Inside the Creative Work Behind Disney Retail in APAC
Behind every Disney product, retail space and design detail is a team of creatives thinking carefully about story, purpose and guest connection. In the APAC region, Alfred, David and Ikumi each play a unique role in translating Disney stories into experiences that feel both locally relevant and unmistakably Disney.
Alfred, Senior Design Manager
Alfred is the Senior Design Manager for the APAC Retail Creative Team. He leads retail creative strategy and spatial experience design for Disney regional licensees, develops unified APAC retail design guidelines and collaborates with global teams to create immersive Disney retail experiences that align global brand standards with local market demands.
One of his favorite projects was designing a Zootopia-themed Starbucks store.
“At the very beginning, we asked ourselves, ‘What would a coffee shop look like if it existed in Zootopia?’ We played with scale differences and designed tailored offerings for different animal citizens,” he explained.
The project ultimately delivered immersive storytelling that brought great emotional value to guests, and the store quickly became a popular must-visit spot in the area.
David is a Lead Designer for product development focusing on hardlines across multiple categories, including Back-to-School, Toys & Collectibles and Home. His role is to translate Disney stories into meaningful product experiences, creating products that are not only visually compelling but also functional, purposeful and infused with the Disney magic.
One of the projects he’s most proud of is the Breakfast Besties Plush Experience.
“What began as an idea developed with the team over a year ago has grown into one of our most successful initiatives,” he says, “Following its strong launch in Singapore, the concept expanded into Malaysia and is now on track to roll out in additional markets, including the Philippines.”
Ikumi, Graphic Designer
Ikumi is a Graphic Designer with the APAC Creative Team, creating style guides for Disney Stores and licensees. She’s worked across a wide range of brands, including Disney, Pixar, The Simpsons and Disney Games.
She collaborates closely with the art team from the very beginning of a project, developing ideas for both graphic design and character artwork. Her role is to bring the power of Disney storytelling to life through designs tailored to each local market.
Ikumi loves every project she works on, but two standouts are the Donald Duck and Young Oyster lines released at Disney Store Japan.
“Through the playful and stylized artwork, we were able to show a fresh side of these characters while bringing our APAC team's unique creativity to the projects,” she says, “Seeing them connect with a new generation of guests, especially Gen Z, made these projects even more special to me.”
Advice for Aspiring Creatives
Interested in creatives roles with Disney’s APAC team? Alfred, David and Ikumi shared some advice:
“Stay curious,” Alfred recommends, “As Walt Disney said, curiosity leads us down new paths.”
David shared similar sentiment.
“Stay curious, stay resilient and never lose sight of your aspirations. Success rarely comes overnight—it is built through perseverance, passion and continuous growth.”
Ikumi advises aspiring creatives to keep storytelling at the heart of what they do.
“At Disney, every color, line and detail has a story or a reason behind it,” she says. “It's important to understand the ‘why’ behind your design and be able to explain it. At the same time, great design should be able to tell its own story.”
You can check for open creative roles in the APAC region and apply at DisneyCareers.com. The following roles are currently accepting applications:
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