ABOUT.

Experienced international brand and creative turn around leader with active roles across all aspects of business and strategy within multicultural environments and multi-site teams in changing and challenging environments.

Building, inspiring and encouraging diverse teams to think bold, big and brave in order to achieve creative excellence and a force for change.

Analysing and defining a brand’s core principles and handwriting while delivering content across all the group’s portfolio, product ranges and consumer touchpoints.

Understanding consumer behaviour and trends in complex markets and translating them into insights, products and compelling brand stories that increase the value of an organization.

Working with diverse clients at C-level on:
- Transformation of heritage businesses.
- Design-led strategy through research, analysis, and identification of opportunities.
- Business development through product innovation, branding, and communication.
- Vision and conceptualisation of new business ideas to bring them to life through creative storytelling.
- Translation of a culture’s DNA into fresh brands, services, and design.
- Building of updated effective programmes and authentic collaborations in the creative sector.
- Scouting, building, leading and mentoring the next generation of creative talent.

Special Projects:
The foundation of Vlisco&co back in 2017 as a start-up from the Vlisco Group, that created a network of young and creative talent across Africa to connect, research, listen, debate, define and demonstrate the interpretation of culture in modern life and how that interpretation will be expressed in printed fabric. Vlisco&co took a new direction towards print design and RTW made in Africa.

In 2019 Gabriela initiated a collaborative work with the City of Joy to raise funds through print design for the women who are victims of war in The Democratic Republic of Congo. A second edition was launched in 2020 and the funds were allocated for the building of a textile design school in Bukavu.