Simon is a Swedish man, born and raised in South Africa. His formal training is in design and brand development and he has 10+ years of experience in the creative industry; ranging from high-end retouching, layout, and user experience design, to copywriting and strategic development. He freelanced for 6+ years and co-founded two agencies (including Formation) as well as having served a two-year stint as Agency Lead in an events company.

While Simon has worked on projects for several leading global brands, some of his most notable experiences include his role as creative lead on six million-dollar ‘Google for’ events (Google’s national keynote format for developing markets where they announce their local and regional initiatives and investments to executive and political audiences) across Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa from 2017 to 2019.

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“Design, and design thinking, is a powerful thing – it is fundamentally the art of applying empathic thought processes towards a problem or situation in order to make the experience more human, easy, and enjoyable. What excites me most about the world of marketing is that it opens the door to working with, and understanding, business and operational challenges across multiple industries and departments in order to more efficiently create, communicate and deliver value. When we mix design thinking, a good heart, and an understanding of how profit-driven businesses can create value for people and society, we can change the world.”

Chloe is a versatile and thoughtful individual who is motivated by personal growth, and driven by the high standards that she sets for herself, leading to her graduating with an honours distinction in Strategic Brand Communications from Vega. She has been a yoga instructor for several years and went on to start her own activewear brand in Cape Town; building off her love for yoga, her connections in the space, and a love for fashion.

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She has since then come to thrive working in a team environment, dealing with a variety of brands and client challenges. Joining Formation in 2022, Chloe has brought in structure to project workflows and internal processes, as well as coming to the table with creative and solution-driven thinking and execution on client projects.

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"My favourite thing about working in the industry is the distinctive link between understanding human psychology and the creation of strong and notable brand communications. My time at Formation has allowed me to explore this in a variety of disciplines, ranging from social media strategies and campaign development to copywriting and UX design. I love being part of the process that takes a project from a concept through to a real-world execution."

Johan (also known as Joe) can bring a sense of humour to even the most challenging situations. With 10+ years of experience in UX and UI design, he thrives when creating a user experience that is both functional and visually pleasing, and has a knack for balancing current design trends with clients’ needs to ensure strong, future-proofed websites, apps and brand identities.

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Joe partnered with Formation in 2020 and has since worked closely with the rest of the strategic team as the Senior Creative to provide visually striking work. As someone who is detail-oriented and meticulous in everything he does, no misalignments or inconsistencies go by unnoticed, making him a highly trusted member - especially in the context of quality control.

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"I enjoy solving problems through visual communication and the team we have at Formation excels in doing just that. The work we do solves problems with a strategic approach, without sacrificing the quality of the execution.”

Gisela started her 20+ year career by working for various events companies before moving on to design agencies. Working on newspapers and annual reports led to her falling in love with layouts and book design, and after moving to the suburbs, she started working for a publishing house where she truly found her niche.

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In 2016, Gisela became a mother and needed a more flexible schedule, and as a result, her freelancing journey began. She first partnered with Formation during the pandemic, and has since created a variety of books whilst working with them.

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“My favourite thing about working with Formation is the fact that the projects I’ve been involved in have always been inspiring and challenging. When I’m not crafting layouts, I’m crafting anything you can imagine. I like to call myself a ‘serial crafter’ - I make anything from pinatas to earrings to fish costumes. And all the while listening to an audiobook or planning my next trip in my head.”

Chad is a proactive, creative, and self-motivated person. Specialising in Multimedia, he graduated with a BA degree in Graphic Design from the Midrand Graduate Institute. Even as a working professional, he was eager to learn more and expand his knowledge, leading him to complete a part-time course in the Foundations of Advertising at the University of Cape Town with 6 distinctions, as well as a short course in Digital Marketing at Shaw Academy.

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With 10+ years of experience, Chad’s diverse skill set has allowed him to work in different design disciplines, ranging from print media and digital design to animation and motion graphics. He has also worked in various different industries, such as the service industry, retail stores, and marketing and design industries, giving him a broader perspective and understanding of the work that he does.

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“My love for design started at a young age, where I was fascinated by drawings, paintings, and puzzles. Now, design forms a part of my everyday life - I enjoy being challenged and solving problems effectively and efficiently through the application of creative, logical, and innovative thinking. I believe that design can change the world for the better, and I aspire to use my creativity and passion for my craft to make that a reality.”

Norbert is a dedicated Webflow developer who has been building websites for the past 3.5-4 years. He has worked with a diverse range of companies and has built over 100 websites using the platform. He has a solid foundation in his field, with expertise in HTML, CSS, and Javascript. Despite his technical proficiency, he also has a creative side. He loves skateboarding, which helps him to maintain a fresh and innovative mindset.

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Norbert joined Formation in 2021 and has been an instrumental part of the team ever since. He has worked on a variety of projects, ranging from simple landing pages to full-scale e-commerce websites.

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“My favourite part about my job is solving complex designs, and I enjoy the challenge of taking a designer's vision and turning it into a fully functioning and aesthetically pleasing website. Looking ahead, I am excited to continue honing my skills, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in web design and development.”

Verena is a seasoned 3D designer with a background in Architecture and Industrial Design. With 10+ years of experience, she has worked on projects for many well-known brands spanning over four different continents, has gained a thorough understanding of large-scale commercial interiors, events, retail spaces, activations and trade show booths. 

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Verena’s expertise allows for a fast and reliable turnaround, without compromising on a high standard of work. She possesses a passion for design and constantly keeps her finger on the pulse by staying up to date with the latest trends and technologies.

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“One of the things that I love most about my job is the opportunity to work with different people and teams. Collaborating with others and contributing to a shared vision is always rewarding, and I find myself constantly inspired by the diverse perspectives and ideas of those around me. Whether working in a team or individually, I thrive in environments where I can join the flow and contribute to something truly remarkable.”

Born and raised in South Africa, Georgia is a 31-year-old digital nomad. Since completing her Bachelor’s Degree in Theatre and Performance in 2013 at the University of Cape Town, she has worked in theatre and entertainment producing, project management, operations, logistics, social media management, content creation, PR, and marketing.

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Georgia joined Simply Get It Done in 2020 and manages a variety of clients ranging from agencies to audiobooks. Since partnering with Formation at the beginning of 2023, she has significantly improved project workflows and internal processes, as well as brightening up weekly status meetings with her positive outlook and knack for motivating the team.

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“I love nothing more than a balanced spreadsheet, an organised calendar, a managed inbox, and a large selection of brightly-coloured highlighters to get the job done.”