Leadership
Leading with trust, so great work can follow.
I’m Head of Premium Advertising at IMDb. I lead the sales specialist, program and advertising design teams (Creative Studio) behind IMDb’s premium advertising, with people across LA, NY, Seattle and the UK.
I foster autonomy, trust and psychological safety, so diverse viewpoints and innovative ideas can flourish. I measure success by both human impact and business outcomes.
15+
years turning big ideas into business results
400+
campaigns a year from Creative Studio
2
Cannes Lions, plus 3 shortlists
6
ADDY Awards, including a Gold
How I lead
Five things I hold myself to
01
Grow every person on the team
I work with every person on my team to make sure they’re fulfilled in their careers, and I’m always looking for chances for them to grow and stretch their wings. I coach, unblock and champion, and I step in when the team needs me.
In practice: I promoted three designers into senior leadership roles and created the Creative Studio Team Rubric, which defines roles and career paths across Design, Design Technology, Product Management and Sales Specialists.
02
Find the way to yes
When many say no, I’m the one figuring out how to get to yes. I look for the connections others miss and turn competing perspectives into clear, focused direction.
In practice: I spotted the connections across three creative teams working in silos and brought them together in IMDb’s Custom & Sponsorship Advertising 2025 Strategy.
03
Protect the team’s focus
I hold a high bar for quality, and I shield the team from outside pressure so they can focus and innovate freely.
In practice: We cut turnaround on IMDb’s Premium Title Page and Signature takeovers from 15 days to 7, which gave the team 2,378 hours a year back for custom work.
04
Keep the customer in the room
I’m a champion for the advertising customer and for entertainment fans. I make sure the team truly understands what problem we’re solving and who the customer is.
In practice: The Kleenex Score, our first-of-its-kind emotional impact rating system on IMDb, won a Silver and a Bronze Lion at Cannes Lions 2025.
05
Bring everyone along on new tools
I wrote IMDb Advertising’s AI Strategy 2025 and ran trainings and workshops so the whole team could use AI well.
In practice: Our self-service WYSIWYG tool lets designers build premium ad creative 50 to 75% faster.
The team
One team for premium advertising
Premium Advertising brings Creative Studio, IMDb’s internal creative agency, together with the IMDb Ad Specialists and our events and sponsorships work. Together we create advertising for the year’s biggest theatrical releases and streaming shows, for 250MM+ entertainment fans worldwide.
Kind words
What people say
Riel is amazing. His raw talent, eye for design and motion, positivity and a pursuant attitude make him an asset to any team that has the privilege of working with him. He’s committed, constantly learning and teaching, and is genuinely a pleasure to work with!
Gabe Watkins, while at RED Interactive Agency
He always keeps a level head, asks the right questions, and he is the ultimate example of grace under pressure. He gives and receives feedback with an open mind and no ego.
Greg Nichols, while at RED Interactive Agency
He’s smart, creative and eternally optimistic, and just one of those guys who just gets it. Plain and simple. He’ll be running the show wherever his career takes him.
Ali Smith, while at EURO RSCG Edge
Let’s build something together.
Ask my AI anything about how I work, or send me a note.