About
About
I'm Karen Avila, a Creative Director with over 15 years of building brands from every seat in the room.
I started as a product, textile and accessories designer for brands across the US, UK, Switzerland and China, then ran my own studio for twelve years before stepping into creative leadership in Dubai.
Along the way I've directed teams of 10+, and I've been the entire department.
Dubai Experience
WELF
Creative Director
Dec 2024 – Present
WELF is a Dubai wealth firm serving high and ultra-high-net-worth clients. I run its entire marketing and creative operation, covering brand, web, content, campaigns and events. I started completely solo, using AI as my team, and later grew the function by bringing on a designer I direct. The output is now several times larger, and every piece still meets the bar set on day one. - Directed the WELF identity from day zero, back when the brand was still an idea inside the holding group (Welfare Group), and named the WELF Spectrum, the firm's client approach. - Designed and built the group's digital home, from site structure to launch. - Run the content engine end to end: WELF Insights articles, email newsletters, inbound campaigns, social content and video production, including the visual direction of the brand's podcast. - Built the systems behind the scale: modular templates for every asset type and an AI writing system trained on WELF's tone of voice, cutting production time from days to hours. - Created a second, confidential brand for the firm's digital-asset arm, with its own voice, visual language, brand book and website. Available on request.
WELF
Creative Director
Dec 2024 – Present
WELF is a Dubai wealth firm serving high and ultra-high-net-worth clients. I run its entire marketing and creative operation, covering brand, web, content, campaigns and events. I started completely solo, using AI as my team, and later grew the function by bringing on a designer I direct. The output is now several times larger, and every piece still meets the bar set on day one. - Directed the WELF identity from day zero, back when the brand was still an idea inside the holding group (Welfare Group), and named the WELF Spectrum, the firm's client approach. - Designed and built the group's digital home, from site structure to launch. - Run the content engine end to end: WELF Insights articles, email newsletters, inbound campaigns, social content and video production, including the visual direction of the brand's podcast. - Built the systems behind the scale: modular templates for every asset type and an AI writing system trained on WELF's tone of voice, cutting production time from days to hours. - Created a second, confidential brand for the firm's digital-asset arm, with its own voice, visual language, brand book and website. Available on request.
WELF
Creative Director
Dec 2024 – Present
WELF is a Dubai wealth firm serving high and ultra-high-net-worth clients. I run its entire marketing and creative operation, covering brand, web, content, campaigns and events. I started completely solo, using AI as my team, and later grew the function by bringing on a designer I direct. The output is now several times larger, and every piece still meets the bar set on day one. - Directed the WELF identity from day zero, back when the brand was still an idea inside the holding group (Welfare Group), and named the WELF Spectrum, the firm's client approach. - Designed and built the group's digital home, from site structure to launch. - Run the content engine end to end: WELF Insights articles, email newsletters, inbound campaigns, social content and video production, including the visual direction of the brand's podcast. - Built the systems behind the scale: modular templates for every asset type and an AI writing system trained on WELF's tone of voice, cutting production time from days to hours. - Created a second, confidential brand for the firm's digital-asset arm, with its own voice, visual language, brand book and website. Available on request.
Welfare Group
Creative Director
Dec 2023 – Dec 2024
I built and led the group's in-house agency, a team of eight serving every brand within the Welfare Group ecosystem. My role covered the full journey from strategy to delivery: research, positioning and messaging on one side, and the daily direction of design, video, social and advertising output on the other. - Created the branding and marketing strategy for each brand in the group, from target audience and brand persona to positioning, messaging and manifesto. - Directed the design team across logo design, graphic and video content, social media assets and advertising campaigns, protecting brand consistency at every step. - Developed the editorial calendars behind the group's content, keeping every brand publishing on time and on message.
Welfare Group
Creative Director
Dec 2023 – Dec 2024
I built and led the group's in-house agency, a team of eight serving every brand within the Welfare Group ecosystem. My role covered the full journey from strategy to delivery: research, positioning and messaging on one side, and the daily direction of design, video, social and advertising output on the other. - Created the branding and marketing strategy for each brand in the group, from target audience and brand persona to positioning, messaging and manifesto. - Directed the design team across logo design, graphic and video content, social media assets and advertising campaigns, protecting brand consistency at every step. - Developed the editorial calendars behind the group's content, keeping every brand publishing on time and on message.
Welfare Group
Creative Director
Dec 2023 – Dec 2024
I built and led the group's in-house agency, a team of eight serving every brand within the Welfare Group ecosystem. My role covered the full journey from strategy to delivery: research, positioning and messaging on one side, and the daily direction of design, video, social and advertising output on the other. - Created the branding and marketing strategy for each brand in the group, from target audience and brand persona to positioning, messaging and manifesto. - Directed the design team across logo design, graphic and video content, social media assets and advertising campaigns, protecting brand consistency at every step. - Developed the editorial calendars behind the group's content, keeping every brand publishing on time and on message.
One11 Creative Agency
Creative Director
Feb 2021 – Sep 2023
At One11 I led a multidisciplinary team of ten plus, taking creative briefs from first concept to final rollout for some of the world's most demanding names, including Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Tumi, DAMAC and Dubai Police. - Planned and delivered campaigns from a 360 degree perspective: digital assets, organic and paid reach, sponsorships, influencer marketing, events and activations. - Built branding and marketing strategies from the ground up: audience research, positioning, messaging, content pillars and competitive analysis. - Directed, and refined every piece of work leaving the agency, from advertising campaigns to brand activations.
One11 Creative Agency
Creative Director
Feb 2021 – Sep 2023
At One11 I led a multidisciplinary team of ten plus, taking creative briefs from first concept to final rollout for some of the world's most demanding names, including Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Tumi, DAMAC and Dubai Police. - Planned and delivered campaigns from a 360 degree perspective: digital assets, organic and paid reach, sponsorships, influencer marketing, events and activations. - Built branding and marketing strategies from the ground up: audience research, positioning, messaging, content pillars and competitive analysis. - Directed, and refined every piece of work leaving the agency, from advertising campaigns to brand activations.
One11 Creative Agency
Creative Director
Feb 2021 – Sep 2023
At One11 I led a multidisciplinary team of ten plus, taking creative briefs from first concept to final rollout for some of the world's most demanding names, including Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Tumi, DAMAC and Dubai Police. - Planned and delivered campaigns from a 360 degree perspective: digital assets, organic and paid reach, sponsorships, influencer marketing, events and activations. - Built branding and marketing strategies from the ground up: audience research, positioning, messaging, content pillars and competitive analysis. - Directed, and refined every piece of work leaving the agency, from advertising campaigns to brand activations.
Before Dubai
For over ten years I ran my own studio as Creative Director, leading a small team across design, video, campaign strategy and performance. Before that, I designed brands, product, textile and accessories collections for brands across the US, UK, Switzerland, Middle East, and China.
Full Resume
Download the comprehensive version of my CV, below: