Michael O’Riordan




Hi, I’m Mikey. 

I’m a designer, researcher, and storyteller who turns complex ideas into simple, meaningful experiences. I love working with curious people who challenge norms and use design to make things smarter, kinder, and more human, with a growing focus on teaching, creative education, and game development.

hello@michaeloriordan.net



Brand Design & Strategy
Everything Else
CV

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Education
Maynooth University
MSc. Design Innovation
2023–2025

Technological University of the Shannon
BA (Hons) Graphic & Digital Design
First Class Honours
2017–2018
Student of the Year

Technological University of the Shannon
BA Graphic Design
First Class Honours
2014–2017
Student of the Year

Art & Design Portfolio
Moate Business College
2013–2014


ExperienceMinerva University
Interim Design Director & Senior Manager, Brand Experience & Strategy
2023 - 2025

Maynooth University
Lecturing
2025

Entrepreneur First
Brand & Creative Consultant
2022 - 2023

Minerva Project
Designer
2019 - 2022

Freelance Consulting
2014 - Present




Skillset
Adobe Creative Cloud
Figma
Webflow
FigJam
HTML & CSS familiarity

Brand Identity & Strategy
Marketing & Communications Strategy
Digital Marketing
Enrollment Strategy & Marketing
Digital Content Creation
Video Direction & Editing
Motion Graphics 
Editorial Design
Print & Packaging Design
Web Design
Logo Design
Product Design
Service Design
UI & Visual Design
UX Research
Experience Design
Art & Creative Direction
Storytelling & Narrative Design
Visual Communication
Design System Building & Management
Typography

Design Thinking
Global Team Management
Workshop Facilitation
Mentorship & Teaching




AchievementsMinerva University ranked #1 Most Innovative University in the World for four consecutive years (2022-2025) by WURI.

Minerva University placed in WURI’s Top 20 globally for University Brand & Reputation in 2025.

Featured in 100 Archive: 
“In With the New”

Student of the Year in 2017 & 2018

Featured twice in Design Research Society’s “Best of Emerging Irish Design” (2018) for the project Rec’d and Ryan Hoey’s ZINEGIRLZ









Centra
Convenience Retail
2024

Growing Centra’s market share by reaching relatively untapped markets in novel ways.

Background Centra is Ireland’s leading convenience retail chain, with around 480 locally owned stores operated under Musgrave. It blends the community feel of independent retailers with the scale and efficiency of a national brand, offering fresh food, grocery essentials, and modern convenience services like Centra Go.

Using user-centred ethnographic research methods, I worked with a small team of people to investigate how to grow Centra’s market share in a deeply competitive and dynamic landscape. 
Challenge
 Outcomes
Problem Statement

Research

 Process InterviewsThematic Analysis Insights Development