Sumit Rampal
Design & Digital Director
One such mastermind is Sumit Rampal, the Design and Digital Director at EKCS, a global creative production and marketing agency. Sumit has over two decades of experience in the digital industry, and he has a deep understanding of how digital technologies can be used to improve business processes, create new products and services, and reach new customers. With experience in global agencies, IT firms, and startups across B2C and B2B sectors,he holds a broad perspective. This enables him to provide inventive digital solutions with advanced technology. He also mentors designers and startups enthusiastically.
In this interview with CEO Insights, Sumit shares his valuable insights into his role as a Design and Digital Director and how he shaped his career.
Can you walk us through your professional journey?
I started my career as a graphic designer at a small boutique agency. To learn new things, later, I transitioned into web design, learning HTML and User Interface design principles on the job. My leadership stint at a startup honed my managerial and team mentoring skills.
After a few years, I decided to start my own agency. My curiosity to learn about the various disciplines work behind the scenes in the whole design and creative process helped me understand it deeply.
Eventually, I joined a global agency where I refined my expertise in Creative Direction and user experience design. I learned how to
merge creativity and technology to produce meaningful solutions.
Today, Indian organizations are embracing user experience design more than ever before, and I'm thrilled to be at the center of this shift. I’m currently working with EKCS, a global creative production and marketing agency. I'm grateful for the opportunity to have a career as a Design and Digital Director. It's a challenging and rewarding field, and I'm excited to see what the future holds.
Can you give a brief overview of EKCS?
Founded in 2002, EKCS is dedicated to helping creative teams worldwide focus on what they do best: being creative. Our company supports brands, agencies and media firms in over coming creative production obstacles and enhancing production efficiency.
We offer comprehensive marketing production expertise round the clock, powered by our acclaimed workflow management system, MediaFerry. Operating from ISO-certified production centers, our team of over 450 professionals serves as an extension of our clients' in-house creative and marketing teams. We have the capacity to deliver on a global scale across various channels, regardless of the project's scope.
Could you shed light on your digital strategies?
From my perspective, both personally and as a company, we're guided by two primary objectives. Firstly, we are committed to staying updated with the latest trends and changes in the rapidly evolving design and technological landscapes. Unlike before, where changes took years, they now unfold in mere months. We actively strive to understand and embrace emerging design practices and technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and virtual reality. This enables us to harness the potential to craft superior solutions for our clients and giving them a competitive edge.
Secondly, within the organization, we have been focusing on cross-training. Our talented staff are currently specialized in different creative domains, ranging from print creatives, audio and video and digital production. Recognizing the growing importance of the digital and video domains, we're encouraging our team members to
Today, Indian organizations are embracing user experience design more than ever before, and I'm thrilled to be at the center of this shift. I’m currently working with EKCS, a global creative production and marketing agency. I'm grateful for the opportunity to have a career as a Design and Digital Director. It's a challenging and rewarding field, and I'm excited to see what the future holds.
Learning & embracing new things daily is what keeps me going
Can you give a brief overview of EKCS?
Founded in 2002, EKCS is dedicated to helping creative teams worldwide focus on what they do best: being creative. Our company supports brands, agencies and media firms in over coming creative production obstacles and enhancing production efficiency.
We offer comprehensive marketing production expertise round the clock, powered by our acclaimed workflow management system, MediaFerry. Operating from ISO-certified production centers, our team of over 450 professionals serves as an extension of our clients' in-house creative and marketing teams. We have the capacity to deliver on a global scale across various channels, regardless of the project's scope.
Could you shed light on your digital strategies?
From my perspective, both personally and as a company, we're guided by two primary objectives. Firstly, we are committed to staying updated with the latest trends and changes in the rapidly evolving design and technological landscapes. Unlike before, where changes took years, they now unfold in mere months. We actively strive to understand and embrace emerging design practices and technologies such as artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and virtual reality. This enables us to harness the potential to craft superior solutions for our clients and giving them a competitive edge.
Secondly, within the organization, we have been focusing on cross-training. Our talented staff are currently specialized in different creative domains, ranging from print creatives, audio and video and digital production. Recognizing the growing importance of the digital and video domains, we're encouraging our team members to
move toward these domains. This transition isn't without challenges, but it's worth while as we have a vast talent pool familiar with our clients' needs. This saves us from having to onboard new talent from scratch.
Could you please describe your leadership approach?
When I lead a team, my focus is on spotting the next leaders. Think of it as the importance of a trusty wingman, reminiscent of films like Top Gun. A strong partner enhances collective accomplishments. My approach involves empowering capable individuals to manage daily tasks, grooming them for future responsibilities. This stems from my curiosity, driving me to initiate and delegate projects, freeing me to pursuing new challenges. I maintain an open door policy, promoting a first-name basis and equal atmosphere. I welcome all with concerns or ideas. Before the age of remote work, I regularly walked the office floor, connecting with my team. While not feasible now, the core of my leadership ethos remains unchanged.
What are your goals for the future?
Starting with the organization's goals, our main aim is the proactive adoption of automation and AI trends. Our vision is to harness these technologies to improve processes and assist clients both through hands-on tool implementation and by streamlining workflows via AI integrations. However, striking a balance is vital due to the unpredictability of these technologies. Our strategy focuses on this balance while expanding globally, fostering partnerships with agencies and brands.
On a personal note, I'm deeply rooted in the realm of user experience design and Design thinking and am keen on weaving this ethos throughout our projects. I advocate for these design principles and plan to collaborate with clients to elevate their offerings. Down the line, I contemplate dedicating a portion of my time to education, passing on my insights to the up-and-coming talents. With the wisdom and principle passed down from my mentors, I am passionate about supporting upcoming designers and art directors, in overcoming creative and designs challenges and succeeding.
Sumit Rampal, Design & Digital Director, EKCS
Sumit boasts over twenty years of experience as a seasoned Creative and Digital Experiences Specialist. His deep understanding of user interface design, digital creatives, and user experience is complemented by a robust technical knowledge
Could you please describe your leadership approach?
When I lead a team, my focus is on spotting the next leaders. Think of it as the importance of a trusty wingman, reminiscent of films like Top Gun. A strong partner enhances collective accomplishments. My approach involves empowering capable individuals to manage daily tasks, grooming them for future responsibilities. This stems from my curiosity, driving me to initiate and delegate projects, freeing me to pursuing new challenges. I maintain an open door policy, promoting a first-name basis and equal atmosphere. I welcome all with concerns or ideas. Before the age of remote work, I regularly walked the office floor, connecting with my team. While not feasible now, the core of my leadership ethos remains unchanged.
What are your goals for the future?
Starting with the organization's goals, our main aim is the proactive adoption of automation and AI trends. Our vision is to harness these technologies to improve processes and assist clients both through hands-on tool implementation and by streamlining workflows via AI integrations. However, striking a balance is vital due to the unpredictability of these technologies. Our strategy focuses on this balance while expanding globally, fostering partnerships with agencies and brands.
On a personal note, I'm deeply rooted in the realm of user experience design and Design thinking and am keen on weaving this ethos throughout our projects. I advocate for these design principles and plan to collaborate with clients to elevate their offerings. Down the line, I contemplate dedicating a portion of my time to education, passing on my insights to the up-and-coming talents. With the wisdom and principle passed down from my mentors, I am passionate about supporting upcoming designers and art directors, in overcoming creative and designs challenges and succeeding.
Sumit Rampal, Design & Digital Director, EKCS
Sumit boasts over twenty years of experience as a seasoned Creative and Digital Experiences Specialist. His deep understanding of user interface design, digital creatives, and user experience is complemented by a robust technical knowledge