About Steve Salgado
Part creative director, part curious person who can’t leave things alone. 15 years spent pulling ideas apart, putting them back together and seeing what else might be possible. A career somewhere between design, technology and business, shaping brands, building products and exploring new ideas. From global names to small teams with big ambitions. Currently VP, Creative at Carnegie.
Outside of work, there’s photography, an unreasonable amount of cooking, drawing and Stash, an independent magazine and directory of interesting people, ideas and things from around the internet. Based in Australia, with full working rights in both Australia and the US. Say hello.
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9A few words from friends and colleagues
8“As an illustrator, he is insanely talented. As an art director, he always brings big ideas and beautiful executions. As an interactive designer, he's got the coding background and design chops to create best-in-class digital experiences. He's next level and can do it all. I can't say enough good things about Steve. As my contemporary, I find his work ethic, creativity & technique really inspiring. He is a great collaborator and you can always be sure that your work gets elevated when Steve is a part of the project.”
Chris Sorto, Design Director, Ogilvy
“Steve is one of the more well-rounded art directors I've seen. He makes everything look great. Can concept with the best of them. Is always one step ahead in the digital realm. Knows how to win clients over. Has an amazing work ethic. And is just a hell of a nice guy. I have the utmost respect for him and really enjoy working with him.”
Jerry Craven, SVP Creative
“When we first brought Steve on to the team, it was because of his stellar design portfolio and friendly demeanor. Over the following years he grew in to a first class Art Director, with a constant desire to learn and grow, and the ability to share his myriad artistic skills with everyone around him. He gets the job done beyond just "right," and is simply a great guy to work with.”
Kristin Connolly Creative Director
“Steve is a phenomenally talented artist who always makes our clients' work shine. At the same time, he is an excellent teammate who always remains collaborative and supportive, no matter how challenging the situation. It's as much of a pleasure to work with Steve as it is to see what he comes up with.”
Brian Asner, VP Strategy Director, Critical Mass
“Steve Salgado is an amazingly gifted designer who excels at assessing the client’s specific design challenge and then offers a number of viable—and intelligent—solutions. His work is thoughtful and his presentations are always crisp. He works well in a group but also has no issue with taking the lead on any project. Respectful, considerate and deadline-aware, Steve is a pleasure to work with and I have no doubt that he will excel in this industry.”
Chuck Gniech, Exhibition Curator, Professor
“Very early on after I arrived at Upshot it was clear to me that Steve was an exceptional talent who was head and shoulders above the rest of his peers. Several times I walked into conference rooms with work covering the walls not knowing who worked on which campaign, but within moments it was easy to spot the work that Steve had art directed. It's not just that his design aesthetic, craftsmanship and sense of typography is amazing, which it is. It's that his work is on another level compared to the rest of his peers. Along with his art direction abilities, Steve can generate killer concepts, brings a coder's understanding of digital and the ability to render amazing illustrations. He also happens to be one of the nicest, most grounded individuals you'll ever meet. No wonder the other Creative Directors desperately keep trying to get him on their teams. He makes those he works with and for, including myself, look better. I feel I've had the privilege to work with some of the best designers and art directors in the country during my career and I'd put Steve right at the top of the list.”
Hutson Kovanda, SVP Creative
“Creative and intelligent is how I would describe Steve. I’ve had the pleasure of knowing and working with Steve for the past 6 years. Above all, I am impressed with Steve’s ability to not ONLY do great creative but his want and willingness to understand how creative effects the whole process even through execution. Steve would be a true asset for any creative agency.”
Scott Fujii, President at ES99
“I’ve been lucky enough to work side-by-side with Steve for a few years now. Besides his impeccable design skills, he’s a strong strategic thinker, staunch advocate for the user experience and a hell of an illustrator. When he gets done with something, it’s always better than how I pictured it in my head. If you have the opportunity to work with Steve, you’ll experience these things for yourself – and probably also be compelled to write a similar recommendation.”
Kevin Flowers, Senior Writer at Pivot Design