Experienced, courteous and professional.​​​​​​​
I was interviewed recently by creativepool in the UK, which gives an overview of my career, work and views on the industry, read interview
Graphic Artist | Communicator | Consultant | Advisor
Reflecting on a lifetime of dedication and achievement in the communications industry, I offer seasoned consultation to teams and organisations striving for excellence. My journey, both professional and personal, has equipped me with a deep understanding of the foundations of success in an accelerating and unprecedented future for our industry.
Professional Overview:
Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to work in strategic planning, project management, and problem-solving. My background includes:
Extensive Experience: As an independent freelancer and company employee, I've worked for and within large agencies, boutique consultancies, independent businesses, and with entrepreneurs, building a wide variety of experience and skills.
Leadership and Mentorship: I have enjoyed mentoring colleagues, helping them grow professionally, and contributing to the success of the teams I've been a part of.
Strategic Consulting: I have provided strategic advice to help businesses improve operations, performance, and growth.
Project Management: Successfully managed a range of projects, ensuring they met objectives within budget and on schedule.
Innovative Approaches: Implemented solutions that have enhanced operational efficiencies and competitiveness.
Significant Projects:
Aeroport de Paris, Charles de Gaulle, France: Managed an external team assisting in the construction of a liaison building connecting terminals 2A and 2C, assessing and reacting to the impact on airport passenger flow and corresponding signage.
Bacardi Global Brands, Dewar’s Pop-up Whisky Experience: Designed, constructed, and deployed a traveling pop-up whisky experience across cities in China and Malaysia, creating immersive brand experiences.
Lokal, Norway: Developed the identity for a sustainable farm-to-table food arena, working on store development and creative direction for restaurants, cafes, groceries, and meeting places.
What I Offer:
I am now dedicated to consulting, assisting teams and organisations with my experience and insights. I offer:
Guidance and Advice: Drawing on my industry knowledge to provide practical and strategic recommendations.
Tailored Solutions: Creating approaches that address the specific needs and goals of each client.
Mentorship and Support: Helping teams develop the skills and knowledge they need to succeed.
Objective Analysis: Offering unbiased, data-driven insights to support key business decisions.
Personal Reflections:
I've had a diverse career path, starting in New Zealand and taking me to places like Sydney, Brisbane, London, New York, and Paris. Along the way, I've engaged in various creative endeavours from satirical merchandising with 'Bunch of Artists' in London to launching a traveling pop-up whisky experience for Bacardi Global Brands in multiple countries.
Despite the changes and challenges over the years, I remain passionate about the creative industry. I enjoy solving problems within time and budget constraints, drawing on my early experiences with graphic design before digital tools became ubiquitous. While technology continues to transform our field, I've witnessed both the liberation it offers and worked to counter the devaluation of the craft.
Looking to Connect:
I am passionate about supporting organisations and professionals in their journeys. If you are looking for strategic advice, mentorship, or an experienced advisor for your projects, I am here to help. Let's connect and see how we can work together to achieve your objectives.​​​​​​​

TESTIMONIALS

'Dear Mark, It has been very special to work with Dewar's and more so the talented people I have had the opportunity to meet around the world. I will surely miss your creativeness and working with you. If you ever decide to move continents, you have an open door with us in the Caribbean, just say when.'

Joaquin Bacardi, III. President and CEO, Bacardi Corporation.
L’appreciation ci-dessous porte principalement sur la prestation de Mark Harfield, qui a été en temps le plus present. Les missions ont été realises avec sérieux, rigueur et réactivité. Les diagnostics effectués étaient exhaustifs et pertinents. La prestation de Mark a contribué à ouvrir les nouvelles infrastructures dans les délais.
The appreciation below focuses on the performance of Mark Harfield, who was in the most present. The missions were carried out with seriousness, rigor and reactivity. Diagnoses were exhaustive and relevant. Mark's service has helped open up the new infrastructure on time.

Pauline Givernaud, Aéroport de Paris, Roissy, Charles de Gaulle, France.

'Mark Harfield must have 48 hours in a day. He's been posting a drawing a day for over 12 months now. And they're all good.'

Erik Spiekermann (type guru).
'WOW, major!! Great!! love yer illustrations'

David Carson, Legendary Graphic Designer.
'Mark, they look beautiful, we are just so impressed with your speed and the quality of designs! You’re our favorite designer!'
'We are well aware of your reputation, and the only way that we’ve been able to get things done so quickly was because of your extensive experience.'
'We received the order on the bean labels. They came out absolutely fantastic. The owners want to present these labels for the national sales meeting in a couple of weeks.'
'The boxes look great - I will submit these to Marvel Comics for review and keep you posted.'
Donna Jin, White Coffee Company, Long Island City, New York, USA.
'Loving it. Having you on the team is just like printing money!'

Iain Murray, CTO RISI.
'Thank you, thank you, thank you! This is just perfect! Thank you ever so much! You are an angel!!!!'

Ina Birgithe, Creative Director, KK Magazine, Aller Media, Norway.
'it's so easy to work with you!! we love'.

Luisa Bezzi, Founder and Creative Director, Sans Tabu.
'We have discussed your style, and our feed back to you is that it is just too perfect!'

Kristine Gronhaug, Det Gode Liv, Norway.
'Mark Harfield a travaillé pour notre société en tant que “designer – illustrateur” à plusieurs reprises. A travers notre collaboration, nous avons pu mesurer son expertise en matière de conceptualisation, qualité des “livrables” et la créativité de sa production graphique, à la main ou en numérique. Tous ses talents peuvent être utilises de manière très utile dans les domains du marketing, de la promotion de marques, de la signalétique et de l’illustration. En ce qui nous concerne, nous pouvons confirmer que son travail a joué un role très important dans notre succès.'

Thierry Bisseliches, Dirigeant et fondateur, My Pop Up Store, Paris.
'Mark's design is so great that we would like to launch the whole bean as well.'
Wise Wife Coffee, St Hollis, New York, USA.
This looks great!

James Thompson, Marvel Entertainment, LLC, USA.
'Hi Mark, Great work.'
Kimberly Yu | Senior Manager
National Geographic Brand Licensing
'Hi Mark, You apply direction really well, thanks for such fast and attentive turnaround, really happy with the results.'
'I asked Jon White if ok if we could hire you directly for design on additional products. He said no worries.'
Andy Arons, Owner, Gourmet Garage, NYC
Hi Mark, Looking great!  The brand team very happy with the layout.'
Jeff Christensen, President, THR3E Licensing,  Jim Beam, USA
'I'll leave that to Mark's design genius!'
Monique Eggleston, National Retail Project Manager, White Coffee Corporation, NY, USA



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