About

StudioBada is the creative practice of Bart J. Daems, a multi-disciplinary design professional with more than 30 years of experience in digital creativity and innovation. His portfolio, firmly rooted in digital, spans the design of numerous brands and user experiences for cultural, entertainment, and media companies. Since 2005 in the UAE, he has shaped digital experiences for established brands, serving as Head of Creative and Creative Director at various digital agencies. Bart holds a BA in Fine Arts and an MBA from Steinbeis University Berlin (The Berlin School of Creative Leadership), bringing a unique blend of artistic vision and business acumen to every project.

After graduating with a background in traditional graphic design and illustration in the early nineties, Bart J. Daems swiftly transitioned to digital, beginning his career as a young designer on interactive presentation graphics and award-winning multimedia titles in the French cultural sector, including the Milia d’Or in Cannes and the Prix Moebius in 1998.

At the turn of the millennium, he co-founded a music dot-com focused on streaming and MP3s, securing US$2 million in funding. This venture cemented his expertise in digital media, during which he designed hundreds of websites for artists, bands, and online media companies.

Relocating to Dubai in 2005, Bart expanded into e-marketing and digital advertising, designing promotional microsites for brands such as Galaxy, Evian, and Lancaster, while also exploring user experiences for clients including AXA, Dubai Bonds, and Jazeera Airways.

In 2011, he was appointed Head of Creative at HGW Media (Rolling Stone Magazine Middle East), where he led the creative team, developed integrated proposals, and pioneered new approaches to digitalize the magazine. This was followed by a role as Creative Director at Pink Entropy, a boutique digital advertising agency serving premium regional clients such as BRP Can-Am and VistaJet.

In 2017, he completed an MBA at the Berlin School of Creative Leadership, with a focus on the impact of emerging creative automation tools (AI) on the creative industries.

The following year, he co-founded Opnr Music, where he rebranded the company and designed the UX/UI and creative assets to support its pivot from a fan-based platform (Fanic) to a B2B service for the independent music industry.

Most recently, Bart served as Creative Director at Accenture Song Middle East for six years, where he explored the rapidly evolving landscape of technology-driven brand and communications strategies. His portfolio in this role spanned major brands and organizations in the cultural, industrial, and governmental sectors across the Middle East.

As part of his ongoing commitment to human-centric creative leadership, he continues to keep an open mind—constantly evolving as a creative, communicator, and leader.

I’ve worked in digital for over 30 years, across multiple waves of change. From early media formats to today’s platforms, my career has tracked the real evolution of digital—not just its trends.