Bruno Lemgruber

About Bruno Lemgruber

A strategic creative leader with a proven record of unifying brand strategy, product design, and data analytics to drive measurable business impact for global enterprises like Coca-Cola and Petrobras. After leading my own strategic design agency for 19 years, I accepted a unique, three-year appointment at USC to modernize its design curriculum. During that time, I pioneered the strategic integration of Generative AI, developing a full curriculum and mentoring the next generation of creative talent on future-forward workflows. Now, I am focused on applying that rare synthesis of C-suite industry experience, hands-on creative direction, and academic innovation back into a full-time leadership role. My part-time teaching at UCLA Extension allows me to continue my passion for mentorship while dedicating my primary focus to building and leading high-performance creative organizations.

Experience

1. Creative Director Partner

   Tabaruba Design Digital Products & Information Design

   Mar 2003 — Present · Los Angeles, BR

   As Partner, I transformed a boutique studio into a strategic design practice with a unique, deeply-integrated partnership model. For 19 years, I directed studio operations, led brand and product design for enterprise clients, and served as the primary contact for C-suite stakeholders. Since 2022, my role has shifted to high-level strategic oversight and C-suite consultation for key accounts.Key Achievements:As primary C-suite advisor at Petrobras (LATAM\'s #1 company by revenue), led a multi-year corporate communications system, driving three revisions to the national bidding framework, setting new standards for vendor ethics and creative quality.Slashed production costs by 27% and delivery cycles by 70% for high-volume asset systems, reducing error rates from over 25% to less than 0.1% through new governance, automation workflows, and multi-stage Quality Assurance (QA).Built and led hybrid client-agency cross-functional teams of up to 50 professionals for fast-paced, high-stakes programs like the omnichannel Q! Evening Newspaper.Built a Business Intelligence (BI) service line powering 10+ major research initiatives—delivering +40% annual profit, including two of the world’s largest in-person cultural surveys, shifting storytelling from opinion-led to evidence-led.Led brand transformation initiatives for Coca-Cola Brasil, including Olympic Taskforce HQ redesign (later adopted as a corporate benchmark) and a multi-year internal communications program focused on employee engagement.Led 30+ concept-to-launch digital product initiatives—from DataVis dashboards and CMS platforms to mobile apps—for clients including Petrobras and the French Consulate.Developed and directed 20+ brand and rebrand initiatives for Finance & Professional Services, Media & Entertainment, and Consumer Goods, creating unified brand identities that aligned diverse business units and stakeholders.

Education

• Pratt Institute

  M.S.

  1995 — 1998

• ESDI - Escola Superior de Desenho Industrial

  Barchelor

  1989 — 1994

• Colégio de São Bento

  Primeiro E Segundo Grau

  1981 — 1989

Skills

• Graphics
• Layout
• Logo Design
• Web Interface Design
• Creative Consultation
• Design Thinking
• Posters
• Branding & Identity
• Magazines
• Brochures
• User Interface Design
• Information Design
• Content Organization
• Visual Communication
• Illustration
• Art
• Creative Direction
• Visual Identity Design
• Product Design
• Photography
• Brand Development
• Experience Design
• Graphic Design
• Indesign
• Concept Development
• Book Design
• User-Centered Design
• Interaction Design
• Web Design
• Communication Design
• Corporate Branding
• Information Architecture
• Magazine Design
• Creative Services
• Photoshop
• Corporate Identity
• Adobe Creative Suite
• Branding
• Company Naming
• User Experience