Kikko is BaseNYC's latest import. Before joining Base, Kikko lived in a Zen Monastery in Detroit while studying Graphic Design at the College for Creative Studies. A Detroit lover, he shows his passion for the city throughout his collection of vintage Detroit shirts. He is a self-taught programmer and enjoys working in pixels. He loves to incorporate codes in his design process, often creating mini applications to serve his need. A tea snob by heart, he rarely clicks his mouse and uses keyboard shortcuts instead. His search skills are off the hook and undeniably creepy. By default, Kikko is filipino.
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Alexander Dudek
New Media Designer
Although his mornings begin with cursing about having to get out of bed before noon, new media designer Alexander always walks in with a big smile. This self-professed iPad Guy follows each new step in the ever-changing world of media and technology, and helps keep the rest of Base savvy. Alexander balances his tech-geek side by doubling as a design geek, and is currently finishing his masters in graphic design at Sint-Lukas Brussels. While his favorite language is programming, this half-Belgian, half-Polish dude can chat fluidly in Polish about the delights of kielbasa, and even hold his own in Korean.
Carla Bahna
Studio Manager
A graphic designer by training, Carla today handles business development and strategic communications for Base's studio in Santiago, Chile. She started with Base in Barcelona, where she worked for three and a half years as junior designer. She then moved to Madrid and spent a year and a half helping to establish Base Madrid. As a senior designer there, Carla got her first taste of client management, coordinating design and production for Base's work with cultural institution La Casa Encendida. These varied five years today serve Carla well, as she manages time, budgets, and finances for Base's office in Santiago, Chile, her hometown. With a radiant smile and a hearty laugh, Carla went from being our Mediterranean maiden to our Pacific princess.
Min Lew
Creative Director
As Creative Director of Base’s New York studio, Min oversees the creation of visuals for all projects. No matter what the project, Min’s insight is conceptual while rationallly grounded. She came to Base in 2004, with a B.F.A. from School of Visual Arts and an M.F.A in graphic design from Yale University, and work experience with Simon & Schuster, Pentagram, and the Brand Integration Group at Ogilvy & Mather. With that rare balance of logic and designer chops, Min has brought holistic perspective, strategy, and a fresh approach to projects for Base clients including Fred Segal Beauty, Gagosian Gallery, Miami Art Museum, Gwangju Biennale, San Francisco Art Institute, and Wellesley College. No matter what the temperature, Min keeps her personal heater on.
Geoff Cook
Managing Director & Partner
Geoff manages Base’s New York studio and oversees all external affairs for the company including large-scale business development and global press. He partnered with Base in 1998 to open its third studio, in New York. Previous stints as head of International Menswear for DKNY and with fragrance firm Firmenich provided Geoff a solid foundation in the business of fashion and beauty that he’s built on in leading the New York studio through work with such clients as L’Oréal, Wrangler, PUMA, Fred Segal Beauty, and Kiki de Montparnasse. Geoff’s input informs each of Base’s projects, balancing the studio’s creative output with strategy and vision. With an international perspective and a proficiency in four languages, Geoff has been integral to the continued expansion of Base’s international reach. He is a regular speaker at seminars addressing branding and graphic communication, and pines frequently for the days when he could throw down a tomahawk dunk.
David Cano
Design Director
David is the studio manager in Madrid, overseeing all graphic design projects in that studio. After earning a degree in fine arts, David received a research grant from the Fine Arts University in Cuenca, and followed with supplementary studies in graphic design at Central Saint Martins College in London. David started his career working on projects for corporate clients and agencies in Barcelona, London, and Madrid, and soon made his way into full-on identity projects as a designer with Interbrand. In 2006, with 10-plus years of experience, David joined Base. His strategic thinking has steered Base's work with cultural clients including La Casa Encendida and Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, and his wide-angle perspective and multidisciplinary background have added a cultural flair to work with corporate clients including CSIC, Loewe, Promomadrid, Ministry of Housing, and the IE School. When not solving problems at Base, David loves to solve problems outside of Base. Other interests including going for rides on his bike, and playing hide-and-seek with his kids.
