Lighthouse London
Meet Fran
Dan Gent
Co-founder and lots of other things
I used to be billed as “the developer” but slowly the lines of code have reduced and the meetings and workshops have increased. It’s the classic path from development to management; I’ve quite enjoyed it.
My role is to define projects and understand what clients need from us. I’m always pushing to find new ways of working to help the team deliver better and better results.
Outside the office I enjoy sports, music and trying to understand my 2 year old son.
Tom Johnson
Co-founder and self-appointed office interior designer
Ex-designer, now concentrating on the ins and outs of running an agency. I’ve been building websites since 1998, which feels like a long time now I think about it.
I’m the one you’ll speak to about getting going on your project. My role is to get people excited about what we should be building and lay down the foundations for an amazing project. You’ll also find me in workshops getting ideas out of people’s heads and onto Post-Its all over the walls.
I’m a chilli sauce addict and a self-confessed vinyl junkie. Despite my obsession with all things music, I’d be kidding myself if I claimed I could still play my guitar with any skill. That said, I will destroy you at karaoke. Maybe.
Russell Bishop
Design lead and storyteller
When a project lands at Lighthouse, I’ll translate your ideas into an experience that people find irresistible.
I’ve been doing so for the best part of a decade – designing for mammoth financial institutes and publishing companies through to education, dentistry and travel.
Christy and I had known each other for years before we started working at Lighthouse, and we fit perfectly into the strictly-best-mates hiring policy that the company owes its success to.
I’m also a huge drum and bass enthusiast and Chess devotee, which makes for a rare venn diagram overlap.
Bo San Cheung
Design and Chocopreneur
I started professionally fourteen years ago. Since then, and now — Digital has changed the way we live, the way we work, and has fully integrated itself in our daily activities. By witnessing this evolutive change, I take all my knowledge and use it to transform your products and services (including my own product).
Here at Lighthouse, the culture is one-of-a-kind and it storms creativity. I’ll be the one mapping out and designing those intuitive experiences. I’ll create a pixel-perfect design language, make it look damn good and usable. If something’s out of place, it’ll be flagged.
Design and products are integrated in me, combined with this and the love for people, planet and animals I co-founded a chocolate company that trades directly with cacao farmers in Malaysia and started the movement, “Chocolate is Changing”.
Francisco Laterza
Designer, foodie and icon master
My career so far has taken me thousands of miles from my homeland of Argentina to England. I’ve had the opportunity to work across a broad range of projects including political campaigns, digital media products, and communication for big businesses and non-profits.
Since settling in London I moved towards UX and UI design, which landed me at Lighthouse. My obsession with detail means I love the challenge of creating solid design foundations to build out complex interfaces on top and suites of gorgeous icons to match.
When I’m out of the office, I love cooking, improvising new recipes and travelling as much as possible. I’m on a mission to discover all the best urban spots, marking them on my super-awesome Urban Map™. TripAdvisor has nothing on me.
Alice Perry
Word nerd and professional drinker
Having realised a life of academia isn’t as much fun as it sounds, I’ve spent most of my career making words work. I’ve produced content, copy and social media campaigns for everything from building products to beer, and love the challenge of turning complex concepts into something engaging and readable.
Design agency clients were always my favourite though, and so I decided to spend all of my time with one of them and join the Lighthouse family. Now I work across all of our marketing activities. Blogs, newsletters, socials, outbound – if we’ve communicated online, chances are I was responsible for it.
Outside of work most of my energy is taken up by my gang of spaniels, although I always manage to find time to help out with the family business too – not too an arduous task as it’s a boozy treasure trove of wine, spirits and beer.
Vassilena Georgieva
Designer and wall climber
So far my career has taken me through lots of design fields, from branding to print and beyond. Now I’ve finally found my place in the digital design world. The process of having a task to solve, working on it, and refining it is a rewarding and exciting one.
As well as the visual side I have a big interest in development and am starting my journey into the technical side of things (I’m nearly over my JavaScript fear). Doing this has helped me understand my daily work better, and appreciate the creativity of web development.
When not working, I’d probably be climbing, doing yoga, or exploring the world through my camera lens.
John Evans
Web-dev and Pokémaster
My Computer Science degree was great but was lacking in one major area; The Web. So, in my spare time I taught myself how to make a simple yet delicious <div> soup and metaphorical vanilla JavaScript dessert.
At Lighthouse I get given content, designs, (both if I’m lucky!) and create awesome, accessible web-things. I’m a multi-everything (browser, OS, device, even text-editor) developer, and I really enjoy coming up with my own fun technical solutions to interesting problems.
Outside work I catch Pokémon, listen to metal & darksynth, mod video games, and tinker with all sort of electronics from Arduino motion controllers to Raspberry Pi robots.
Elliot du Luart
Building your design foundations
Starting out as an architect I’ve swapped designing buildings for designing interfaces. There’s less difference than you’d expect, although one features a far smaller chance of injury at the end of the project.
At Lighthouse I apply my structural thinking to building design systems, crafting complex layouts to be used across multiple devices and products.
Outside of work I can be found building a side hustle as an oil painter and dance music producer. I have yet to find a way to link the two without appearing overly pretentious.
Luke Doran
Strategy ninja and resident beefcake
I’m all about finding smart new ways to improve our internal operations. My efforts gets the team working more effectively so we can push projects out on time and on budget.
I’m a JIRA addict and can be found deep in its interface pulling out data for the team to digest. I also help our clients overcome difficulties in the runnings of their businesses by installing processes and tools within their teams.
Outside of Lighthouse I maintain an impressive fringe, look after my son and get max gains in the gym.
Charlie Cadbury
Chairman and King of Networking™
I get excited by diving deep into business and product building where I have had considerable experience.
My role here is to help strengthen the business operations and help articulate and execute on the vision. I bring years of practical advice from building and running digital and creative businesses and a proven way of working to achieve great results.
An avid cyclist, I have waterproof trousers that look just like jeans. You wouldn’t know the difference. My spare time is taken up mainly by my little family and big celebrations.
Fun fact: My best dance move is an unlikely “Slut drop”
