Alexis Bouckaert, Digital Creative Director, Rothco since March 2010.
Company: Rothco is one of Ireland’s most successful advertising agencies, with some of Ireland’s biggest and best known companies as clients such as AIB, Currys, Hibernian Aviva, Crisis Pregnancy Agency, Birds Eye and Coca-Cola Bottlers.
Job description: I’m responsible for the digital creative output, so my time is shared between brainstorm sessions, creative concept development and art direction. I also work on design as much as time allows.
Likes: I really love the design and the problem-solving parts of my job. Whether it’s from a marketing or a technical point of view. As for Rothco, it’s great to be working in an agency that recognises digital as a core offering but places its main focus on ideas.
Career Ladder: I started a career as a translator but took as swift U-turn and returned to college to study multimedia. I worked in Cybercom for almost 6 years where I held the positions of Joint Creative Director and Studio Manager. While there I was developing digital campaigns for brands like Guinness, Powerade, Adidas and Aer Lingus.
Qualifications: I have an M.A in Irish Literature and History from the Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris.
I went back to college a couple years later to do a M.SC in Multimedia Systems in TCD.
Working hours: I try and keep a balanced life but it’s a deadline driven industry, so it really depends on how many projects I have on and what stage they’re at…
Breaktime: I like grabbing a sandwich from Chez Max, a taste of home, and eat it by the canal. Often enough I end up having lunch at my desk, catching up on research.
Social media credentials: The nature of my job requires that I keep an eye out for emerging networks and technologies. I use my iPhone’s social media apps pretty much all day every day…I wouldn’t consider myself hooked but it’s by far the most convenient way to stay in touch with what’s going on in the industry and the world at large, whether it be friends or the news.
Twitter: http://twitter.com/alexisbouckaert
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/alexisbouckaert
News: When I have time I grab an espresso at home and check out what’s new on the iPhone (Mashable app, French design app Etapes and Twitter mostly)
Onsite of offsite: Most days are spent at the desk and running around the office. Every so often I slip out to a coffee shop to get some head space and focus on a given project.
Why do you love Mondays? To be honest, most Monday mornings I’m like a rebellious child who won’t go to school… But what makes Mondays ok for me is the fact that I truly enjoy my job. And because there’s usually something pressing to do as soon as I’m in, before I know it I’m working away on an interesting project and I’ve forgotten how bad I wanted to stay in bed…
Tags: Alexis Bouckaert