José Duarte
Senior Designer
With a degree in design communication from Faculdade de Belas Artes da Universidade do Porto, José is responsible for designing materials for La Casa Encendida Obra Social Caja in Madrid. He brings to Base noteworthy organizational skills, a strategic approach to editorial design, and an ability to understand the needs of cultural clients. His most visible projects at Base have been the catalogs for the La Casa Encendida exhibitions on Antonin Artaud, Edward Gordon Craig, and Ryan McGinness, the conceptualization of the graphic system for CA2M (Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo) in Madrid, and the design of Centro de Arte Ego and Cartografías Disidentes (SEACEX). Currently José is developing new crossover projects, while taking care of Madrid’s studio music playlist, which has no crossover music. Always up for a laugh, José is a true pleasure to work with.
Paula Méndez
Production Manager
Paula started at Base as a layout designer in 2005, and gradually moved toward the production side of graphic design. She loves to experiment with materials and to share ideas with other designers on production details. Her nerves are often put to the test by the design team, but her peaceful, zen attitude never fails her. Paula’s responsibilities include managing budgets, finding the best production solutions for projects, and keeping an eye on the calendar. Paula also shares Madrid's administration duties with Susana, María and David. She is “la mama” of the studio, making sure that everyone is happy and has eaten his/her vegetables.
María de Andrés
Editor / Coordinator
María’s love for show business (¡Viva la farándula!) drove her away from a remote Spanish hamlet, straight into the arms of Madrid, where she earned a Masters Degree in editing from the University of Salamanca. Before joining Base María worked with Grupo Editorial Anaya, Editorial Gredos, Grupo Editorial SM, Universidad de Alicante, and Plot Ediciones, a publishing company owned by Spanish film director Fernando Trueba. María is Madrid’s meticulous editor, devoted to her work with clients including La Casa Encendida. She's also responsible for client contacts, the coordination of projects, timelines, and budgets, and is Base Madrid's official whistler.
Alejandro Masferrer
Senior Designer
Graphic designer and official co–DJ at Base Madrid Alejandro was born in Seville, Spain, where he grew and studied graphic design and multimedia. At 23 he joined Base Madrid, bringing a special interest in print and editorial design that has been crucial to projects with La Casa Encendida and Ministry of Housing. Alejandro has been always very much into the music scene, and has worked as designer with many underground pop bands and music festivals. His love of big cities was put in perspective after visiting Shibuya in Tokyo and living in the center of Seville during Semana Santa.
Jean-Marc Joseph
Creative Director & Partner
Jean-Marc leads Base's creative team in Barcelona. Graduating in 1997 with a degree in graphic communication from the Ecole de Recherche Graphique in Brussels, Jean-Marc went for a year to Canada to get his start, first with a graphic design studio and then with a web-design agency. Returning to his native Brussels, he began his long and winding career at Base in 1998 as a graphic designer. But that soon would change, and then change again. Smitten with the growing significance of the internet and fascinated with the power of film and animation, Jean-Marc became increasingly involved into the development of new media. In 2005 he founded BaseMotion, the audiovisual division of Base. While today overseeing the creative output of Base Barcelona, Jean-Marc continues to direct Base's audiovisual projects for clients around the world, aided by the ability to speak four and a half languages—French, Flemish, English, Spanish, and—the half—Catalan. A passion for mountain biking leads him frequently to the mountains, where he bikes, passionately. Though a resident of Barcelona since 2007 Jean-Marc, no dummy, still favors Belgian beer.
Olga Pérez
Studio Manager
As Studio Manager of BaseBCN, Olga's day-to-day focus is on client management and internal coordination. Since joining Base in 2002 she has been increasingly involved in management on a global level, from financial issues and business development to human resources and inter-office efficiency. Olga's background in psychology and her sunny disposition have no doubt stood her in good stead in getting the best results from Base and its clients. She is known for efficiency, a tendency to confuse idioms, and a desire to shoot one bird with two stones.
