Meet Team Sleek: Steve Austen-Brown, Creative Director
This month marks one year since Steve Austen-Brown joined Team Sleek as our first ever Creative Director. With years of experience in design and storytelling, Steve brought a fresh perspective to how we approach experiences and explains why having curiosity at the heart of the business is game-changing for how we bring our clients’ visions to life.
To celebrate his anniversary, we sat down with Steve to chat about his role, why having creativity at the core of Sleek matters, and what excites him most about the projects we deliver.
Steve Austen-Brown, Creative Director at Sleek
What does your job as Creative Director entail?
As Creative Director, my role is about leading the creative and design studio across both new and existing client briefs, making sure every project we deliver is memorable, immersive and true to the brand’s story.
A big part of my job is finding the red thread that runs through an idea – the narrative that ties everything together and makes an experience feel authentic rather than manufactured. Creativity isn’t just about making something look impressive, it’s about telling a story that connects with people on a deeper level and leaves a lasting impression.
That means working closely with clients and the Sleek team to explore ideas, uncover insights, and shape them into events that don’t just engage an audience, but build brand loyalty. At its heart, my role is about transforming briefs into narratives, and narratives into experiences that people remember.
What does a typical week look like for you?
A typical week is a real mix. I’m involved in as many projects as possible, often in a light-touch way. That might mean dropping into conversations or meetings to see where the creative team can add a bit of extra magic. Sometimes those opportunities aren’t obvious at first, so it’s about being present, available, and ready to spot where creative input can really elevate things.
The other side of my week is carving out space to think. Creativity needs room to breathe, so I deliberately step back from the buzz and energy of the day-to-day to focus on concepts and ideas.
So there’s a duality to the role: part of it is highly sociable and connected, making sure I know what’s going on across the business, and the other part is more reflective, unplugging from the noise to give the creative process the space it needs. The whole team works in that rhythm - plugged in, then unplugged.
How does the Creative department drive Sleek’s work?
Creative direction gives everything a sense of meaning. Whatever the task – whether it’s delivery, logistics, or even talking to catering – when there’s a concept or a story behind it, every job and decision becomes easier because it’s more purposeful. Suddenly, what you’re doing has a reason and a connection to everything else, rather than being just a standalone task.
A good example is the Amazon Summit. Once we established the idea of it being a “city”, everyone had clarity. If someone got stuck, they could go back to that central idea – we’re building a city, we’re telling a story – and that guided the decisions. It stops you getting lost in the details, and it makes sure everything has purpose.
Storytelling is key not just for us internally, but for the people experiencing the event too. When an audience connects to a narrative, it’s far more engaging, and that emotional connection is what builds long-term brand loyalty.
Ultimately, that’s what the creative team brings - an extra ingredient. We make sure projects are unique, connected, and meaningful.
Why is this important?
Having creative in-house gives you consistency. It means we’re constantly building on how we look at, feel, and deliver creativity. Every project becomes a chance to learn and adapt, so the quality and impact only grow over time.
The best way I can describe it is like having a conductor with an orchestra. A freelance conductor might step in for a single concert and do a great job, but the magic happens when a conductor works with the same orchestra over a season. That ongoing relationship creates synergy. They get to know each other so well that things become instinctive - you can anticipate what’s needed without even saying it.
That’s what having an in-house creative team does. It builds those strong relationships, that shared language, and ultimately it makes the work more powerful.
Are there any future projects that you are excited about working on?
Honestly, I’ve always believed that every project has the potential to be exciting. I don’t wait around for one “big” job to come along. Whether it’s a large-scale production or a small pop-up activation, there’s always the chance to find that creative spark.
Some of the most memorable moments in my career haven’t come from the biggest budgets, but from spotting an unexpected opportunity and turning it into something magical. That’s the real joy of this role -creativity isn’t about following a system or finding efficiencies, it’s about seeking difference, pursuing curiosity, telling a story in a new way, and bringing a fresh perspective.
You never quite know which project will surprise you, and that’s what makes it so exciting.
To get in touch with Steve, connect with him on LinkedIn.
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