The Faces of AIS: Georgia Nogas
At AIS our people are what make us exceptional and what better way to highlight the faces of the business than to delve into their career journey and what tips they have for anyone looking to join the industry.
Georgia Nogas
Head of Concept Design
The first in our Faces of AIS series features Georgia Nogas, Head of Concept Design. Georgia joined AIS almost 18 months ago and has since been part of many project wins, as well as forming a key part of the office with her charisma.
What inspired you to pursue your current career, and how did you get started in this field?
I was fortunate to grow up in quite a design-enthusiast household – my parents met while studying industrial design at university, practising as industrial designers before moving into (UX) user interface design. Some of their close friends and colleagues are now globally renowned design celebrities (Karim Rashid & Glen Pushelberg of YABU-PUSHELBERG)!
While I enjoyed my university program in Interior Design, like so many others, I graduated not knowing what area of design I wanted to work in. On a whim, I moved from Canada to Australia after graduation. I was skint, working on a horse ranch in rural Australia – mucking out barns, taking care of horses and sheep, when a friend rang me up to say that the firm she was working for was looking to hire another junior designer and that I should apply.
While I still miss the sunrises over the paddocks, this started my career both in workspace design and build!
What’s the most rewarding project or accomplishment you’ve experienced at AIS?
Since I’ve started at AIS, a lot of our pod’s focus has been on building long-lasting relationships with clients. After months of design development, followed by a competitive tender, it has been incredible to see the team appointed on the Wasserman project. Not only was the team successful on the London opportunity, but it quickly rolled into delivering a satellite office in Madrid.
What tips would you give to someone just starting in your profession?
If you hadn’t guessed – I’m a big advocate for working abroad! The experience for me has been hugely impactful – both in learning soft skills and appreciation for different cultural nuances.
Equally, if starting in design and build, it’s an industry that you need to jump into with both feet. It can be a bit of a pressure-cooker, but if you build quality relationships with colleagues or external suppliers, it’s such a close-knit industry that you’ll see the benefits for the remainder of your career.
Can you share a fun fact about yourself that coworkers might not know?
My first job was as a teenager, working as a ski instructor near Ottawa (my hometown), and I’ve been a passionate skier since I was about 8 years old. Maybe ambitious given the state of my knees, but I’d love for skiing to also be my last job! One to pick up when I retire from D&B.
What do you like best about our company culture?
There is a lot of autonomy at AIS – you’re respected and treated like an adult. We (thankfully!) lack a micromanaging culture – with a lot of trust instilled in each employee to deliver their work on time, and to the quality expected.
What’s your favourite office event or team tradition?
The team has organised some fantastic Design Guild events over the past year – it’s been nice to have a bi-weekly event where our creative teams can get together. As we’re divided into separate teams, we otherwise don’t often get enough time to share ideas, see each other’s work, or even hang out and spend time together. My favourite Design Guild has to have been the tour of the Bloomberg building – super inspiring!
What’s your go-to productivity tip?
If I’m getting my head into a juicy space plan, the best thing for me is a big pair of headphones and a great playlist. One of my favourites will always be Diplo’s Antarctica playlist – look it up if you need to get in the zone.
