About

Hi, I'm Dumebi (pronounced Du-may-be). I'm a design leader, mentor, and systems thinker who cares deeply about building thoughtful products, teams, and brands that last.

Dumebi Iwuchukwu at an event


I am the Head of Design and Data Visualization at Stears, where I lead a talented team in building the financial intelligence platform for Africa.


The Journey So Far

My path into design hasn't been a straight line; it's been a deliberate evolution across advertising, education, healthcare, and digital media:

  • Financial Intelligence: Currently scaling design culture and contributing to product strategy at Stears.
  • Digital Media: Previously led the design team at Big Cabal Media, one of Nigeria’s most influential media tech companies, overseeing work across its sub-brands — TechCabal, Zikoko, Cabal Creative, and TC Insights — and delivering client projects for organizations such as Google, JICA, and Parimatch.
  • Advertising & Art Direction: Worked as an Art Director at Isobar and then at Webcoupers. My work has served both global brands like Schweppes, Nivea, Letshego and Budweiser, as well as Nigerian brands including Sterling Bank, Three Crowns Milk, Leadway Insurance, Globacom, Renmoney, FunQuest Toy Store and Moninow.
  • Education: Served as a Resident Art Direction Tutor at O2 Academy Lagos, West Africa's foremost advertising school.
  • Healthcare: 5+ years of undergraduate study in Radiography and Radiological Sciences (Medical Imaging Technology), followed by 2 years of post-graduate practice in Trauma Radiography and Ultrasonography. This clinical foundation shaped my methodical approach to complex systems and data visualization.

My Philosophy: Curiosity, Care & Craft

I view my career as a “Deliberate Apprenticeship.” I've spent over 14 years sweating the details, improving my taste and studying how small, disciplined design decisions compound into great products over time.

I care deeply about design culture. To me, how a team works is just as important as what they produce. I strive to build environments rooted in trust, clarity, and long-term thinking. This commitment to growth extends to mentorship, where I currently help designers find their voice and professional direction.


Beyond the Canvas

My journey as a designer began around the age of eight years old, when my Mom gave me a scrapbook whose empty pages filled my imagination with possibilities; I'd cut out and curate comic strips and beautiful ads from my Dad's old magazines and newspapers. I'm still collecting images I love, only now they're artifacts from my projects and experiments from the last 14 years. I also curate a moodboard of creative work from other people that I draw inspiration from.

My life is guided by my faith; Jesus is my Lord and Savior, and I aim to reflect God's love through my work and my relationships.


Current Focus Track Record