Brian Roe

I 

am a highly experienced interactive technology professional with specialist expertise in delivering professional web & graphic design to a business & commercial client base. I possess exemplary technical and communication skills and I am highly experienced in all aspects of corporate website design, graphic design, print media, and professional photography.

I have been a web & graphic designer for over 25 years. I started my career at Microsoft with the launch of MSN. I have worked for the BBC, HMV, American Express, and as a web & media manager for AMZ Tracker (Amazon affiliate) in Bangkok.

My latest role has been as a product and brand creator for Unedited Cosmetics. I created the company, the product, and the brand, later to onboard investors and subsequently sell the business, of which I maintain a shareholding.

I have been a web designer for over 25 years. I started my web design career at Microsoft with MSN. I have worked for the BBC, HMV, and American Express as an Intranet consultant. I also worked in Bangkok for 2 years as a web and media manager for the Amazon-based company AMZ Tracker.

I first used Photoshop when it was launched in 1992. I have been using it professionally ever since. I have won awards and had my work published all over the world, from posters, logos, album covers, and website graphics. I am at a very advanced level with Photoshop and have intricate working and up-to-date knowledge of all its massive functionality.

Adobe Illustrator has been a major part of my graphic design arsenal for 2 decades. I have created countless logos and branding work, typographical designs, and web-based graphics during this time. I have also used Adobe Illustrator for artistic purposes for the work that I sell to the public. I am fully fluent in Adobe Illustrator for print production and commercial signage.

I am a published photographer and have featured in galleries and magazines and have sold prints of my compositions all over the world. Photography to me is an integral part of my expression as an artist and something I’m extremely passionate about. I am fully versed in all aspects of professional photography, from old-school black-and-white development & printing to the latest digital camera techniques.

Project management has become a natural part of my workflow, both in solo and collaborative projects. Each commissioned piece I take on, from a full website to a single logo, I always employ the same values. I am very experienced in the lifecycle approach to project management,  which includes financial planning as well as the consultancy and design process to end product delivery.

I have run my own web servers for many years running both WHM cPanel and the Plesk hosting platforms. I currently host 10 websites on my current Plesk-based Unix web server. I have the ability and experience to set up a PHP-based Linux/Unix web server from scratch, set up hosting for websites, carry out security monitoring, installs and the configuration of SSL certificates.

I have 25 years of experience in the lifecycle of web design. From Notepad HTML raw coding, Dreamweaver, and CSS through to the emergence of CMS (Content management systems) including high-level expertise in WordPress, Joomla, Squarespace & Shopify. I currently and for the past 7 years have used WordPress and have worked with multiple customers to produce some stunning and highly technical web & E-Commerce sites.

I have built countless E-Commerce and shopping cart websites over the past 20 years and have expert knowledge of payment facilitation gateways, WooCommerce, PayPal, Shopify &  online billing systems. My latest work has been to connect web back-end product data to both FaceBook & Instagram shopping services. I run my own shopping cart system on my current website.

Since the birth of social media through to the current playing field and ever-growing marketplace, I have been immersed in social media marketing and integration into websites. I have (and continue to do so) set up many successful  Google, Instagram, and Facebook advertising and marketing campaigns. I am conversant with matrix and stats-driven campaigns and regularly run my own advertising campaigns.

Web & Graphic Designer and Photographic Artist
October 2020 to the present day

I am currently working on photography projects, my latest being a commission with a local NHS trust to supply 12 of my prints for their medical centre in Leamington Spa. I sell prints and digital compositions of my photographic work via this website and Instagram and take on commissions for event posters, album covers, and various photo sessions.   Web & graphic design-wise, I have been working on projects for the Leam Boat Centre supplying graphic design and various websites for other small businesses.

Unedited Cosmetics (Ink Oil® LTD)
Director, Brand Creator & web Designer – September 2017 – October 2020

I created the company Ink Oil Ltd, a cosmetics and lifestyle company that launched the cosmetics moisturiser product ‘Unedited’. My goal was to create a compelling enough product and brand, onboard investors, launch the product and deploy an exit strategy that would enable me to remain a shareholder but free of the day-to-day running of a business. This was a success, the product is now on sale in 7 countries through Amazon and I remain a shareholder. There is a rather long and involved story behind this short description that I would be happy to share on request.

