Styles joins Roundel

Ian Styles, co-founder of graphic design studio Mode, has joined consultancy Roundel as its creative director.


Styles has taken the reins from Roundel’s director Mike Denny, who has been overseeing the creative direction of the team since John Bateson’s departure to Corporate Edge last year.


‘Mike has been making a valiant effort to oversee creative at Roundel, but Ian joining will give him more space to build client relations, mentor the team and work on the projects where he has more experience than anyone else,’ explains managing partner Simon John.


Styles was headhunted for the role by recruitment agency Gabriele Skelton, while freelancing. He sold his stake in Mode last October to his former business partner Phil Costin, who now runs the consultancy.


They set up Mode together in 2001, having left Cartlidge Levene where they were both senior designers.


‘It’s Roundel’s heritage that really swung it for me. My main aim [since leaving Mode] has been to work within a larger team of directors with varied backgrounds, where I can develop myself,’ says Styles.


Styles will oversee a creative team of six, working across branding, corporate communications, arts clients, transport and signage projects, and has plans to expand over the coming months with up to three additions.


John says that the shortlist for the role, which included candidates from larger national consultancies to small independents, was whittled down from 15 to ‘half a dozen’.


‘It’s a real coup to have someone of [Ian’s] reputation as part of our growing team. It was a long process, but that’s why we used a headhunter, to really get the quality,’ he says.


Roundel boosted its creative team with the acquisition of Natural Associates in June this year, giving it added credentials in the corporate and internal communications field across public and private sectors.

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