Rui Xu

<p>He joined the Saffron team in 2016 and has been nurturing his career here ever since, specialising in visual identity and working with clients from diverse sectors such as tech, telecom, finance, transportation and place branding. Rui has worked with Meta, Openbank, HK Express, the nation brand of Qatar and YouTube. He has a deep passion for traveling and photography and is a proud foodie.</p>

<h2>Tell us a bit about what a Senior Designer does.</h2>
<p>At Saffron, design plays a particularly important role alongside strategy, they are fundamental pillars of our business. I like to use an analogy: if strategy is the fertile soil that establishes a solid foundation, design would be the jungle that grows over it. Neither can exist without the other. Designers are problem solvers and the results of our work can be seen in many ways, from visual identities to UI/UX, from creating spatial solutions to motion.<br /></p>

<h2>What does your average day look like?</h2>
<p>The day-to-day can change a lot depending on the project you're working on. One day you could be doing a visual audit of a gym chain, another day you could be exploring visual territories for a hi-tech company, or you could find yourself on the other side of the world presenting your designs to a client. Saffron opens the door to so many possibilities. I’m currently working with <a href="https://saffron-consultants.com/work/meta-archive" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Meta</a>, and surrounded by very talented people.<br /></p>

<h2>What has been your favourite project at Saffron so far?</h2>
<p><a href="https://saffron-consultants.com/work/hong-kong-express" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">HK Express</a> was one of the projects I worked on during my first years at Saffron, and it's still one I'm particularly fond of. At Saffron, we like challenges. No matter the physical distance between Madrid and Hong Kong, no matter the cultural or linguistic differences, we are ready to accept challenges from anywhere in the world. Working at HK Express from start to finish was a very complete and rewarding experience.<br /></p>

<h2>How did you get to the role you're in today?</h2>
<p><a href="https://saffron-consultants.com/work/hong-kong-express" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a>Before Saffron, I had experience in small agencies but this is where I have really grown professionally. If you are passionate about branding, Saffron is one of the best places to grow professionally.<br /></p>

<h2>Any advice for someone wanting to join Saffron?</h2>
<p><a href="https://saffron-consultants.com/work/hong-kong-express" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a>Be organised–meticulous and detail-oriented, details make a difference. Be disorganised–think outside the box and imagine beyond it. Be you.<br /></p>

<h2>How does a Senior Designer help make brand memorable?</h2>
<p><a href="https://saffron-consultants.com/work/hong-kong-express" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a>A designer makes a brand stand out by creating unique and memorable identities. We make sure everything stays consistent and craft solutions that catch people's attention and connect with them emotionally.<br /></p>

Rui Xu

Jacob Benbunan on navigating the unexpected

NEXTOURISM 2025

Engineered to Endure

Rui Xu

Related work

Jacob Benbunan on navigating the unexpected

NEXTOURISM 2025

Engineered to Endure