AMZ Tracker
Web & Media Manager – October 2015 –  September 2017

I started with AMZ Tracker in October 2015 in Bangkok as the 4th employee of what was to become 19 staff. As a small team, we collectively looked after all aspects of the business and its subsequent growth. My main tasks for the first period were to build a comprehensive ‘Help Center’ website that would facilitate the requirements of our rapidly expanding customer base.
My position was elevated to Web & Media Manager where I took on 2 graphic designers and a video editor. My main task was to create, design, and deliver an Amazon Seller online course. My final role was then to deliver website and graphic design media content to the business, the social media manager, and blog writers with my three direct reports.

Indio Internet
Freelance Web & Graphic Designer – May 2004 – October 2015

For the previous 12 years before AMZ Tracker, I have been focused on my own ISP (Internet Service Provider) business; Indio Internet! Indio Internet provided complete web services including web & graphic design, branding, web server hosting, and email provision to private businesses and individuals. I am responsible for creating the company and running all aspects of the business for 12 years.

American Express
Principle Web Designer & Intranet Consultant – April 1999 – May 2004

I was responsible for providing solutions and consultancy for American Express communication vehicles, I.e., Intranet CD-ROMs, Flash applications, and high-volume distribution corporate emails. The position involved providing and maintaining a 4000+ page Intranet site for American Express Finance. The role included web design and graphic design and managing 10 content providers. I provided e-commerce consultancy to our business partners in New York, Phoenix, and India, I was the lead in the design and launch of the American Express Global Finance Intranet “FinanceWeb” and a Global Policies site, additionally, I was globally involved in senior management leadership teams as IT consultant.

BBC, HMV, Compaq & IBM – (Agency Contractor)
Technical Support Contractor –  May 1996 – February 1998

Duties included offering web & graphic design and a crossover of first and 2nd-line technical support for PC users at the BBC, HMV, Compaq & IBM throughout their various London offices. Duties included user account &  email account setups via Novell 3.12 & Microsoft server. General tech support of Win3.11, Win95, MS Office,  MS Exchange, network servers, and the internet. Also phone and remote support and call logging via Remedy &  Quetzal.

Microsoft Network (MSN) – February 1995 – May 1996
(Agency Contractor)

Duties included providing technical support via telephone for MSN members throughout the UK. Areas of support included fault diagnosis and troubleshooting for the caller’s Win95, Internet, email, and dial-up problems.  The position demanded a high level of patience and concentration as all calls were from members of the public and most first-time users of Win95 and the Internet this role evolved into my first professional web & graphic design work.

Completed Courses

Throughout my professional career I have completed corporate & Technology based courses in the following subjects: Facilitation Skills, Presentation & Public Speaking, Myers-Briggs, Information Mapping, CLAIT – (Microsoft Office|), Six Sigma, Microsoft Server Administration, Windows 95, 98 & Windows NT. Novell Networks

Goldsmiths University, London September 1992 – May 1993

I studied for a degree foundation in Politics, Economics & Political Philosophy at the prestigious Goldsmiths University in London. This was part of my work with the Labour Party where I served an intern with the shadow Transport minister Keith Hill. At this time I also studied part-time at City University, London for a Diploma in MS Windows 3.11 and DOS 6.0

October  1982 – May 1985 – Mid Warwickshire College of Further Education.

A-Level Art history, A Level Fine Art & A-Level 3D Design in Ceramics. All passed with B grades. (‘A’ Level or Advanced Level was the UK standard in all further education colleges upto 1985, later to become GCSE)

September 1978 – May 1982 – Myton School, Warwick

I studied for 10 ‘O’ Level passes in: English Language, English Literature, Art, Technical Drawing, Mathematics, Geography, History, Physics, Sciences, and Social Studies.
(‘O’ or Ordinary Level examinations were the UK standard in all schools up to 1983)

Brian Roe

Leamington Spa
Warwickshire
CV32 3QP

Telephone: 01926 775010
Mobile: 07500 908365
Email: info@brianroe.co.uk
Website: https://briaroe.co.uk
Instagram: @MrBrianRoe