Ellen Kiss

Ellen has almost 20 years of professional experience in the areas of branding and design strategy, and also works as a Professor of Strategic Innovation and Design Thinking at ESPM in Brazil.

Ellen has balanced her career between independent professional practice, education and institutional organizations. She has worked for the design agencies a10 Design, Oz Design, 100% Design and VRDResearch, as well as organizations such as Abedesign, where she has been a director for 4 years. In addition, she has taught Design for almost 10 years as a Professor and Lecturer in numerous institutions and regularly writes articles and columns in diverse publications.

She has a BA in Communication and Marketing from Mackenzie University in Sao Paulo, as well as a Master in Communication and Consumer Practices from ESPM and Post Grad in Design Management from the University of Arts in London.

She believes only few industry players are prepared for the shift from physical to digital experience, especially in the banking sector, and that the actual knowledge about the habits of customers in the digital environment is limited, hindering the ability to deliver solutions suited to their needs. “Creativity requires much more than big ideas. To be a leader in the creative industry more skills are required than those acquired in undergraduate courses. It is necessary to develop a new mindset to fill the gap between the left and right brain, between insights and goals, between creativity and strategy.”

Companies

• Specialist and Mentor FRST Falconi (2020)
• Independent Design and Innovation Consultant Self-employed (2019)
• On Leave Itaú Unibanco (2019)
• Speaker and Facilitator Hyper Island (2019 — 2020)
• Head of Innovation and Marketing of Digital Channels Itaú Unibanco (2016 — 2018)
• PostGrad Academic Coordinator / Professor of Innovation, Design Thinking and Service Design ESPM Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing (2010 — 2018)
• Head of Innovation - Wealth Management and Services Itaú Unibanco (2014 — 2016)
• Innovation and User Experience Manager Itaú Unibanco (2012 — 2014)
• Associate Director on Brand Strategy VRD Research (2011 — 2012)

Education

• Stanford Continuing Studies (2019 — 2020)
• Master of Creative Leadership Berlin School of Creative Leadership (2014 — 2016)
• Master ESPM Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing (2009.03 — 2010.11)
• IIT Institute of Design (2009 — 2009)
• Postgraduate Degree University of the Arts London (2003 — 2005)
• Parsons School of Design - The New School (2000 — 2000)
• Graduation Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie (1996 — 1999)