From Self-Taught Designer to Head of Creative: The Dubai Journey of Cilmar Bolilawa Bacus
My name is Cilmar Bolilawa Bacus, a Filipino Graphic Designer and creative professional based in Dubai, UAE. My journey has been shaped by years of learning, adapting, working hard, and continuously challenging myself to become better in a field that I genuinely love.
I did not originally study graphic design. In the Philippines, I studied Computer Programming, but over time I discovered that my real passion was in creativity, visual communication, and design.
What began as an interest slowly became something I wanted to pursue professionally. I started teaching myself through online tutorials, especially YouTube, while constantly practicing, experimenting, and learning new design tools and techniques.
Starting My Life and Career in Dubai
I came to Dubai in 2017 with the hope of building a better future and finding opportunities to grow professionally.
Starting over in another country was not easy. At the time, I did not have the strong professional portfolio that I have today. I knew that if I wanted to build a career in Dubai, I had to continuously improve myself and be willing to learn from every opportunity that came my way.
My first professional opportunity in Dubai was with a corporate gifts company in Dubai CommerCity, where I joined as a Graphic Designer.
For my first two years, I focused mainly on graphic design, preparing artwork and creative materials for different corporate gift products and client requirements.
Those first years became an important foundation for my career because I was able to understand how designs move from an idea on a computer screen into an actual physical product.
Moving Into Production
After two years with the same company, I was transferred to the Production Department.
My responsibilities expanded significantly.
I continued working as a Graphic Designer, but I also became involved in digital printing and production, eventually taking responsibility as a Production In-Charge.
For the next two years, I learned much more about the technical side of the creative industry.
I was no longer only creating designs. I also had to understand materials, printing processes, production requirements, artwork preparation, quality control, deadlines, and how to make sure the final output matched what was originally designed.
That experience taught me something that continues to influence the way I work today: good design is not only about how something looks on the screen. A designer also needs to understand how an idea will actually be produced and experienced in the real world.
By the end of my fourth year with the company, I felt ready for a new challenge.
Entering the Hospitality and Creative Industry
After completing four years with my first company, I accepted a new opportunity as a Graphic Designer for a café and restaurant company.
This gave me the opportunity to work on a very different type of creative environment.
Instead of focusing mainly on corporate gifts and production, I became more involved in branding, marketing materials, social media visuals, campaigns, and customer-facing creative work.
During my time with the company, they established a creative agency division.
I was eventually moved into the agency department and became a Creative Graphic Designer based in Dubai Design District.
That transition became another important milestone in my career.
Working in an agency environment exposed me to different brands, industries, concepts, and creative challenges. I had to think beyond simply making something visually attractive.
I learned more about how to understand a brand, communicate its personality, solve creative problems, develop campaigns, and create visual experiences that connect with an audience.
It also pushed me to become faster, more adaptable, and more confident in presenting creative ideas.
Becoming Head of Creative
Today, I work in Business Bay, Dubai, as a Head of Creative / Graphic Designer for a marketing consultancy.
Reaching this position represents years of experience across different sides of the creative industry.
My work today includes areas such as branding, graphic design, visual identity, packaging, digital design, web and UI/UX design, campaigns, and creative direction.
As Head of Creative, my responsibility is no longer limited to producing individual designs.
I also help shape the overall visual direction of projects, develop creative concepts, maintain brand consistency, and make sure that the creative work communicates the right message.
Looking back, my career has taken me through several different stages:
from Graphic Designer,
to digital printing and production,
to Production In-Charge,
to hospitality design,
to agency work,
to Creative Graphic Designer,
and eventually to Head of Creative.
I believe every stage was necessary.
My production experience helped me understand how designs are physically created. My agency experience strengthened my creative thinking. My years of working with different brands taught me how to connect design with business goals.
Together, those experiences shaped the designer and creative professional I am today.
Learning Beyond the Workplace
One of the biggest parts of my journey has always been self-learning.
The creative industry changes very quickly. New design styles, software, technologies, platforms, and now artificial intelligence continue to transform how creatives work.
Because of this, I never wanted my learning to stop after working hours.
Throughout the years, I continued studying new techniques, exploring different creative disciplines, watching tutorials, experimenting with new tools, and improving the way I approach design.
