People

Rich has a background in multi-disciplinary design and has now been in the creative industry longer than he cares to remember. Photoshop was his first love, but sadly they have drifted apart over the years and don't see each other much anymore.

Rich has only watched one film in his life (Jurassic Park). He is also not a man you want to find yourself having lunch with if you have plans in the afternoon.

20 years experience across many creative disciplines including advertising, copywriting, brand identity, brand strategy, print, digital, motion graphics, retail interiors, architectural design, way-finding and signage informs a holistic approach to any creative brief across many brand touch points.

Coming from a multifaceted background in design, technology, advertising, animation and interactive design (and not forgetting a short stint as a binman), these days Tom splits his time between creative direction and global business operations.

Tom’s career highlight thus far is being credited on cult horror film The Human Centipede.

Vanessa believes there are so many beautiful things in life to be enjoyed, so you must live it well. She lives her life sipping a cuppa joe at a cafe, at the gym doing weights, yoga or Muay Thai or painting when she finds a spark of inspiration.

Life-long bay area glowworm of a human. Ryann is a musician and artist who also enjoys traveling and soaking up the fog and the occasional sun in Golden Gate Park. She has handfuls of short poems based on things she overhears walking around the city, has a love for scruffy dogs, and is a grilled cheese connoisseur.

Jeff grew up in the Bay Area, lived in Utah for 20 years, and is now currently a gaming copywriter with Toaster (where he earned the Human Encyclopedia Award). He and his significant other have two always soft, sometimes derpy cats named Thor and Loki. He loves film, comics and games of the board, tabletop and video variety. Don’t challenge him in film trivia or you will lose; just like an entire Big Lebowski themed bar in Reykjavik, Iceland…

Originally from the countryside of Indiana, Bryan had difficult time adapting to the fast-paced Bay Area. But after living in San Francisco for five years, he has become a professional hill-climber, tour guide, and pasta lover. When Bryan isn't catching his breath from the steep SF inclines, you can find him eliminating monsters online.

When it comes to appearances, Marco oozes cool, effortlessly. He’s the only one that had no outfit for Star Wars Secret Cinema, but still somehow pulled the 'Rebel' look off.

Marco has recently made the move from the our London office to Singapore, his Brompton bike hasn't gone with him though, rumour has it they had a falling out.

Sarah is originally a country girl from Lincolnshire, now living in Hackney. A lover of multiple to-do lists, gin martinis, leopard print, red lipstick, beauty products and Katy Perry.

Her friends describe her as an air-tight secret keeper with a dark sense of humour.

Sarah is the strict guardian of the studio schedule (but can occasionally be bribed with brownies and cat GIFs)

In college, Ankit's professors tried teaching him coding. Some lost their hair in the process, some lost their mind. Ankit listens to soothing ghazals and eardrum damaging Punjabi music with equal pleasure. He likes to discuss spirituality, and would prefer if you address him as Sri Sri Ankit Saxena.

Tala doesn't cut his nails at night. Ask him why and he'll be suspiciously eager to tell you he believes in irrational superstitions. He is also a self-proclaimed "nocturne" who sharpens his creativity on an everyday basis by concocting the most bizarre excuses to avoid stepping out during the day. However, ask him after-hours and there's an 87.6% chance he'll say yes - just keep your fingers crossed he doesn't spot a black cat along the…

Callum originates from Melbourne making the big move to London in 2016 to see what all the fuss was about, now he never wants to leave! He is a designer at heart, but much prefers telling others what to do and putting his exceptional organisational skills to work. In his spare time, Callum likes to take on a bit of an adventure whether it be skydiving in New Zealand, climbing mountains in Montenegro or racing cars in Vegas. Give him a…

Simon hails from South Shields (Mother) by way of Bogota (Father) to now reside in Oxford. However, his accent says differently. Married with two young daughters, he has the perfect gender balance of bosses - ART@Toaster and SWO@Home. Wanna hear a rich tapestry of tales from an eventful past? Just buy him a whisky. But make sure you keep the receipt.

After his professional foosball career went down in flames due to a strange wrist injury, Raks turned his (good) hand to design.

Today, Raks has got the stabilisers out and is learning to ride a bike again to keep up with his future Tour De France-winning daughter.

Much to his wife’s delight, James’ unhealthy obsession with the San Francisco Giants and 49ers hasn’t been curbed by the life changing events of having two children in three years.

A life-long Californian, James lives a life free of gluten, bad ju-ju and right-wing lunacy. Gratuitous high-fives all around.

