Akshay Kumar Shah
Creative Leader | Design Strategist | Brand Storyteller
Dehradun
Summary
Creative Manager with 10+ years of leadership in multi-brand design strategy, team management, and high-impact brand communications across corporate and education sectors. Proven expertise in brand identity systems, annual reports, exhibition design, and promotional campaigns. Skilled in Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator on Mac OS, with a track record of mentoring creative teams, implementing traffic management systems, and delivering projects on time and within procurement policy guidelines.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
6
6
Certifications
Work History
Creative Manager
UPES University
11.2021 - Current
- Lead a multi-disciplinary creative team delivering branding for events, podcasts, merchandise, and student recruitment campaigns.
- Developed and enforced brand identity guidelines, ensuring consistent visual standards across digital, print, events, and merchandise.
- Directed photography and video shoots, overseeing concept, styling, and final art direction.
- Implemented traffic management workflows, improving turnaround time by 25% and ensuring on-time delivery within procurement guidelines.
- Managed vendors and suppliers in line with institutional procurement processes.
Senior Graphic Designer
Bharti Airtel
02.2021 - 11.2023
- Designed corporate identity assets, internal communications, and multi-format campaigns including motion graphics, digital ads, and print collateral.
- Collaborated with leadership to set design benchmarks and execute campaigns in alignment with brand strategy.
- Coordinated with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality creative outputs for nationwide campaigns.
Digital Content Creator
Cynoteck Technology Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
07.2020 - 02.2021
- Developed visually appealing graphics for social media, resulting in higher engagement rates.
- Enhanced brand visibility by creating engaging digital content across various platforms.
- Analyzed performance metrics of digital content, identifying areas for improvement and adjusting strategies accordingly.
- Produced high-quality video content that effectively communicated brand messaging and increased viewership.
Creative Team Manager
SAAR Advertising
06.2017 - 07.2020
- Directed corporate identity projects, event branding, and multimedia campaigns across healthcare and education sectors.
- Supervised external production for exhibitions, signage, and merchandise rollouts.
- Evaluated employee performance and coached and trained team members, increasing quality of work and employee motivation.
Multimedia Designer
Iktara Films
07.2015 - 06.2017
- Created visual narratives for NGOs, documentary films, and corporate storytelling.
- Produced motion graphics, print layouts, and social content aligned with institutional messaging.
- Used InDesign, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop to create design ideas.
- Managed digital archives to maintain organized file management system of images and video clips.
Education
B.Tech - Information Technology
Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University
SOET 04.2001 -
MBA - Marketing
UPES
Dehradun, India 04.2001 -
Skills
- Creative Strategy & Direction
- Brand Identity & Visual Systems
- ATL / BTL / TTL Campaigns
- Cross-functional Team Leadership
- Design Team Mentorship & Upskilling
- Vendor & Production Oversight
- Project Workflow & Traffic Management
- Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop)
- Motion Graphics, Photography & Video Art Direction
Certification
High-Performance Collaboration: Leadership, Teamwork, and Negotiation, Coursera
Core Competencies
- Creative Direction & Art Direction
- Annual Reports & Large-Scale Collateral
- Brand Manuals & Visual Identity Guidelines
- Traffic Management & Workflow Optimization
- Vendor Sourcing & Procurement Compliance
- Photography & Video Production Oversight
- Multi-Brand Campaign Strategy
- Adobe InDesign / Photoshop / Illustrator (Mac OS)
Timeline
Creative Manager
UPES University
11.2021 - Current
Senior Graphic Designer
Bharti Airtel
02.2021 - 11.2023
Digital Content Creator
Cynoteck Technology Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
07.2020 - 02.2021
Creative Team Manager
SAAR Advertising
06.2017 - 07.2020
Multimedia Designer
Iktara Films
07.2015 - 06.2017
B.Tech - Information Technology
Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University
04.2001 -
MBA - Marketing
UPES
04.2001 -
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