My work gradually expanded beyond traditional graphic design into areas including branding, packaging, digital experiences, web design, UI/UX, motion, creative technology, and creative direction.
I believe one of the most important qualities a designer can have is curiosity.
You have to remain willing to learn, even when you already have years of experience.
A Small Google Search That Meant a Lot
One moment that became personally meaningful to me happened when I searched Google for:
“top Filipino graphic designer in Dubai.”
I was surprised to see my own name appearing in the search results.
For someone else, it might seem like a small thing.
For me, it represented something much bigger.
I remembered the version of myself who arrived in Dubai without a strong portfolio, who spent countless hours learning through tutorials, who worked through production deadlines, who moved from one creative environment to another, and who continuously tried to become better at his craft.
Seeing my name appear in that search felt like a small recognition of that journey.
I know that there is still a long way to go, and I continue to consider myself a student of design.
But sometimes it is important to recognize the small milestones along the way.
Having My Story Recognized
Another meaningful part of my journey has been seeing my story shared by publications such as Gulf Magazine and UAE Stories.
For me, these features are not simply about publicity.
They are reminders that an ordinary person’s journey can become meaningful when it is shared with others.
There are thousands of talented Filipinos and expats across the UAE who are quietly working, learning, supporting their families, building careers, and pursuing their dreams.
I see myself as one of them.
If sharing my experience can encourage even one aspiring designer or overseas worker who feels that their progress is too slow, then I believe telling my story is worthwhile.
The Challenges Behind the Progress
Living and working abroad has not always been easy.
Like many expats, I have experienced uncertainty, professional pressure, career challenges, rejection, self-doubt, and moments when I questioned whether I was moving in the right direction.
There were times when progress felt slow.
There were times when I had to learn something completely new just to keep moving forward.
But every difficult experience taught me something.
It made me more disciplined.
It taught me how to adapt.
It taught me not to depend only on what I already knew.
And most importantly, it taught me that growth usually happens gradually.
There was no single moment that suddenly changed everything for me.
My career was built step by step, project by project, role by role, and lesson by lesson.
What Design Means to Me Today
After years of working in the creative industry, my understanding of design has changed.
When I was starting, I focused heavily on making things look good.
Today, I see design differently.
Good design should communicate.
It should solve a problem.
It should help a brand become recognizable.
It should create an emotional connection.
And it should have a purpose beyond decoration.
This understanding influences how I approach every project today.
Whether I am working on a brand identity, packaging, campaign, digital experience, or creative concept, I always try to understand the reason behind the design before thinking about how it should look.
Continuing the Journey
Today, I continue building my portfolio, expanding my creative skills, exploring new technologies, and strengthening my professional presence in Dubai.
I do not consider becoming Head of Creative the end of my journey.
For me, it is another stage.
There is still so much I want to learn, create, and accomplish.
My long-term goal is to continue growing as a creative professional while building a name that represents quality, creativity, consistency, and meaningful work.
At the same time, I hope my journey can inspire other Filipinos and aspiring creatives who may currently feel that they do not have enough experience, the perfect educational background, a strong portfolio, or the right opportunities.
I did not begin my journey with everything already prepared.
I learned along the way.
I made mistakes.
I changed roles.
I adapted.
And I kept improving.
A Message to Other Aspiring Creatives
If there is one lesson I would share from my journey, it is this:
You do not need to have everything figured out before you start.
Sometimes your career will take you in directions you never expected.
My background was in Computer Programming.
My first years in Dubai took me from graphic design into printing and production.
Later, I entered hospitality, agency work, branding, digital design, and creative leadership.
At every stage, I carried something valuable from the previous one.
That is why I believe no experience is wasted if you are willing to learn from it.
Success does not always arrive through one big opportunity.
Sometimes it is simply the result of continuing to learn, continuing to show up, continuing to improve, and refusing to stop when progress feels slow.
From arriving in Dubai in 2017 without a strong portfolio to eventually working as a Head of Creative / Graphic Designer in Business Bay, my journey has reminded me that careers are built over time.
And for me, the journey is still continuing.
Cilmar Bolilawa Bacus
Graphic Designer | Head of Creative
Dubai, UAE
Email: designer@cilmarbacus.com
Website: cilmarbacus.com