The soundtrack to Lucy’s childhood was provided courtesy of Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starr (and she has them to thank for her name). Whilst growing up she was a demo singer for starving song-writers in the hope that one day she might record an album of her own. She tried, failed, tried again, failed again. However after watching adverts on TV she realised there was another stage on which she was meant to perform. 18 years and dozens…

Bimo believes that deep thinking makes his beard grow really fast. And he has been doing a lot of that lately. So while he never wants to stop dreaming and reaching for the stars, he is trying to avoid tripping over his chinrug and a hefty barber bill. So he has decided to slow down by getting into a fast car to perfect his drifting on a racing circuit.

It’s hard to sleep when you stay woke (or if you have insomnia). Occasionally described as a young “Trap Confucius,” you’ll often find Julie philosophizing the meaning of life. How are we living on purpose? Who really killed Tupac? What is a goon to a goblin?
Her interests include telling corny jokes, reveling in awkward moments, hanging with friends (who ALL happen to be rappers or moguls), and doing it for the culture.

Bhawika goes through life one song at a time. Infatuated with Indie, she even DJ'd in New Delhi for a while, but realised it was cutting into her Bukowski reading time.

She lives to socialise, and her dream is to attend every music festival in the world, yes, even the weird zombie themed ones.

Q: What’s the square root of Hong Kongese parents multiplied by Cambridge born and raised? A: BBC (British Born Chinese). Say nǐ hǎo to our new crunching Finance Assistant, Tsui-Sie. A lover of watching sports (cricket and rugby) and woodland walks, she now lives the country life in Kent with her well-trained boyfriend and dog Coco.

From the cradle to the cage was Alex’s journey.

That’s until his half-German heritage kicked in, leading him to an altogether more sensible endeavour – production.

Alex is also a landlord, loves tennis and rugby, and he hobnobs with an A-lister on weekends (apparently).

Shruti is a fun-sized lime green and neon-lover who loves making wishes at 11:11. She has a keen interest in fashion, art and, did someone say mac-n-cheese? Catch her dancing to Pitbull with her glow-sticks, stuffing her face with mac-n-cheese or cuddling a random baby (hide your kids). She once worked as a seamstress in the wardrobe department for Madonna's concert in Abu Dhabi. She touched her Swarovski encrusted costume -- her day was…

Alvaro started his career in Brazil, before moving to Sweden and Taiwan - and then finally ended up in Singapore. As you can tell, he loves exploring. Which explains why he secretly visited a nude beach at 13. What's still a mystery to us is why he always has a giant box of tissues next to him while watching Brazilian movies and shows.

Pankaj began his career in an era when IE6 terrified developers, and went on to personally deliver the elegy of the late web browser. A seasoned tech guru, his knowledge of code is matched by his guitar chops. He never skips leg day at the gym and is often seen bench pressing his Fender Strat when his fingers get tired.

Chiranjeev likes hats. And over the course of his career, he has worn many of them. He has worked as a Copywriter, PR Pundit, and a digital marketer before joining Toaster as a Producer. He has also been trying to write a novel for the last three years and can often be found DJing on Snapchat. There's only one thing we can say to such a multifaceted man - hats off to you.

An all–round beam of positivity, Taryn discovered her career and calling through social media. She prefers to view 'all this' as an unfolding narrative, an on-going dialogue between her and the multiverse. How she plugs in to the mainframe is deceptively simple. She turns her attention to prose, gastronomy, travel, fashion, and DIY culture. Someone has to make culture pop, and Taryn is right up to the task.

Originally from the lush land of cider and pasties, Sarah ditched the starry Plymouth sky for the lights of London in pursuit of a fast-paced life and tip-top talent. When she’s not cooking, inhaling cheese or planning her next holibob, you’ll find her aimlessly exploring with her make-believe dog.

Between crafting strategy projects, mentoring start-ups, writing a fantasy fiction series and conducting his own tennis club for kids, Udz works hard at maintaining the record speed at being the world's fastest diaper changer.

Oliver is often sighted tinkering with toys and computing code with the expert help of his children. He loves hiking in Singapore not just because the hills are mere mounds of mud, but mainly a penchant for hot pants (of the breathing kind…we think) and sticky sweat. This also explains why his eyes light up when he hears the sizzle of a barbeque grill. Aah! More sweaty moments ahead.

Saufi's got an addiction. A very weird one. He needs his fix of FRIENDS (the TV show!) everyday. When he is not busy gardening, travelling, reading or gaming, you'll find him tucked away in a corner rewatching an episode for the zillionth time. We wouldn't be surprised if he can narrate entire seasons backwards by now.

