Maria Ballestar

I lead brands through big change.

[Portrait, natural light, at work]

I’m a design director with eleven years at Landor and a stubborn belief that every business has one truth worth building on. I love the hunt for it. And I love the making even more: drawing the logo, setting the type, pushing colour until it says something. Strategy, words, design and motion, from the first sketch to the last guideline. Now independent in Barcelona, so you get all of it directly.

At Landor I led the Moeve transformation and the Unicaja rebrand, and led the Barcelona office creatively for five years. I’m at home presenting to leadership teams and CEOs, and leading large teams across agencies. Today I work with companies changing course, founders getting ready to scale, and agencies that need a senior creative lead, in Spanish, Catalan and English.

Path

  1. 2026 →Independent brand & design director, Barcelona
  2. 2022 to 2026Design Director, Landor Barcelona
  3. 2015 to 2022Senior Designer, Landor London
  4. 2013 to 2015Designer, Further, London
  5. 2011 to 2012MA Branding and Identity, London College of Communication
  6. 2006 to 2010BA Graphic Design, Eina, Barcelona

Recognition

  1. 2025

    Moeve

    • BronzePremios Nacionales de Marketing, Innovation in value proposition
    • Reinvention ChampionEnergy sector, Financial Times
  2. 2020

    BBVA · Transform Awards Europe

    • Highly commendedBest visual identity from the financial services sector
  3. 2019

    Azerbaijan · Transform Awards MENA

    • Overall winnerBest overall visual identity
    • GoldBest place or nation brand
    • GoldBest visual identity from the travel, leisure and tourism sector
    • GoldBest use of copy style or tone of voice
    • BronzeBest use of a visual property
    • Highly commendedBest implementation of a brand development project
  4. 2016

    Breville · Transform Awards Europe

    • Highly commendedBest visual identity from the retail sector
  5. 2015

    Texthelp · Transform Awards Europe

    • Best visual identity from the technology and media sector
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