Michael

Dunn.

Experience

28 years of design

Twenty-eight years. Five organisations. Two of the world's largest law firms. One advertising agency, a technology marketing studio, and one of Britain's most celebrated publishing houses.

From junior designer to Global Design Director — I've spent two decades building brands, systems, and teams that scale. I've led creative operations across 50+ offices in EMEA, Americas, and APAC, enabled 7,000+ people to produce on-brand work independently, and directed programmes that have moved measurable brand equity for global organisations.

Along the way: 2 industry award wins, 3 further shortlists, a top 3 global legal brand ranking, and a conviction that design is most powerful when it's built into the infrastructure of how an organisation works — not bolted on at the end.

28+

Years experience

5

Organisations

50+

Offices spanned

2

Awards won

December 2011 to present day

Global Design Director

Norton Rose Fulbright LLP

Lead global brand identity, design systems, and creative operations for one of the world's largest law firms, overseeing a multi-disciplinary team across 50+ offices in EMEA, Americas, and APAC. Partner with C-suite and cross-functional leaders to integrate design into strategic business priorities.

Key achievements

  • Built a component-based Office design system adopted by 7,000+ staff across PowerPoint and Word
  • Implemented the firm's first enterprise DAM platform — reduced creative turnaround times 30%, tripled reuse of approved assets
  • Led shift from centralised delivery to governed self-service — reduced low-complexity requests 60%
  • Identified, piloted, and implemented Ceros as the firm's interactive content platform
  • Embedded AI into design workflows — Riverside.FM, Bynder AI search, Adobe Firefly
  • Co-led website replatforming — cut bounce rate 12%, increased time-on-page 18%
  • Directed global brand merger — 100% adoption across 50+ offices within six months
  • #RiskReady McLaren sponsorship campaign — +15% social engagement, +7% inbound enquiries
  • Global brand advertising campaign — top 3 global legal brand (Acritas), +20% brand awareness

December 2009 to December 2011

Design Manager

Allen & Overy LLP

Established a new creative services team in Belfast and spearheaded the firm's global brand refresh.

Key achievements

  • Delivered global brand refresh — guidelines, templates, and training across 40+ offices in four months
  • Improved brand compliance by 20% through governance and team education
  • Built strong partnerships across regional teams to support consistent adoption

March 2006 to June 2009

Creative Director

Focus Advertising

Led a 15+ person design studio delivering integrated campaigns across property, leisure, sport, corporate, and public sector clients.

Key achievements

  • Creative leadership on multi-channel campaigns — average client revenue uplift of 15% post-campaign
  • Contributed to business strategy and new business pitches — helped secure £1.2M in new annual revenue
  • Winner — EG Property Marketing Awards (Best Bespoke Property Brochure, 2007)

March 2003 to March 2006

Art Director

Wilson Miller

Directed creative output for technology marketing campaigns including Cisco Systems, Dell, and O2.

Key achievements

  • Delivered direct mail, advertising, literature, brand identity, and event materials
  • Contributed to average campaign response rate increases of 12%
  • Shortlisted — Thought Leadership Design, Technology Marketing Awards (2004)

March 1998 to March 2003

Designer

Dennis Publishing

Worked across marketing design projects for one of the UK's most prominent independent publishing houses — home to titles including The Week, Maxim, and Auto Express. Supported commercial and subscription teams with design across sales materials, subscription marketing, and direct mail campaigns.

Selected by Chairman Felix Dennis to design special projects including published poetry books — a mark of trust that reflected both the quality of the work and the working relationship built over five years.

Key achievements

  • Delivered design across subscription marketing, direct mail, and sales materials supporting audience and revenue growth
  • Partnered with commercial teams to produce campaigns across multiple major titles
  • Selected by Chairman Felix Dennis for special projects including published poetry books

Michael

Dunn.

Contact me

Experience

28 years of design

Twenty-eight years. Five organisations. Two of the world's largest law firms. One advertising agency, a technology marketing studio, and one of Britain's most celebrated publishing houses.

From junior designer to Global Design Director — I've spent two decades building brands, systems, and teams that scale. I've led creative operations across 50+ offices in EMEA, Americas, and APAC, enabled 7,000+ people to produce on-brand work independently, and directed programmes that have moved measurable brand equity for global organisations.

