RESUME
Multilingual, Creative Executive with international experience in building successful brands through clear and focused vision, strategic design/marketing planning, strong team management skills and in-depth industry knowledge and trend foresight. Translates brand value proposition into a customer experience that is compelling, exciting and relevant.
EXPERIENCE
Consulting Partner: 1/2015-Present
Surface LLC, Park Ridge, New Jersey surfacecreative.com
Multi-talented design collaborative. Among other projects, recently developed a product collection for The Museum of Modern Art Design Store in New York.
Design and Product Specialist: 2/2017-2/2020
Luminaire, Chicago, Illinois
Brand Communications Director, (Consultant): 12/2013-1/2015
Natuzzi; Santeramo and Milan, Italy
Founded in 1959, Natuzzi produces and sells an extensive collection of upholstery, home furnishings and accessories worldwide. Natuzzi is Italy’s largest furniture company with the greatest global reach in this sector. Traded on the NYSE, the company has production facilities in Italy, Romania, China and Brazil, with product distribution and retail outlets on all continents.
Recruited by Founder and CEO Pasquale Natuzzi, to direct and evolve the brand communications, marketing and creative direction of the in-house Creative Lab team that designs and produces all communications programs worldwide through website, video, print, in-store and PR executions.
• Restructured the Creative Lab team to stimulate creative growth through collaborative project development while increasing overall efficiencies.
• Led the selection and coordination of a new worldwide advertising agency to integrate the creative platform within a new corporate business strategy.
• Initiated the creative development of a major new website redesign to align with the new strategy.
• Oversaw the selection of a new digital agency to develop and implement over a three month period, the first Natuzzi eCommerce site specifically for a new product launch.
Vice President, Creative: 1988-2013
Crate&Barrel and CB2; Northbrook, Illinois.
Home Furnishings Retailer. Private subsidiary of Otto (Gmbh & Co KG), a $16b company and one of the top apparel and accessories e-retailer in the world.
Recruited by Founder and former CEO Gordon Segal and President Barbara Turf, to evolve the brand and execute corporate commitment to design distinction through establishing in-house creative department.
• Brand Steward and Creative Guardian: Led brand strategy and creative development across corporate identity, marketing materials, catalogs, websites, advertising, private label packaging programs, in-store graphics and signage. Drove all visual presentation and communications with a ruling passion for design excellence.
• Team Development and Leadership: Established the in-house Creative Group for both brands. During Alessandro's tenure, the department staffing grew from 1 to 50+. Creative teams ensured all brand objectives were executed timely and cost effectively.
• Remarkable Growth: Company sales increased over 400%, from ~ $250m to $1.2b. Stores grew from 25 in the US to 130+ in five countries.
• Distinctive Packaging: Directed design and implementation of extensive branded packaging programs over all product categories. Achieved sales objectives through effective and compelling visual presentation.
• Award-winning Advertising: Led selection process for all new outside advertising agencies. Gave creative direction and helped manage annual budget of $50 million for online, print, outdoor and TV campaigns.
• eCommerce/Interactive: Oversaw on-line creative strategy, style, design and social marketing to ensure alignment with brand; contributed to on-line sales achieving 1/3rd revenue. Garnered recognition for the sites as best-in-class in industry for aesthetics, customer experience and functionality, and among the largest in reach and frequency.
• Start-up Brand: Directed the creative/strategic launch of a new brand, CB2, in 2000, to address the modern, style-driven home furnishings consumer market. Responsible for name development and establishing all brand graphic standards including logo, packaging, catalogs, website, signage and advertising. The brand has since expanded to 15 stores in the US, Canada and Singapore, with other locations under development worldwide.
• Design-driven Merchandising: Provided product research and consultation for Crate&Barrel and CB2 as the corporate representative for design, style and product trends annually at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan, Italy and the ICFF in New York, NY.
PRIOR EXPERIENCE
Principal
Franchini and Cabana, Inc., New York, NY.
Design Consultants
Design Director
Arnell/Bickford Associates, New York, NY.
Advertising and Design
Senior Designer
Bonnell Design Associates, New York, NY.
Visual Communications
Designer
Vignelli Associates, New York, NY.
Graphic, Product and Interior Design
Designer
GFP, Venice Italy.
Graphic Design, Photography, Marketing and Advertising
EDUCATION
B.A., Connecticut College, New London, Connecticut
University of Illinois, School of Design, Chicago, Illinois
Illinois Institute of Technology, Institute of Design, Chicago, Illinois
MEMBERSHIPS
AIGA, STA (The Society of Typographic Arts), SEGD (Society for Environmental Graphic Design), TDC (Type Directors Club), The Arts Club of Chicago
AWARDS/PUBLICATIONS
AIGA, STA, SEGD, American Center for Design;
Graphis, Communication Arts, I.D., Print, Interiors, Axis.
In 2009, Crate and Barrel was honored with the first-ever Corporate Design Leadership Award by the AIGA, Chicago Chapter. Among the fourteen nominees were Motorola, United Airlines, Boeing, Herman Miller, Steelcase, McDonald’s and The Art Institute of Chicago.
PERSONAL
Born in Rome, Italy
Bilingual, English-Italian. Dual citizenship (USA and Italy)