Cilmar Bacus Went From No Portfolio in Dubai to Head of Creative

Cilmar Bolilawa Bacus is a Filipino graphic designer based in Dubai. He works as Head of Creative at a marketing, branding and creative consultancy in Business Bay, Dubai.

He arrived in Dubai in 2017 without a strong portfolio. He also had no formal education in graphic design, having studied Computer Programming in the Philippines.

His own site describes more than a decade of experience across branding, visual identity, digital campaigns, UI/UX, motion and creative production. It also lists client work connected to Emirates, Ajman Bank, Amwaj and Rotana.

His path since then has taken him through printing and production, hospitality work, agency work and branding. He says the through line was not one big break, but steady learning and a willingness to change roles.

How the career actually unfolded

His first professional opportunity in Dubai was with a corporate gifts company in Dubai CommerCity. He joined there as a Graphic Designer.

During his first two years, he prepared artwork and creative materials for corporate gift products and client requirements. That work taught him how a design moves from a screen to a physical product.

After two years with the same company, he transferred to its Production Department. He continued working as a Graphic Designer while learning digital printing and production, and he eventually became Production In-Charge.

There he learned about materials, printing processes, artwork preparation, quality control, deadlines and production requirements. That experience taught him that good design must work in the real world, not only look good on screen.

After four years with his first company, he became a Graphic Designer for a café and restaurant company. He worked on branding, marketing materials, social media visuals, campaigns and customer-facing creative work.

When that company established a creative agency division, he moved into the agency department as a Creative Graphic Designer in Dubai Design District. The move exposed him to different brands and creative challenges, and it made him faster, more adaptable and more confident in presenting ideas.

Self-learning has stayed central to his journey. He continues to study new techniques, experiment with new tools and expand his skills across branding, packaging, digital experiences, web design, UI/UX, motion, creative technology and creative direction.

The moment it felt real

He says the moment he truly felt successful came when he looked back at how far he had come. The role mattered less than the proof that years of learning and hard work had led somewhere.

It wasn’t just about the job title. It was about knowing that all those years of learning, challenges, and hard work had led somewhere.

He still does not call himself fully successful. He says there is always something new to learn and achieve.

The lowest point

His hardest period came while he was still trying to establish himself in Dubai. Rejection was discouraging, and he had neither a formal design education nor a strong portfolio to lean on.

But I kept reminding myself why I came here in the first place: to build a better future for my family.

Instead of giving up, he kept learning through YouTube and kept practising. He improved his skills one project at a time.

The decision that opened the door

He says one of his most important decisions was not limiting himself to graphic design alone. He explored digital printing, production, branding and creative agency work, and each area taught him something different.

Understanding both the creative and technical sides of design helped prepare me for greater responsibilities and eventually creative leadership.

That breadth, he says, prepared him for greater responsibility. It eventually led to creative leadership.

What success cost

Success, in his account, required patience, personal time and sacrifices. Progress was slow at times, and he questioned whether he was moving in the right direction.

But I understood that building a career takes time, especially when you’re starting from nothing in a different country.

He kept going because he understood that a career built from nothing in a different country takes time. That understanding, rather than a single breakthrough, carried him through the slow periods.

The habit that kept him going

His mindset, he says, has always been simple. He does not try to become better overnight, and he tries not to compare his journey with others.

My mindset has always been simple: never stop learning.

He believes even small improvements matter. He wants to keep improving with every project, because everyone has a different starting point and timeline.

The lesson he wishes he had known

If he could go back, he wishes he had understood earlier that good design is not only about software or beautiful visuals. Technical skills matter, but so do experience, communication and adaptability.

It’s about understanding how design solves problems, communicates ideas, and supports a business.

He hopes his journey shows other aspiring creatives that starting without everything prepared does not have to stop them. Learning along the way, changing roles and adapting can still build a career.