Ian Cook

Hey, I'm Ian.

I'm a designer and creative lead, but I couldn't be just one thing. That's why I describe myself as an obsessive generalist — I want to try everything, and my varied experience across brand, motion, video, digital, and content gives me a viewpoint on the design process that purely specialised designers don't have.

My career has taken me through sales, marketing, brand management, graphic design, and video production — across multinational companies, state government, startups, and freelance. That breadth isn't accidental. It's the thing I keep returning to as my strongest asset.

My approach is always measured, open, and forward-looking. I want to combine compelling art direction with the exacting principles of design — with a sprinkling of chaos where I can afford it. Education and meaning are the two constants: I'm driven by curiosity, and by work that earns its existence.

Background

I started using Photoshop in 2003 to make a newspaper for junior reporters in Hereford, UK — my first project involved compositing a knight fighting a dragon. I studied music technology, then film production, before landing in design by a fairly circuitous route. I'm from the UK but have been in Sydney for the best part of 15 years, long enough to become a citizen and acquire two little Australians of my own.

What I'm listening to

About this site

HTML, CSS and vanilla JavaScript — no frameworks, no build step. Built in collaboration with Claude. Hosted on Netlify. It will never be finished.

Experience

Download CV ↓

Vouch

Creative Lead2024–Present
Senior Brand Designer2022–2023

amaysim

Digital Designer2021–2022

Macquarie Capital

Graphic Designer & Video Content Producer/Editor2019–2021

Dept. of Planning and Environment

Senior Graphic Designer, Brand & Marketing2017–2019

Ian Cook Design

Freelance Brand & Graphic Designer2016–Present

Institute of Actuaries of Australia

Content and Brand Manager2016–2017
Communications and Marketing Specialist2015–2016

IRI-Aztec

Marketing Manager + Graphic Designer2014–2015

Aztec Information Services

Business Support Manager + Graphic Designer2012–2014

Matthew Algie Coffee

Sales and Marketing Manager2011–2012

Kellogg's UK

Sales and Marketing Manager2008–2011

Education

Staffordshire University

BSc. Film Production Technology

Worcester College of Technology

National Diploma: Music Technology