Mr. Johnny Cash is best known for his love of balls, motorcycles, and firetrucks.
He's a mama's boy at heart, but loves playing roughhouse with the boys. He's world renowned at the park for getting the party started. From young pups to old veterans, small dogs to giant dogs, Cash will make friends with just about any canine out there.

Cash loves the Toaster culture, especially when his girlfriend Winnie is around to hang with him.

April is native to the Bay Area. While design and tech drives this city, she finds most of her inspiration from plants and nature. Known to try and revive a dead plant found in the trash, she believes there’s always more than meets the eye. Hello from this plant mongrel, snack hoarder, and occasional foodie’s hand model.

Pronounced like Johannesburg. However you call her, she'll be there for you. Like when you need food recommendations, a snack, or need "help" finishing a bag of chips. She'll find (and eat) her way through any kitchen. When she's not stuffing her face, she's easily entertained, and thus has many hobbies, making everything from candles to costumes.

The shapeshifter known as Dushyant is a pop culture phenomenon. Like many of his generation, he has been managing mischief since the debut of The Philosopher’s Stone. A gentleman of multiple fandoms, Dushyant is a passionate proponent of the MCU & DCEU (only the initiated know the meaning). He is also a keen observer of the impact of films on different generations.

What would Shagun do if she weren't a designer? Probably breach the stratosphere in a combat aircraft. Which is understandable since she's well-travelled and always seeking the next adventure. If she ever does visit outer space, she'd sorely miss Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan and the good food back on Earth.

When our Front-end Developer isn't developing front ends, she's hurtling around the world on a quest to find out what she's allergic to. So far, she has found out that prawns, raisins, walnuts, and tall grass will kill her; but against all medical advice, continues to call herself "Kencana" - which curiously translates to "hey, it's going to be alright" in Korean.

Melinda enjoys her life. She cannot swim but dives the seas. Cannot read maps but travels the world. Cannot fly but enjoys rollercoaster. An introvert but graduated with a Public Relations degree. She started her career handling conventional advertising but then entered into the digital world. Melinda continues to keep challenging herself to feel alive.

Powered by the mantra, "Om Nom Nom", Tusharika is a thorough foodie who will do anything for good food. She is also not one to give in to fads for the fun of it. In an age of minimalism, she is a proud maximalist - because to her, India is all about the intricate details.

In her own words, Tripti likes "everything and everyone", this has flagged to us that she's been getting an easy-ride. Only tight deadlines from now on.

Katie is a lifelong Londoner on a one-woman mission to wander as much of this lonely planet as possible. Weirdly spiritual (half sun child, half moon child), with a passion for all things Anime and Manga, she is as happy plotting her next global jaunt as she is unleashing her galaxy explorer at every Comic Con that comes to town. She loves her food and is a regular at the gym just so she can say “YES PLEASE”, guilt-free, to anything she…

The world loves a dreamer. And Petra is one with widescreen proportions and high quality stereo sound. Cinema is his middle name and trivia is his last. For those who venture into Petra's world – bring popcorn, drinks and be prepared for a marathon discourse.

The story of Amogh’s mythological origins remains cryptic. He introduces himself as Satan’s right hand man, and has employed his dark craft at the service of brands both mythic and legendary. Apart from sorcery, he likes long walks, contemplation and puppers. He is also the drummer of a heavy metal band. Please, let's refrain from stereotyping.

Fast and furry – that would be Dorothy's definition of her current life. Her furkid Bella is the love child of House Cavalier KC and House Poodle. When it comes to Dorothy's career – it reads like a high octane road trip that spans several cities with her in the driver's seat propelling creative marques like Toaster towards stardom. At pit stops, Dorothy slows down to enjoy picnics on the beach with both husband and cavoodle.

Toto comes from a small town called Bandung, and despite the nickname being closely related with sanitary products, everybody is very friendly and chilled out. Inspired by award winning case studies around the world, Toto believes advertising can create a better world. After all, being useful and spreading goodness are the only beliefs he has.

Kamakshi is bonkers by nature. You will usually find her cracking and laughing at her own puns, making canine or feline friends, dreaming of food between meals or fantasising about a new wardrobe.Too lazy to exercise but ever ready to dance to a Bollywood track, Kamakshi loves to emote.

A one-time Hallmark movie star, Stefano originally called Florida home. He loves solo backpacking − everywhere from India to Japan − and plays guitar in an ~indie band in SF. Although 'Stef' does enjoy going on runs around the Bay Area, he much prefers running through people's heads via the Spotify playlists he loves to create − a slightly nostalgic nod to past college days as DJ Beardy.

