve the agency’s digital offering through animation and interactivity. Developed early frameworks for motion design in branded communication. Delivered award-winning digital and motion design for global clients including Jaguar, Nestlé, and Barclays.

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Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Design Director at Freelance
January 1, 2011 - January 1, 2011
Led design direction for major briefs including American Express x Wimbledon; SAP x Elbphilharmonie; The Balvenie Story; and Shift by Momentum; merged live data, interaction, and craft to create data-driven, multi-sensory experiences. Guided concept development, visual direction, and brand storytelling; mentored multidisciplinary teams across design, UX, motion, and development; advised clients on brand evolution and creative transformation.
Design Director at Momentum Worldwide
January 1, 2025 - January 1, 2025
Directed global, cross-platform creative work for leading brands — shaping digital, experiential, and motion-driven storytelling. Helped evolve the agency’s digital offering through animation and interactivity. Developed early frameworks for motion design in branded communication. Delivered award-winning digital and motion design for clients including Jaguar, Nestlé, and Barclays.
Senior Digital Designer at Havas Helia
September 1, 2025 - November 7, 2025
Senior Digital Designer responsible for creative direction and execution of brand digital experiences; contributed to motion design and visual systems across projects.
Design Director at Momentum Worldwide
January 1, 2011 - January 1, 2011
Directed global, cross-platform creative work, shaping digital, experiential, and motion-driven storytelling. Led evolution of the agency’s digital offering through animation and interactivity. Developed early frameworks for motion design in branded communication. Delivered award-winning digital and motion design for clients including Jaguar, Nestlé, and Barclays.
Senior Digital Designer at Havas Helia
January 1, 2011 - November 7, 2025
Supported multidisciplinary teams across design, UX, and motion; advised on brand evolution and creative transformation. Led concept development and visual direction for innovation-led briefs; collaborated with studios on motion direction, system design, and pitch strategy.

Education

BSc Product Design at Brunel University London
January 1, 2002 - January 1, 2006
BSc in Product Design at Brunel University London
January 1, 2002 - January 1, 2006

Qualifications

Add your qualifications or awards here.

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Professional Services, Software & Internet, Retail, Travel & Hospitality, Manufacturing, Financial Services
    paper The Smart Table - SAP
    An interactive infotainment table for the Elbphilharmonie Plaza in Hamburg that turns live architectural and musical data into a hands-on, bilingual experience. I led the digital design and motion direction — and helped pivot the project from a faltering supplier build into a responsive, Unity-driven installation that actually played the hall.…
    uniE621 SHiFT with Emily Penn x SAP
    Working hand-in-hand with Ocean advocate Emily Penn, we transformed her physical SHiFT workshops into a seamless digital experience. The idea: a sea of solutions, a constantly expanding collection of interactive cards that let users navigate from sea to source, filtering by how, where, and what kind of shift they wanted to make.…
    uniE621 The Balvenie Digital Craftbook
    What started as a limited-edition coffee table book became a story the world could experience. The Digital Craftbook extended Balvenie’s reach beyond the distillery walls and into the hands of whisky lovers everywhere, reinforcing its position as one of the most authentic, craft-led spirits in the world. The site launched to acclaim across whisky and design circles, earning thousands of visits within its first few weeks and giving new audiences a deeper appreciation of The Balvenie’s process and people. While the original data is long lost, the project remains a favourite for its purity of purpose — a reminder that sometimes, the best work comes from simply caring about the craft.…