Alexander Dewhirst

berlin(at)designerdock.de
Founder and CEO

Alexander Dewhirst founded DESIGNERDOCK in 1996. Since then he has ensured that DESIGNERDOCK has expanded to meet the needs of clients all over the country at the same time maintaining the highest standards. His idea has changed the way agencies and companies have sought and found freelance and permanent employees, increasing the efficiency and quality thanks to experienced personnel managers and hand-picked candidates.

Kristin Louis

berlin(at)designerdock.com
Managing Director

Probably the most important woman at DESIGNERDOCK Berlin: Kristin Louis keeps DESIGNERDOCK afloat by managing the finances so that the rest of the team can fill positions. Kristin studied business administration majoring in marketing. But her first job in an agency was interupted by the birth of her son, and so, unable to manage the hours of a typical account manager, she took over a part-time position in the finance and controlling division of the agency. The decision has paid off, especially for DESIGNERDOCK. She now is financial.

Anke Krey

berlin(at)designerdock.com
Personnel Manager for Graphic Design and DTP

Let's be honest: Does this woman look like your typical carpenter's apprentice? This is probably why Anke chose not to pursue that career any further and changed course. Instead she became a hippo with the Pina Bausch dance company. An impressive step up the ladder. But Anke wasn't finished yet. She became a communications designer, won a prize for up-and-coming designers from the BFF and further honed her skills in design and advertising. But of course she didn't do it the way everyone else in Frankfurt or Munich does, no, Anke went to Milton Glazer in New York. After the Big Apple came the Gateway to the World, that is, she went to Lintas in Hamburg. She then moved on to make spätzle connections at Leonhardt+Kern in Stuttgart. Other people would have long taken a step back after such eventful times, but Anke was thirsty for new challenges, like being a freelance photographer and a voluntary mother. But only part-time. Because she's mainly responsible for looking after designers and illustrators here at DESIGNERDOCK.

Esther Funk

berlin(at)designerdock.com
Personnel Manager for Copywriters

There are many roads leading to the job of personnel manager at DESIGNERDOCK. Some are direct highways and others are long paths leading through valley's of experience learning about people as they are met on the way. Esther Funk chose the second way. After studying metallurgy and working in the steel industry nationally and internationally, she developed a passion for languages and learned copywriting on the way, specifically at the "Texterschmiede" and at the renowed "Springer and Jacoby" agency in Hamburg. She stayed there and worked on award-winning accounts for Mercedes-Benz, Panasonic and Hamburg Airport. After moving to Berlin she started at the "Plantage" agency, where she supported the successful development of the agency with her creative ideas. For the last few years she's been active as freelance copywriter and consultant for copywriters. Full of energy, she also "coaches" her male team at home - three sons, one husband and a male cat to boot! - goes to the theatre when she can and dedicates herself to the continuous renovation of her apartment.

Indra Sarkar

berlin(at)designerdock.com
Personnel Manager for Digital

Aachen, Calcutta, Bochum, Cologne, Munich, Berlin - these places mark the phases so far in Indra's life and career. After studying business management she worked first in Strategic Consulting and Marketing and later in Key Account Management for digital media agencies. From her management-level experience in charge of personnel, she knows that staff are a firm's most important resource. She applies this experience now in effectively bringing together candidates and firms. In her free time, Indra enjoys reading and travelling - when she doesn't happen to be sitting in a cinema.

Torsten Haase

berlin(at)designerdock.com
Personnel Manager for Interactive

Torsten Haase completed a diploma in visual communication at the Berlin University of Arts and during his studies also spent time learning and creating in London and Southhampton. He then went on to work as an art director with Pixelpark, where he acquired important skills in online creation and development. Torsten subsequently founded a network for the design and conception of interactive scenarios and gained further conceptual and creative experience as a freelance online art director and creative consultant. His other interests include dance (a field in which he also has a diploma), performance and fashion. He is a firm believer in an interdisciplinary approach on both a personal and professional level and the importance of 'thinking outside the box'.

Daniela Gassenheimer

berlin(at)designerdock.com
Personnel Manager for PR, Conceptual Design and Account Manager

Daniela is the classic repeat offender. After working as a personnel manager at DESIGNERDOCK Berlin back in 2005, she's back behind bars here since September 2012. Of course she wasn't out of trouble between her stays at DESIGNERDOCK. Born in Hessen and a student of Marketing Communication in Berlin, Daniela worked as a project and account manager at two Berlin agencies before starting her first stint at DESIGNERDOCK. The call of a sea breeze and her beloved Elbe River drew her to an account director job at an agency for brands and design in Hamburg. But after four years she moved back to the bustling German capital where she worked as an account manager for the online agency Schawk! on the Coca-Cola account.

After maternity leave Daniela came back to support our Team in Berlin in as a personnel manager for our consultants and project managers.

Simone Jahns

berlin(at)designerdock.com
Sabbatical in NYC

A dedicated practitioner of the advertising trade - at least for over 10 years - Simone trained in marketing administration in Bielefield before embarking on a classic advertising career path. As an account assistant and later as an account executive, she handled advertising accounts for a wide range of firms - working with everything from cigars to floor coverings. In 2001 she moved to Berlin to work on the "customer side of things" for games producer Schmidt Spiele as a product manager. However, missing the rhythms of advertising agency work, she moved on, first to a pharmaceuticals marketing agency and then to Dorland. As account director there, she was responsible for both smaller and larger brands on a national and international level, including Vattenfall and one of Procter & Gamble's hair cosmetic brands. After more than three years with Dorland, Simone decided it was time for something completely different. She turned her back on the advertising world and went to East Hampton/New York to work as a nanny for 9 months. Returning to Berlin, her file at DESIGNERDOCK led to her recruitment by the DESIGNERDOCK office, where as a human resources consultant she provides advice for both small and large customer consultancies. Away from work, Simone enjoys reading and travelling - particularly to her favourite city, New York. On weekends she enjoys socializing with friends - sometimes well into the early hours.

Charmaine Rickerson

berlin(at)designerdock.com
Team Assistence

While still in school she knew her future profession already: the advertising industry. She got started doing an internship at the "diffferent" strategy agency. Afterwards she completed a two year apprenticeship at the DORLAND advertising agency where she was an account manager for national and international clients such as Vattenfall or a P&G cosmetic brand. Still being an apprentice Charmaine was promoted to the Executive Assistant and was working simultaneously in strategic planning until she started university.

To support her studies financially Charmaine was working at the Berlin State Opera, located "Unter den Linden" until 2007 when she moved to San Diego, California, for two years. While completing an a Management Trainee at the US Grant Hotel and studying Charmaine evolved her skills in body boarding and became a surfer chick. Cool, don't you think?

Since 2009 Charmaine has been working as a team assistant for DESIGNERDOCK Berlin and her positive work attitude brightens the office atmosphere every day. She's unbeatable on the phone with candidates and clients alike, and manages her work like a champion.