Coco is a ruby Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Loves cuddles, almost as much as cocktail sausages and walkies. He also loves all the attention and is such a good boy.

Ian sailed the seven seas before realizing the beach is more fun. He now spends his time motioning graphics, rooting for the Sharks, or dancing in the streets during Trinidad & Tobago’s Carnival.

As college dropouts go, Abhijeet is a special one. Leaving his engineering studies midway, he chose to take the highway. On his motorbike. Tackling bends and blind curves, he reached the foothills of Nanda Devi. There, an epiphany struck him. It still remains a mystery the visions he saw. What is known is that he's a sucker for good sci-fi films, police procedurals and anime.

Originally from Myanmar, Zan loves classic animation; his childhood dream was to be a full-time animator at Warner Brothers, working on the next generation of Looney Tunes. A big metalhead, Zan can often be seen head-banging whilst working, sometimes even with headphones on.

Indian baby. Dubai kid. Pretty confused adult living in London with a semi-American accent. Niyatee’s favourite thing is to make life feel like a holiday, whether that's on actual holiday or just trying a new cuisine on a sunny day in London.

"A wise mentor once told him, to K.I.S.S (Keep it simple stupid). Ever since then Mujib has been living on this principle which explains why he is clad in black/white tees. He loves to start every morning with a cup of coffee and any track from Taylor Swift.
He loves baking cinnamon rolls and the sound of thyme crackling when placed on a sizzling steak. Always puzzled at the mystery of why he can grow hair on every part of his body except…

Darius loves motorcycles and playing in goal in football, though he's never thought to combine the two. It's his dream to ride all the way to Europe on his Triumph Thruxton and reward himself with a glass of scotch when he reaches the bonnie Highlands. We're unsure if his bike is seafaring.

Heather is a music and arts enthusiast. When she's not driving a tour bus full of smelly musicians across the west coast, she spends most all her free time putting together music and art shows throughout San Francisco.

She has climbed Mt. Shasta for charity four times (and counting), has a very hefty board game collection, and has a great appreciation all things gin.

Breaking the ice with Ritika is a piece of cake. Speaking of "piece of cake", she will never refuse one. A true fan of Indian street food and working out, Ritika makes up for all those calories by climbing nine storeys, thrice a day! In her quieter moments, she paints and introspects about life.

Lisa lives a double life. She's a creative in the day, and a DJ in her dreams - Toaster doesn't consider this a conflict of interest, so we've let it slide.

Though Lisa may be French, she wants it made clear that she has never eaten frogs.

She's an ex-kickboxer so we just put this in and didn't question why she brought it up.

Kati is a copywriter by day, rock-N-roller by night. When she's not in the studio you can find her playing a gig at a local music venue, eating a crunchwrap supreme on the beach, watching Good Burger, or DJing on BFF.fm.

Uci was a bankrupted sculptor before she turned her life to the advertising industry. She became very busy with too many unimportant things, such as looking at dinosaurs pictures, playing quad skates, drawing (even though she's lacking the skill), movie marathons, sleeping at weekends (then quickly regretting it), and many other things that probably won't allow her into heaven.

All roads lead to one’s self. It’s what Anubhuti said when we asked her why she’s an Art Director.
After working in the advertising world as UI/UX, interaction and graphic design professional, she ventured on her own and established a branding studio named Duet.
Everything she does is an exercise in self-discovery. You can be sure we’re excited to see what she’ll explore with us. And where she’ll take us.

Having attained notoriety for her early conceptual work utilizing printer paper, a 64-pack of crayons, and other domiciliary finds, Stephanie’s artistic career has continued to skyrocket. A Portland native, and recent San Francisco transplant, Steph is constantly searching for inspiration to fuel what art historians are referring to as her “Pixel Panoramic Period.” When she’s not creating, you’ll typically find her exploring the outdoors,…

Vicki has a love for dogs, horses… and goats. She also has a love for afternoon naps, although this is generally frowned upon in the office so she tries to keep it to weekends. Although born and raised in Essex, Vicki wants to be clear - she doesn’t wear white stilettos while smothered in orange fake tan. Vicki always wanted to be an event planner or journalist….she didn’t choose the spreadsheet life, the spreadsheet life chose her!

Vinod's been a banker, an insurer and a farmer. He's now a father of two. He likes to cycle home after work, go climbing at weekends, and play a game of squash with anyone willing to lose.

