Recent projects
Macquarie University's Macquarie Matters magazine
Landcom's 2010 annual and sustainability report
Integral Energy's employee booklet
Lion Nathan's sustainability report
Derryn Heilbuth, strategic and creative director
Q. What in your background has made you the writer you are today?
Studying French in Paris and English literature under JM Coetzee instilled in me a love of language. Covering women’s issues and education as a young journalist in apartheid South Africa – besides giving me a front seat in a society undergoing fundamental change – taught me to question and analyse accepted orthodoxies.
Working in television when we migrated to Australia made me appreciate how each communication medium presents unique challenges but requires the same fundamentals: well expressed, engaging content (a useful reminder for social media).
Moving into the corporate world as Westpac’s Publications Editor, taught me the role that culture – and politics –play in business. And establishing Businesswriters & Design and still working in it all these years later, confirms for me what Nitin Nohria, Dean of Harvard Business School says... and what I suspected all along: communication is the real work of leadership.
Q. Which areas of your job do you most enjoy?
Coming up with a strategic solution – whether that be through facilitating a workshop, identifying material issues, structuring a document, researching and writing a speech that will provoke action or change, or taking impenetrable corporate speak and turning it into accessible prose.
I also love the creative side of the business. Our design studio was essentially established by clients’ requests for us to manage the design, as well as the writing side, of projects. After initially outsourcing, we set up inhouse and it is a constant joy to see ideas and language come to life thanks to our wonderfully talented designers.
Q. What do you do in your spare time?
Bother my children. Though they are adults and well on their way to successful careers, they remain my passion. I read widely, cook for my large extended family and friends, garden, decorate my house, walk daily, cycle to the coffee shop weekly, visit galleries and exhibitions – and travel. I have a blessed life so I make sure I’m always involved in some community activity.
Recent projects
Macquarie University's Macquarie Matters magazine
Mission Australia's Transformations magazine
Old King Coal article for Development Asia
Bruce Heilbuth, editorial director
Q. What in your background has made you the writer you are today?
Working as a newspaper reporter, foreign correspondent and business writer on four continents has obviously been a major factor. As was the seven years I spent as editor-in-chief of Reader’s Digest.
When you’ve handled every kind of assignment from news stories and interpretive business pieces to specialised narratives you gain a breadth of experience you simply can’t learn from a book or in a classroom.
Q. Which areas of your job do you most enjoy?
Turning raw facts or great wads of clumsily written text into useful, informative and engaging prose. Writing and editing articles that make a difference and keep clients delighted (rather than merely satisfied). It’s our bread and butter, we’re pretty good at it and we never get tired of doing it.
Q. What do you do in your spare time?
Spend time with my family, cycle, walk my dogs, watch birds (the feathered kind), drink good beer and follow rugby union obsessively.
Evan Petrelis, general manager
Q. What in your background has made you the communications practitioner you are today?
Over 15 years of experience! I’ve worked in both corporate communications and public relations consultancy roles across many industry sectors – including professional services, law, engineering, aviation, financial services, and travel and tourism. More recently, a directorship at one of Australia’s leading independent PR consultancies gave me valuable insights into the workings of practice management, business development, account management, human resources and finance.
Q. Which areas of your job do you most enjoy?
They say the devil is in the detail – if that’s the case, I’m in heaven! I love the challenge of taking a great idea or concept (normally created by someone else) and working out the detail to make it fly. Of course it’s also important to see the ‘big picture’, but so many fantastic ideas have fallen flat because the details weren’t adequately worked out. As with everything in life, make the most of your strengths and, if you can, outsource your weaknesses.
Q. What do you do in your spare time?
Travel is my life-long passion. Give me a destination and you’ll have an itinerary. My annual leave calendar is worked out well in advance so I can get on with the really fun stuff of thinking of a new and interesting destination for my next holiday, and then planning, researching and reading up on it. In fact, by the time I’m done, the actual holiday itself can be a bit of an anti-climax!