Marcel Baer
Art Director & Senior Designer
Marcel brings refinement and a personal sensibility to the projects of BaseBCN. He joined Base as Art Director and Graphic Designer in 2008, infusing his work with a love of beautiful typography, photography, and printed material. Previously he worked in New York and London with various design studios in the fields of art, publishing, and retail. When not traveling, you'll find him in his favorite neighborhood, Gràcia, with a chilled Vermouth, or cooking a Paella with friends. Marcel is a Swiss man with a Spanish heart.
Lara Berg
Designer
Born in the Boston suburbs, Lara moved to Belgium at the age of seven with a sweet accent and the thought that she would one day return. She studied briefly at Nottingham Trent University before earning a masters degree in graphic design from Sint-Lucas Ghent, and joined Base’s Brussels posse in early 2011. A true designer, she sees graphic design in everything from shopping lists to the food on her plate. Only when watching a movie, her perfectionistic needs can be switched off for 120 minutes. Now cured of most of her Americanisms, Lara is fully housebroken and happy at Base Brussels, and her desire to move back to the States has thankfully faded with her accent.
Carla Maristany
Packaging Designer
Carla came to Base in 2010, quickly filling a need for packaging expertise in our Barcelona studio. A graduate in graphic design from Eina in Barcelona, Carla worked for several years in London and Madrid before moving to Barcelona to concentrate more on packaging. Before joining Base, she brought packaging solutions to clients including Coca-Cola, S.A. Damm, Gallina Blanca, Henkel, Nestlé, Revlon, and Unilever. Though based in Barcelona, Carla's heart lies in Cadaqués.
Edgar Ferrer
Motion & Web Designer
Edgar has been with Base since 2008, working with BaseMotion on film and video projects and as a web designer at BaseBCN. He holds degrees in advertising and PR from the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona and in Digital Design from BAU School. Following several years as an art director in the big, bad world of advertising, his interest in new technologies and motion design led him to BaseMotion. We're currently trying to find a way to bottle Edgar's infectious laugh.
Raimon Botey
Designer
Graphic Designer Raimon joined forces with the BaseBCN team in late 2009, and focuses his talents on identity and editorial projects. After graduating from Universitat Ramon Llull in Barcelona with a degree in advertising and public relations, Raimon became increasingly interested in the power of visual communication. This led him to study Graphic Design at Eina, Escola de Disseny i Art in Barcelona and, prior to Base, fine-tune his skills through an internship in Amsterdam. No matter what else is going on in the world, Raimon never misses a Barcelona FC match.
Susana Bonel
Office Manager
Susana is responsible for the accounting and bookkeeping of Base's Spanish studios. She holds a degree in accounting and prior to Base worked in a private law office. She has been with the Barcelona studio since 1999, and has managed to maintain the same sky-high level of enthusiasm ever since. With an undying interest in the well-being of everyone at BaseBCN, Susanna is the mama of the studio.
Marc Panero
Creative Director & Partner
Marc divides his time between Barcelona and Madrid, and travels frequently to Santiago, Chile. Having founded and run the Barcelona studio for 12 years, Marc today remains a creative consultant there, while overseeing the projects of Madrid and Santiago. Marc met Base partners Thierry Brunfaut, Juliette Cavenaile, and Dimitri Jeurissen in the early ‘90s, working as a graphic designer in Brussels, and joined forces with them in 1997 to open Base’s second studio, in his native Barcelona. Following a series of successful projects in that city, he went on to open another studio, in Madrid, in 2004. Two years later he worked with Joancarles Casasín to establish Base's type foundry, BaseLab. Marc’s entrepreneurial spirit and boudnless energy drove him to open Base’s fifth studio, in Santiago, Chile, with former employee Carla Bahna in 2009. With a foundation in graphic design and the ability to bring systematic order to complex issues, Marc has led projects for a diverse list of clients, including Revlon Professional, MNCARS, women’secret, Loewe. Base's increasingly diverse collaborations with La Casa Encendida since 2001 have given Marc an outlet to satisfy his passion for book design. With a commanding presence and Mediterranean machismo, Marc is the closest thing Base has to The Godfather.