Along the way: 2 industry award wins, 3 further shortlists, a top 3 global legal brand ranking, and a conviction that design is most powerful when it's built into the infrastructure of how an organisation works — not bolted on at the end.

28+

Years experience

5

Organisations

50+

Offices spanned

2

Awards won

December 2011 to present day

Global Design Director

Norton Rose Fulbright LLP

Lead global brand identity, design systems, and creative operations for one of the world's largest law firms, overseeing a multi-disciplinary team across 50+ offices in EMEA, Americas, and APAC. Partner with C-suite and cross-functional leaders to integrate design into strategic business priorities.

Key achievements

  • Built a component-based Office design system adopted by 7,000+ staff across PowerPoint and Word
  • Implemented the firm's first enterprise DAM platform — reduced creative turnaround times 30%, tripled reuse of approved assets
  • Led shift from centralised delivery to governed self-service — reduced low-complexity requests 60%
  • Identified, piloted, and implemented Ceros as the firm's interactive content platform
  • Embedded AI into design workflows — Riverside.FM, Bynder AI search, Adobe Firefly
  • Co-led website replatforming — cut bounce rate 12%, increased time-on-page 18%
  • Directed global brand merger — 100% adoption across 50+ offices within six months
  • #RiskReady McLaren sponsorship campaign — +15% social engagement, +7% inbound enquiries
  • Global brand advertising campaign — top 3 global legal brand (Acritas), +20% brand awareness

Sector

Global legal

Professional services

Marketing

Accountability

Brand

Design systems

Creative ops

AI strategy

Scale

50+ offices

7000+ users

14+ years

December 2009 to December 2011

Design Manager

Allen & Overy LLP

Established a new creative services team in Belfast and spearheaded the firm's global brand refresh.

Key achievements

  • Delivered global brand refresh — guidelines, templates, and training across 40+ offices in four months
  • Improved brand compliance by 20% through governance and team education
  • Built strong partnerships across regional teams to support consistent adoption

Sector

Global legal

Professional services

Creative services

Accountability

Brand implementaton

Team build

Governance

Scale

40+ offices

New function in Belfast

2+ years

March 2006 to June 2009

Creative Director

Focus Advertising

Led a 15+ person design studio delivering integrated campaigns across property, leisure, sport, corporate, and public sector clients.

Key achievements

  • Creative leadership on multi-channel campaigns — average client revenue uplift of 15% post-campaign
  • Contributed to business strategy and new business pitches — helped secure £1.2M in new annual revenue
  • Winner — EG Property Marketing Awards (Best Bespoke Property Brochure, 2007)

Sector

Advertising and marketing

Design studio

Multi-sector

Accountability

Creative leadership

Studio P+L

New business

Scale

15 person studio

Taylor Wimpey lead agency

3 years

March 2003 to March 2006

Art Director

Wilson Miller

Directed creative output for technology marketing campaigns including Cisco Systems, Dell, and O2.

Key achievements

  • Delivered direct mail, advertising, literature, brand identity, and event materials
  • Contributed to average campaign response rate increases of 12%
  • Shortlisted — Thought Leadership Design, Technology Marketing Awards (2004)

Sector

Technology marketing

B2B

Accountability

Art direction

Campaign creative

Scale

Cisco

Dell

O2

3 years

March 1998 to March 2003

Designer

Dennis Publishing

Worked across marketing design projects for one of the UK's most prominent independent publishing houses — home to titles including The Week, Maxim, and Auto Express. Supported commercial and subscription teams with design across sales materials, subscription marketing, and direct mail campaigns.

Selected by Chairman Felix Dennis to design special projects including published poetry books — a mark of trust that reflected both the quality of the work and the working relationship built over five years.

Key achievements

  • Delivered design across subscription marketing, direct mail, and sales materials supporting audience and revenue growth
  • Partnered with commercial teams to produce campaigns across multiple major titles
  • Selected by Chairman Felix Dennis for special projects including published poetry books

Sector

Publishing

Marketing

Accountability

Direct mail, events and subscriptions

Special projects

Scale

Foundations as a designer

Working direct for chairman, Felix Dennis

5 years

Michael

Dunn.

Contact me

Experience

28 years of design

Twenty-eight years. Five organisations. Two of the world's largest law firms. One advertising agency, a technology marketing studio, and one of Britain's most celebrated publishing houses.

