Professional Summary
Design leader with 15+ years transforming ideas into business results for 300M+ entertainment fans. I lead multidisciplinary teams (motion, visual, UX) at the intersection of Product Design Management and Creative Direction, delivering world-class omnichannel experiences across digital product, marketing, and brand. Expert in navigating ambiguity, fostering innovation, and driving measurable impact through strategic vision and collaborative leadership.
Skills & Expertise
Leadership & Strategy
Product Design Management, Creative Direction, Cross-Functional Leadership, Strategic Planning, Change Management, Business Case Development
Design & Creative
Motion Design, Animation, UX/UI Design, Prototyping, User Research, Design Systems, Brand Expression, Interaction Design
Technical & Tools
Adobe Creative Suite, After Effects, Figma, Sketch, React, Cinema 4D, AI Tools, Automation, Post-Production Workflows
Business & Operations
Revenue Generation, Budget Planning, Event Strategy, External Partnerships, Product Marketing, SLA Optimization, Performance Metrics
Professional Experience
HEAD OF PREMIUM ADVERTISING
Leading sales specialist, program and advertising design team (Creative Studio) in new capacity focused on strategy and execution of premium advertising for IMDb.
HEAD OF IMDb CREATIVE STUDIO, SENIOR UX DESIGN MANAGER
Lead IMDb's internal creative agency delivering innovative advertising products for major theatrical releases and streaming content, managing multidisciplinary team across LA, NY, Seattle, and UK.
Key Achievements
- Authored Custom & Sponsorship Advertising 2025 Strategy inspiring multi-million dollar resource allocation and positioning IMDb as premier entertainment advertising destination
- Incepted Add-Ons Program generating $20MM+ revenue since 2020; wrote Premium Title Page takeover strategy for 2025 roadmap
- Led Gamification initiative creating three interactive ad experiences deployed across products, activations, and endemic pages
- Spearheaded IMDb Advertising AI Strategy 2025, built AI-powered quiz game and response automation, increasing efficiency 50-75%
- Reduced product SLAs from 15 to 7 days (53% improvement), saving 2,378 annual hours
- Promoted three designers to senior roles; hired bar-raising talent; created comprehensive Team Rubric for career progression
- Led Creative Studio's Cannes Lions 2025 activation (IMDb Time Machine Theater) and Unboxed 2025 concept
- Team delivers 400+ campaigns annually with operational excellence
UX DESIGN MANAGER
Managed UX designers leading experimentation and prototyping of new advertising products. Built repeatable strategies raising the bar for entertainment advertising experiences.
- Launched internal repository tool streamlining asset management organization-wide
- Led responsive advertising solutions across desktop, mobile, and connected TV
- Established design quality standards ensuring consistency across customer-facing products
SENIOR MOTION UX DESIGNER
- Created first interactive data tool for IMDb helping Brands strategize marketing campaigns
- Designed custom takeover experiences for major releases viewed by millions worldwide
- Conducted user research informing product decisions and feature prioritization
DIGITAL DESIGN MANAGER
Managed online creative marketing for 23 NBC shows. Designed and developed interactive ad placements and custom takeovers.
INTERACTIVE MOTION DESIGNER
Created interactive ads and motion graphics for Paramount, Netflix, Bravo, Disney, ESPN, and Nike.
Awards & Recognition
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2025 Cannes Lions | The Kleenex® Score
Media Silver Lion, Creative Commerce Bronze Lion, 3 Shortlisted Cannes Lions
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3 Addy Awards (2024) | IMDb x USAA Top Gun: Maverick
Gold: Best Website Takeover | Silver: Innovative Technology | Silver: Branded Content
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Notable Projects: Music videos with 50M+ collective views (Yelawolf's "Daddy's Lambo" ft. Lil Wayne - 44M views); campaigns for Netflix, Disney/Marvel, Sony, STARZ, Nickelodeon; Vimeo Staff Pick (160K+ views); groundbreaking World War Z NYT takeover
Education
Bachelor of Arts, Commercial and Television Production | Brooks Institute | 2005-2009
Pre-Medicine/Pre-Medical Studies | Baylor University | 2003-2004
Leadership Philosophy
Inspiring Teams: I foster autonomy, trust, and psychological safety where diverse viewpoints and innovative ideas flourish. I'm a big thinker who inspires teams to deliver products that surprise and delight, providing coaching, unblocking obstacles, and championing growth.
Strategic Vision: I excel at identifying key issues and synthesizing complex solutions with clarity. My customer obsession keeps Entertainment Fans at the forefront, translating feedback into elegant solutions while maintaining laser focus on user experience.
Testimonials
"Riel is amazing. His raw talent, eye for design and motion, positivity and pursuant attitude make him an asset to any team. He's committed, constantly learning and teaching, and genuinely a pleasure to work with."
— Gabe Watkins, RED Interactive Agency
"Riel worked at Hautelook in the Content Design department producing videos about our sale events. During his time here, Riel helped elevate the level to which we produced these videos. He used his expertise in motion graphics to create compelling and engaging videos that markedly increased the viewership of this content. Working with Riel was always a pleasure; his positive attitude, hard work, and teamsmanship made him an invaluable part of the Hautelook family."
— Kevin Diamond, Hautelook
"Riel makes an immense contribution to the work environment and culture because he is just very nice, respectful and cool guy. 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. All around great artist, great guy, and great team member."
— Greg Nichols, RED Interactive Agency
"Ever have one of those days at work where you're convinced that management, your coworkers, the client, and the universe in general, are conspiring to flush your campaign down the sewer? If so, you want a guy like Riel on your team. He's a refreshing reminder that there are indeed folks in advertising who never stop trying to create innovative, top-notch solutions to the unending barrage of obstacles this industry throws at us. His technical skill seems only to expand and improve every day, which makes him the go-to guy for all the other graphic artists, with whom he's only too happy to share his knowledge. 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, EURO RSCG Edge