Sander Vermeulen
Design Director
Design Director Sander brings to Base a great sensitivity to typography, and a desire to inject a sense of tactility into everything he touches. He studied graphic design at Sint-Lukas Brussels and, before joining Base in 2010, worked under the names of: Studio Wacosta, Studio Mastic, Fanclubproject, and I am Sanderson. He began his professional life as an illustrator and has worked with clients including McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Lucky Strike, and several newspapers. Since 2004 he has been responsible for the communications of the MuHKA museum in Antwerp, and has designed for important Brussels-based cultural institutions including the national Belgian opera La Monnaie, Flagey, and the Beursschouwburg. A desire for each printed piece to be an object to cherish led to his recognition as a laureate for the Fernand Baudin and Plantin Moretus prizes in the category art books in 2009. Sander does graphic design like a real Flandrien: toiling and moiling and stoempen until the finish.
Fumi Congan
Production Manager & Senior Designer
Having a Japanese mother and a Belgian father, Fumi knows how to balance Eastern sensitivity with Western firmness. While studying at the Art Foundation in Bristol, Fumi discovered a passion for graphic design, typography, materials, methods of folding, binding, and printing. Returning to her native Brussels, she earned a degree in graphic design from La Cambre Superior School of Visual Arts, and in 2006 found the perfect agency in Base Brussels. Fumi has since made the studio win pitches and develop identities for clients including Polimoda, Hotel Missoni, Delvaux, the Brussels Biennial, Netjets, Hennessy, and Graanmarkt 13, a project led by Fumi that was two years in the making. In 2008 her inclinations toward materials and physical details led her to become production manager at Base Brussels. On Fridays she cooks for the office, Japanese or junk food, depending on her mood. She may look small and sweet but don't be fooled: Fumi is a lioness.
Arno Baudin
Senior Designer
Arno earned a degree in graphic design from La Cambre Superior School of Visual Arts in Brussels, and bounced around a few agencies before landing at Base in 2007. Arno is the graphic force behind the identity concepts of Cinematek, Bozar shop, Théâtre de l'Ancre and many more. He is specialized in logo design and graphic solutions for corporate identities like Mobistar and the labor union FGTB/ABVV. Arno likes boxing, has a weakness for sneakers and thinks in design-program shortcuts. Yo is his stopgap, graffitized baldness his religion.
Aurore Lechien
Senior Designer
Aurore looks like a hummingbird but works like a horse. She graduated in 2005 with a specialty in typography and bookbinding from La Cambre Superior School of Visual Arts, where today she teaches design. Starting with Base in 2006, Aurore is one of Base's longest-serving soldiers, and her work has defined projects for deSingel, La Monnaie, Kipling, John Knight, It's Not Only Rock 'n' Roll Baby!, and Ultramegalore. Books are her thing; she's designed four for Base. Together with Pierre, Aurore comprises the Base DJ squad, because a day without music is simply a lost one.
Pierre Daras
Art Director
Art director by profession, orchestra conductor by inclination. Pirouetting through the room shouting, "bravo bravoooo!" like mad, Pierre Daras is undoubtedly Base's most flamboyant species. A devoted online flaneur, Pierre is always on the hunt for the most breathtaking images. He studied fashion design at La Cambre Superior School of Visual Arts, where he now teaches when not art directing Base projects. Pre-Base, Pierre focused his eye for beauty as a stylist for various Belgian magazines and castings. In 2006 he delivered an award-winning multimedia installation for Le Prix Modo. Since joining Base, he's worked with photographers including Serge Leblon, Jan Welters, Magnus Unnar, Andreas Larsson, Jean-François Carly, and David Hughes, and has led projects with clients including La Monnaie, Scabal, Hotel Missoni, Modo Bruxellae. Should you ever want to please Pierre, give him a bouquet of globe flowers, a Françoise Sagan story, and a pile of nicely embroidered handkerchiefs.
