Year

2018 to 2022

Client

Institutional Investor

Focus

Art Direction
Illustration
Type Design

Credits

Creative director: Ed Johnson

Illustrators: Simone Noronha, Hokyoung Kim, Ben Hickey, Yohey Horishita, Brian Britigan, Xia Gordon, Cornelia Li, Hannah K. Lee, Christy Lundy, Richard Chance, Mel Haasch, Joel Kimmel, Matt Rota, Anson Chan, Jacqueline Tam, Raymond Biesinger, John J. Custer, Grace Zhang, Jeffrey Kam, Sally Deng, Molly Snee, Rose Wong, Melody Newcomb, Sophy Hollington, Tim Peacock, Dalbert Vilarino and many more...

Challenge

How to turn a historic financial publication into a digital-first platform.

Background

Institutional Investor is a trade publication centered on providing exclusive content, insightful analysis, and provocative journalism for asset managers, institutional investors, and key players in global finance. Its mission, established by founder Gil Kaplan, focuses on helping readers grow their portfolios, businesses, and social influence through trusted and original reporting.

When I joined as art director in 2018, the magazine rebranded to reflect a more focused, digital-first approach, distinct from competitors like Bloomberg Businessweek and The Wall Street Journal. We aimed to make illustration a cornerstone of storytelling, with the belief that compelling artwork must pair seamlessly with top-tier journalism—the strength of the image relying on the strength of the headline, and vice versa.

Implementation

I was tasked with building Institutional Investor’s visual language and over four years, I commissioned more than 150 artists from around the world. With my background in editorial illustration, I developed a personal network of diverse, international talent. Financial writing can often feel abstract and complex, but I was in a unique position to bring those stories to life through metaphorical illustrations. By encouraging artists to push the boundaries of representation, I helped set Institutional Investor apart from its competitors, making complex financial narratives not only understandable but visually engaging.

Results

During my tenure at Institutional Investor, readership soared by an impressive 42% from September 2018 to February 2022. This remarkable growth not only highlighted the effectiveness of our editorial and visual strategies but also underscored the value we brought to our audience. In recognition of my contributions, I was promoted to Creative Director in October 2022.

In this elevated role, I took the reins of a talented team, which included another art director, and forged a strong collaborative relationship with our dedicated journalists and editors. Together, we embarked on an ambitious digital overhaul of the brand, pushing the boundaries of what was possible in the realm of finance journalism. This initiative aimed not just to enhance our visual identity but also to create a more engaging and immersive experience for our readers. By blending innovative design with impactful storytelling, we established a brand presence that resonated deeply within the competitive landscape of financial media.

Hed: Bill Ackman Sent a Text to the CEO of Mastercard. What Happened Next Is a Parable for ESG

I commissioned New York-based illustrator Hokyoung Kim to illustrate the complex collision between the hedge fund industry and one of the most popular porn websites, PornHub. After a damning exposé was published in The New York Times last December, Bill Ackman, a highly prominent fund manager became enraged that major credit card companies were behind all payment processing for the website. His ensuing actions, along with the work of other litigators and lawmakers, revealed a web of shady financiers and investors who profited off PornHub’s success. The challenge was how to convey both the sensitive nature of online sexual abuse and the shadowy financial network, in tandem. I believed that this was predominantly an exercise in tone, and Hokyoung very much succeeded.

Hed: A History of Coming Out on Wall Street

In recognition of WorldPride, our team documented the history of the queer community in finance and wealth management, starting from the 1980s onwards. We featured 8 interviews from various figures in the industry, with a particular focus around the “corporatization” of being queer. After putting out a call for portfolios on Twitter, I discovered Brian’s work and entrusted him to communicate the tension in the piece. The tweet garnered over 100 submissions, and allowed me to directly engage with other queer artists who I could commission work from in the future.