From junior designer to Global Design Director — I've spent two decades building brands, systems, and teams that scale. I've led creative operations across 50+ offices in EMEA, Americas, and APAC, enabled 7,000+ people to produce on-brand work independently, and directed programmes that have moved measurable brand equity for global organisations.

Along the way: 2 industry award wins, 3 further shortlists, a top 3 global legal brand ranking, and a conviction that design is most powerful when it's built into the infrastructure of how an organisation works — not bolted on at the end.

28+

Years experience

5

Organisations

50+

Offices spanned

2

Awards won

December 2011 to present day

Global Design Director

Norton Rose Fulbright LLP

Lead global brand identity, design systems, and creative operations for one of the world's largest law firms, overseeing a multi-disciplinary team across 50+ offices in EMEA, Americas, and APAC. Partner with C-suite and cross-functional leaders to integrate design into strategic business priorities.

Key achievements

  • Built a component-based Office design system adopted by 7,000+ staff across PowerPoint and Word
  • Implemented the firm's first enterprise DAM platform — reduced creative turnaround times 30%, tripled reuse of approved assets
  • Led shift from centralised delivery to governed self-service — reduced low-complexity requests 60%
  • Identified, piloted, and implemented Ceros as the firm's interactive content platform
  • Embedded AI into design workflows — Riverside.FM, Bynder AI search, Adobe Firefly
  • Co-led website replatforming — cut bounce rate 12%, increased time-on-page 18%
  • Directed global brand merger — 100% adoption across 50+ offices within six months
  • #RiskReady McLaren sponsorship campaign — +15% social engagement, +7% inbound enquiries
  • Global brand advertising campaign — top 3 global legal brand (Acritas), +20% brand awareness

Sector

Global legal

Professional services

Marketing

Accountability

Brand

Design systems

Creative ops

AI strategy

Scale

50+ offices

7000+ users

14+ years

December 2009 to December 2011

Design Manager

Allen & Overy LLP

Established a new creative services team in Belfast and spearheaded the firm's global brand refresh.

Key achievements

  • Delivered global brand refresh — guidelines, templates, and training across 40+ offices in four months
  • Improved brand compliance by 20% through governance and team education
  • Built strong partnerships across regional teams to support consistent adoption

Sector

Global legal

Professional services

Creative services

Accountability

Brand implementaton

Team build

Governance

Scale

40+ offices

New function in Belfast

2+ years

March 2006 to June 2009

Creative Director

Focus Advertising

Led a 15+ person design studio delivering integrated campaigns across property, leisure, sport, corporate, and public sector clients.

Key achievements

  • Creative leadership on multi-channel campaigns — average client revenue uplift of 15% post-campaign
  • Contributed to business strategy and new business pitches — helped secure £1.2M in new annual revenue
  • Winner — EG Property Marketing Awards (Best Bespoke Property Brochure, 2007)

Sector

Advertising and marketing

Design studio

Multi-sector

Accountability

Creative leadership

Studio P+L

New business

Scale

15 person studio

Taylor Wimpey lead agency

3 years

March 2003 to March 2006

Art Director

Wilson Miller

Directed creative output for technology marketing campaigns including Cisco Systems, Dell, and O2.

Key achievements

  • Delivered direct mail, advertising, literature, brand identity, and event materials
  • Contributed to average campaign response rate increases of 12%
  • Shortlisted — Thought Leadership Design, Technology Marketing Awards (2004)

Sector

Technology marketing

B2B

Accountability

Art direction

Campaign creative

Scale

Cisco

Dell

O2

3 years

March 1998 to March 2003

Designer

Dennis Publishing

Worked across marketing design projects for one of the UK's most prominent independent publishing houses — home to titles including The Week, Maxim, and Auto Express. Supported commercial and subscription teams with design across sales materials, subscription marketing, and direct mail campaigns.

Selected by Chairman Felix Dennis to design special projects including published poetry books — a mark of trust that reflected both the quality of the work and the working relationship built over five years.

Key achievements

  • Delivered design across subscription marketing, direct mail, and sales materials supporting audience and revenue growth
  • Partnered with commercial teams to produce campaigns across multiple major titles
  • Selected by Chairman Felix Dennis for special projects including published poetry books

Sector

Publishing

Marketing

Accountability

Direct mail, events and subscriptions

Special projects

Scale

Foundations as a designer

Working direct for chairman, Felix Dennis

5 years