Anne Mortier
Office Manager
With Base since 1998, Anne knows the ins and outs of Base better than just about anyone. Coming to Base from a family business, she became quickly integrated in the finances and administration of Base Brussels and the umbrella corporation, Base Office. A master of soothing delicate situations, Anne is Mother Base, making sure that everyone feels fine and comfortable. She is always there for clients, suppliers, and colleagues, but doesn't hide her aversion to clutter. Playing golf changed her life; her supersonically made tabbouleh is a hole in one.
Liesbeth Willaert
Project Manager
Coming from a family of ardent sailers, project manager Liesbeth Willaert is the skipper synchronizing our sails and moods every day. After earning a Masters in communication sciences from Ghent University, she went to Barcelona for the Spanish boys, and to pursue a Masters in digital photography. Since her first professional steps at eBay, the web has continued to haunt her, first with advertising agency Duval Guillaume, and now with Base's Brussels office. Having washed ashore at Base in early 2010, Liesbeth manages projects for web and print, working with both Dutch- and French-speaking clients. Her unremitting enthusiasm is already legendary, but no one knows she has a perfect-pitch talent too. To let off steam, Liesbeth goes kite-surfing on the Belgian coast because Brazil is just an ocean too far away.
Rebecca Cuglietta
Studio Manager
French-born with Italian roots, Rebecca Cuglietta knows how to charm even the most frigid creature. She arrived in Belgium at six and hasn't stopped twinkling since. After studying communications and development cooperation in Brussels, she worked for two years on developing adult education in neglected neighborhoods. In 2007 Reb joined the team and a wave of sunshine flooded our Brussels office. Today she is studio manager, overseeing budgets, managing all BaseBru projects, and giving her vision on strategy issues for clients like the Belgian Ministry for Development Cooperation (DGOS). Rebecca is our daily breeze sparking the Italian in each one of us.
Dimitri Jeurissen
Partner - Head of brand & business development
Dimitri develops new ventures for Base. Since 2011, his central role embraces something he has always done intuitively: exploring new territories, developing raw ideas, encouraging initiative and triggering self-initiated Base projects, all this to push the Base Brand and studios forward. Having co-founded Base in 1993, Dimitri has passed through all the stages a founding partner should. He started as a graphic designer but then quickly moved on to art direction. He developed image campaigns for fashion brands including women’secret, Loewe, Delvaux, and Wrangler, collaborating with photographers Serge Leblon, David Armstrong, Jenny Gage and Tom Betterton, Magnus Unnar, Alastair Mc Lellan, Jan Welters, Vava Ribeiro, and Daniel Jackson, among others. He also co-developed BEople, Base’s magazine about a certain Belgium! In 2001 Dimitri moved with his family to New York, where he became the studio’s creative director. He spearheaded a string of successful projects with clients including Puma, L’Oréal, Kiki de Montparnasse, Revlon, and San Francisco Art Institute. Entrenched in the world of contemporary art, Dimitri also led the creation of books for artists such as Kendell Geers, Ed Ruscha, and Ann Veronica Janssens as well as identities for the Seville, Gwangju, and Brussels Biennials. Back in Brussels in 2006, Dimitri took over Base’s global management until 2011. Dimitri has spoken at DesignThinkers, Columbia University, the AIGA “Fresh Dialogue” conference in NYC, The Art Directors Club in Dublin, La Cambre Superior School of Visual Arts, Icograda World Design Conference, Ullens Center for Contemporary Arts (UCCA) in Beijing, and the Design Academy in Eindhoven. When not spending time with his wife and three boys, Dimitri enjoys working out with his personal trainer, and a cold Duvel.
Thierry Brunfaut
Creative Director & Partner
Coming from a family of architects, Thierry brings to Base a creativity grounded in logic. Though based in Brussels, Thierry oversees all graphic and typographic issues within Base, and is in constant contact with the studios in Spain and New York. Following a two-year stint as a graphic designer in Spain, Thierry co-founded Base in 1993 with Juliette Cavenaile and Dimitri Jeurissen, whom he met while studying graphic communications at the La Cambre Superior School of Visual Arts in Brussels. To projects ranging from visual identities to ad campaigns to print, Thierry imparts a philosophy of graphic and conceptual simplicity that emphasizes concise communication.
