Top Risks
Top Risks is Eurasia Group’s biggest project of the year. Tens of thousands read the report, and millions more see its charts and graphics on TV and online. Every January, we launch it as the year kicks off. Research and writing start in the fall, but design only gets the green light about four weeks before publication. That window keeps shrinking because the world doesn’t slow down—major global events are happening more often, constantly shifting the main themes and changing the story right up to the finish line. I lead the creative direction and manage the entire design process—coordinating charts, layouts, photo collages, marketing campaigns, and event graphics. I keep the brand and vision consistent across every asset, consult on all major visuals, and design many of them myself.
Campaign Phases & Impact
Foundations (2016–2018)
I joined the Top Risks sprint as a hands-on designer focused on charts, spreads, and production support. In these first years I learned the rhythm of a high-stakes, short runway launch—building reliable templates, cleaning messy data, and turning shifting storylines into clear layouts under deadline.
This period set the baseline: dependable files, consistent type and grid, and a data-viz style that could scale across the report and early social/email extensions.
Expansion & Experimentation (2019–2021)
With the core process running smoothly, I widened the scope—bringing a sharper visual language, breaking out new illustration/collage directions, and packaging the story for multiple channels (web, social, TV). The work became more modular, faster to adapt, and easier to reuse across the campaign.
I also iterated on the data-viz system: clearer legends and annotations, stronger hierarchy, and chart styles that read quickly on small screens without losing rigor.
Creative Direction & Delivery (2022–2025)
I owned the end-to-end launch—setting the creative direction, aligning stakeholders, and delivering integrated campaigns across social, web, email, and events. We shipped on time with limited resources by tightening the pipeline, reusing smartly, and standardizing components without losing visual punch.
This period focused on scale and consistency: a campaign system that holds together across platforms and still allows for bold art and clear, fast-reading charts that travel well on TV and online.