Recent projects
Macquarie University's Macquarie Matters magazine
Integral Energy's employee booklet
Katrina Pitkin, design director
Q. What in your background has made you the designer you are today?
I studied Visual Communication at UTS, graduating with second-degree honours. I had some great teachers who introduced me to the work of some fabulous designers such as David Carson, Neville Brody and Tomato. Ever since, I’ve had a passion for beautiful typography.
This passion was further developed in my first job as a designer for one of Sydney’s top corporate design firms. I worked under the direction of award-winning designers, on projects for many of Australia’s top 100 companies.
As Design Director at BW&D, I’m fortunate to be working alongside a team of talented writers which enables me to truly integrate my passion for typography into my design solutions. On every project we work together to ensure the language is right for the design; we avoid ugly words and strive for clear communication that looks gorgeous!
Q. Which areas of your job do you most enjoy?
The creative process at the beginning of each job is always fun. It’s a chance to immerse myself in inspiring books, art, words, music... so many things can spark a great idea, usually at 3am.
On the other side of the coin (and I’m a Libran so I have to be balanced) I really do enjoy the details. Sometimes it can be just one tiny tweak that can make a design sing, and it’s a great moment when you know you’ve got it -- that’s it, save.
Q. What do you do in your spare time?
Catch up with friends and family. My friends are foodies so we’re always trying out great restaurants in Sydney. I also love browsing interior design stores, from vintage style (where else can you find original letterpress type?!) to sleek and minimal. I get withdrawal symptoms if I haven’t seen a good film in a while (complete with gelato), and I’m a devoted Yogi.
Chris Chatfield, design director
Q. What in your background has made you the designer you are today?
I owe a great deal to two teachers, David Jury and David Quay, who inspired me while I was doing my degree. They taught me the importance of “The Big Idea,” and the belief that less is more. This, I think, is the key to effective communication. Poor design often has no big idea behind it. Good communication on the other hand usually has a compelling idea or theme at its heart.
Other people who’ve inspired me are my Dad Alan and wife Katherine – both outstanding linguists who are passionate about the power of the written word. In business communication, I’ve found that many designers can’t or won’t write, which isn’t ideal. Good design isn’t just about getting your crayons out. You obviously don’t have to be a great writer to be a designer, but you do need to understand how writing complements design and to be able to write your ideas down.
I’ve had other mentors over the years, like Ross Barr in Australia, and others in the UK. I’m grateful to all of them.
Q. Which areas of your job do you most enjoy?
Having a “Eureka!” moment. It doesn’t happen in every job, but it’s a moment when you know you’ve got the best-possible idea for your client. I also like mentoring others, seeing them develop and gaining value and enjoyment from their own eureka moments.
Q. What do you do in your spare time?
Paddlesurfing! It’s one of my passions. I’m out on Sydney’s northern beaches every Saturday at 6am. I also love browsing art galleries and museums.
Recent projects
Australian Human Rights Commission annual report
Mission Australia's Transformations magazine
Manassen's quality management manual
Chin Yee Lam, senior designer
Q. What in your background has made you the designer you are today?
I was born in Penang in Malaysia and grew up in the country, surrounded by nature, and I’ve always found it inspirational. Many of my paintings and drawings are inspired by nature.
Then studying in the UK and working in Kuala Lumpur gave me an opportunity to explore western cultural themes, to understand more about communication design and creative thinking, and to gain experience in corporate design in a multicultural society. You could say my experience has allowed me to learn cross-cultural design practices very effectively. Teaching design in China has also helped me in this journey.
Q. Which areas of your job do you most enjoy?
Conceptualising design that’s connected to marketing and communication strategies is a really enjoyable challenge for me. I love searching for new possibilities in visual solutions.
Q. What do you do in your spare time?
Photography, illustration, visiting galleries, travelling, cooking – I love them all. Through these activities I find I can also discover new creative ideas.