As Creative Director of BEople, Base’s “magazine about a certain Belgium,” Thierry came up with the award-winning cover concept and the ambitious and noble idea of designing each story with a separate grid. A passion for film led him to work with Base designer Jean-Marc Joseph to establish BaseMotion in 2005. Thierry has led landmark Base projects including MoMA QNS, Kipling, Mobistar, BeTV, Hotel Missoni, and La Monnaie. He is a regular speaker at La Cambre’s architecture and graphic arts departments, and has presented at the Icograda World Design Conference, Ullens Center for Contemporary Arts (UCCA) in Beijing, and other design and brand conferences around the world. He bears a striking resemblance to Kermit the Frog.
Juliette Cavenaile
Partner, CEO
With an uncanny ability to juggle several completely different jobs, Brussels-based partner Juliette handles all large-scale administration for Base while overseeing production issues in the Brussels studio. Having studied graphic communications at the La Cambre Superior School of Visual Arts in Brussels, Juliette co-founded Base in 1993 with classmates Thierry Brunfaut and Dimitri Jeurissen. Today her administrative reach encompasses the group’s holding company, real estate, finances, and investments, as well as BasePublishing and BozarShop, assuring the accuracy and stability of Base’s business affairs overall. Juliette is the George Harrison of the Base partners.
Jasmine De Bruycker
Writer Girl
Being born half alpha, half beta has led Jasmine down some peculiar paths. She is educated as a bio-engineer and graduated with an anthropology-oriented thesis from the University of Leuven, studying also in Scotland and Ecuador along the way. Longing for words and images, she then earned a Masters in journalism and began making scientific documentaries for CANVAS, the second broadcast channel of Belgian national television. Following 15 documentaries, made at home and abroad as a researcher, reporter, and director, she was bitten by art, moved on to the culture website Klara.be and helped launching its successor Cobra.be. She learned how to film and made various video-reports on the art world. In the meanwhile she started focusing more on graphic design, illustration, and writing. Jasmine loves reading, collecting insights, and dancing to indie beats. She also plays tennis way too offensively and with a strange grip. She's worked with Base as a copy/creative writer since 2010.
Fabian Jean Villanueva
Business Developer, Press & PR Manager
Born from a Mexican-Haitian father and a Belgian mother, Fabian Jean Villanueva had a fabulous childhood in Brussels together with his two brothers, becoming widely known as the Jackson 3. After his degree in Law and Politics at the Université Libre de Bruxelles, he worked as an IT contract manager for the European Union, where he successfully managed important budgets and confidential international dossiers. The key moment in his professional life was being a Promotion Manager for the small Brussels, independent production company Leïla Films. This experience inspired him to steer his career into more cultural & creative directions, and straight into the arms of Base. Since 2010, Fabian works as our Business Developer, Press & PR Manager. His heroes are Karl Marx, Tommie Smith, and Michael Jackson, but never bother him with country music, George W. Bush and mathematics or he’ll rattle you off Das whole Kapital, in German.
Ana Valdivia
Account Manager
Ana moved to Madrid in early 2011 to coordinate Base's efforts in that city, and was quickly brainwashed to the Base Way™. With keen attention to detail, a superhuman memory, and a resumeful of experience with several design studios and ad agencies in her hometown of Seville, Ana soon had the Madrid studio operating at maximum efficiency. This self-admitted lover of multitasking is also a hopeful romantic who loves Gone With The Wind, which she enjoys watching while doing several other things simultaneously.
Jonas Nicollin
Senior Designer
Jonas is a mover. Born in Canada, raised and educated in Switzerland and France, he feels at home in the world. In the world of graphic design by contrast, Jonas is late arrival. He studied political science and film history before noticing his design vocation, thanks to a beautiful design student and encounters with several interesting graphic designers. Jonas then studied graphic design at Head (Switzerland) and Ensad (France), and worked at Federal Studio and GVA Studio. The latter – which he calls ‘the Base parent’ - introduced Jonas to Base Design. Thank you, GVA studio.