If Ghalib had written poetry about user interface, his muse would surely be Deepak. Often spotted near sea shoals and beaches, Deepak the designer relishes in grading the watery hues of the sky at twilight. If the mood strikes, he might swap his Wacom wand for a microphone and karaoke machine. We’d be roaring for an encore, sources tell us.

Axel tries learn something new every two years. Recently he became a certified barista, next it's learning to fly in simulators. A keen traveller, he likes to go for runs in new locations whilst simultaneously studying the local signage design.

Think QA, think obsessive? Fastidious is how Manisha would have it. With a fine eye of a diamond polisher, she prefers things to be closer to perfection. Done right, the result is a beautiful gem. She practices this craft elsewhere too. Be it the meticulous composition of her photography or simply admiring the silhouette of the Himalayas against the blue sky. It's a matter of balance.

Sparklers are Kirsty's first love. She is half pyromaniac, half magpie and loves anything linked to glitter. She is an avid but terrible cyclist, who needs as many lights as possible on her bicycle for the safety of others on the streets of London. On an average weekend she can be found either in a botanical garden or a forest, either way it'll be in some form of nature.

As an 8-year-old, Manisha would stick poems on the fridge for her mom to find. This venting in words served her well in finding a career. Today her interests include making up recipes, mumbling to rap music, defending the genius of Kris Jenner and improv class on weekends.

We hear that maybe she likes thrillers. Maybe too much, says her monumental dark circles. And maybe when she's done trying to sleep, she does BuzzFeed quizzes because maybe there's a fictional character from Fargo that shares the same birthday with her. All we can be sure of is that we just met her, this one's crazy, and she might do a number on you if you don't call her Meyvi.

Zanya is an ABC1 Millennial. She responds to Zayna, Zanna, Xena and Xanadu. She autocorrects to Santa. Siri calls her Zanaya.

Born a Third Culture Kid, she prefers not to settle upon any particular tribal identity.

She decided to join the world of advertising 10 years ago when she saw a job opening that promised free fruit. She has lived in Eden ever since.

Before joining Toaster, Karan took a "break" from advertising. He, somehow, landed in a South Indian Martial Arts Ashram where he was attacked by an ostrich and had to sleep in the company of frogs at night.

Still, the excitement was no match for the topsy-turvy world of advertising. So, after an hour of deep meditation interrupted by mating calls of raccoons, he decided to leave the ostriches and frogs behind and join the rat race, once…

How does Winnie keep those locks looking so luscious, you wonder? The secret is regular dips in mineral-rich, geothermal mud baths (or the nearest muddy puddle). Favorite pastimes include long, wiggly walks on the beach, cuddling whilst watching true crime documentaries, and the occasional supernatural encounter. Winnie has also been credited by Anna Wintour for pioneering the dog-romper movement, an iconic era in canine fashions.

Two words, one hashtag: #RelationshipGoals. That’s exactly how every client would describe their relationship with Susannah. After growing sleepless in Seattle, she set out to turn her passion of building and cultivating relationships into a successful career. Between the hustle and bustle of work, Susannah finds solace connecting with nature. You might find her backpacking in the wilderness, out with her pup, Johnny Cash, or whistling a…

Even when in office, Bhawna is OOO.
A curious cat, she is the mother of two cats – FOMO and Noorie – and also the founder of morethanjustcurry.com, a curated culinary travel guide for globetrotters.
She also likes to delve into psychology and would like to pursue the subject in academia.

Swati is a woman who wears many hats. There’s the Indian classical music one that she wears for singing. A paint-splattered one, which helps with interior design. Then there’s her trusty travellers trilby that takes her from country to country. And last but not least, her super sharp HR pro one.

To know Tech Whiz Vijay is to understand the meaning of fascination. The moment he laid eyes on the Dhauladhar Himalayas in his hometown of Himachal Pradesh, mountains have forever been in his mind. However, he has no desire to summit the highest peaks. His is the path of humility. You'll understand why when you listen to him sing the folk songs of the mountains. You'll be enthralled.

Farhan had a dream to become a rockstar. However, alas, the harsh realities of life got to him and he's since opted for a more pragmatic approach to life. Despite this, we do occasionally catch him staring out of the window whilst working and we suspect that he still daydreams about being that rockstar.

After that little accident with a bespoke pencil sharpener, Ben gave up his career in the Adult Video industry and decided to penetrate the creative circle instead. Being a natural born hustler, he peddled everything from mousepads to pre-loved Y-fronts at a tender age. And it has served him well when it comes to his passion for modern dance and creating crafty copy. His other interests include whisky on square rocks, dive bars, butter…