Alex Caruso
Business Developer, Press & PR Manager
Born in an American-Italian-Spanish-Venezuelan family, Alex grew up among architects, artists, and models. At the age of 17 he both studied Image Consulting and worked for a multinational advertising agency. He then embarked on Audiovisual Production studies, while collaborating part-time with various artists and taking care of several art galleries' public relations. This gave him the chance to travel around Europe, the USA and Australia. Alex considers himself as a connector in heart and soul. Just perfect for a job as business developer! He joined BaseNewYork in 2010 where he currently takes care of the PR & business affairs for the offices in Madrid and Barcelona. Being a multitasker without an equal, Alex follows AD&PR studies at the same time. You can see him drinking juice atBaseBeers, find him surfing at Mongat beach every evening, but don't try to reach him during the weekends cause he’s always travelling. If he emails you, you'll be showered with smileys :).
Thomas Leon
Designer
Everything happens for a reason. "It's the story of my life" says Thomas. After doing his "BTS" in graphic and visual design in Lyon, he landed in Brussels, by coincidence, to study at La Cambre Superior School of Visual Arts, where he got enchanted by typographic purity and acquainted with the artsy side of design college. With Base it's the same story. Taught to by Aurore, judged by Thierry at his end-of-year master jury, working for Base was an opportunity to grab with both hands. Beware of his gentle appearance; it hides a creature that roars of joy under pressure of the next tight deadline. Full immersion in a challenging project, that may look simple at first sight, is dear to him. It keeps him going.
Don't ask too many questions, as long as he's busy doing something.
Gilles Van Handenhove
Account Manager
Fighting poverty in Guatemala, working for an ONG in India, his studies at the Université Libre in Brussels, Political Science, then Economics; are revealing a person in quest for helping one's fellow man. It's so prominent that he took over a genuine Penjabi-English ever since.
Born in Brussels, capital of surrealism, Gilles strongly believes in good communication, eloquence and is talkative about it, preferably surrounded by friends, enjoying a plate of his notorious spaghetti bolognaise.
He literally fell in love with graphic design handling design stuff and playing with fonts in India. Hence the trigger to work for Base Brussels where he takes care of its demanding clients, tackles their issues and keeps them happy. Way to go, Gilles!
When he leaves the office in the evening, he jumps on his bike to head for new horizons. Or to be sucked up into the Brussels' jungle, where he feels - at last - at home.
Guillaume Bokiau
Designer
A real Brussels "ket", Mr Autodidact, Mr Design, Gui Gui. Guillaume is Base's Mr Nickname. Guillaume's childhood fascination was all about architecture and circus posters. In that mindset, he did some time at La Cambre Architecture and at Sint-Lukas, but decided quickly to do it "his own way" and work as an independent graphic designer. Welcome to the circus of life!
And along came an add for hire at Base and since then he has worked on every possible project ever since, specializing in everything. Also in arriving fashionably late for work. Working at Base means camaraderie in the first place. If you're in trouble with a program or have a specific greps-code-dilemma, call Guillaume, he'll tell you what to do. Besides work he loves horsing around bookshops, for example Filigranes for its delicious magazines. He also keeps a small but intriguing collection on Belgian graphic design from the sixties and listens to Italian eighties disco music, the volume completely turned up.
Carol Juarez
Business Developer, Press & PR Manager
Born in Barcelona in the mid 80’s, Carol studied advertising and public relations at the University Abat Oliba CEU. Prior to finishing her studies, she went to work at Brand Insight, a brand consultancy located in Barcelona. As an account executive, she worked with a wide variety of clients including Caixa Catalunya's Social Work, Cadbury and Bavaria Brewery, among others. After five years at Brand Insight, she was determined to take her career in a new direction. She immediately booked a one-way ticket to New York seduced Base with her pleasant personality, attention to detail and workaholic tendencies. Despite rumors to the contrary, Carol is not a renowned flamenco dancer.