I am
Hugo. a leader. autistic. creative. curious. determined.

I am hugo.

Hi there,

I guess if you are here, then you're looking to learn a bit more about me. Well, that's great.

Welcome. I am Hugo. I love solving complex problems and enjoy working in a collaborative environment to answer those challenging questions.

For over 16 years, I have worked on building team cultures and driving organizational transformations. The use of behavioural science, my entrepreneurial spirit, and inclusive design thinking processes have helped me to build and gamify workplace cultures.

A Bit About Me.

I felt this was the perfect place to start. Learn about the technical and creative sides of my personality.

The Technical

The Creative

Where I've Learned.

Learning has been a life-long passion of mine. I've been fortunate to have been given an opportunity to enter different fields of study. From business to art, digital media to behavioural science, and even a few years with military training. As a change management expert, I have developed a keen sense of observation and used my skills cohesively to help answer the toughest questions and build campaigns that are engaging and inclusive to all.

Things I've Built.

Helping to build change has been my calling. I am part artist, part designer, a bonafide strategist, and a scientist (in behaviours.) It's customary to share a portfolio, so, here are a few highlights from my career.

Skills I've Grown.

Change Management
hugo gatsby strategic planning icon
Strategic Planning
Design Thinking
Learning & Development
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Behavioural Science
Creative Direction
Succession Planning
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Brand Strategy
Interactive Media

Let's Chat.

If you'd like to reach out and chat, feel free to connect with me below.

Let's get social:

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The Technical Hugo

"There are two sides to every story, so why not two sides to every person?"

I’ve spent my life solving problems and building things. As a technical strategist, I look to break things and reimagine how they work. But, life isn’t only about work, so I wanted to share some of my personal interests, of a technical nature.

I Love to Build Things

This includes a robot (made of wood), a 1968 Bullitt Mustang, 3D Hologram projector, a scaled turbine engine, and even a functioning Nintendo power glove (also made of wood.) In 2021, my wife and I will be building a working movie projector, and automatic clock, and an undetermined surprise build.

Once Upon a Time, I Built a...

I once built a java-scripted chatbot that mimicked my own mannerisms and used cognitive science to guide a user on self-discovery, it was called Queen Ai, after Steve McQueen.

Father/Son Time

When my dad was sick, we’d spend hours working on cars. He’d guide me and I’d learn every step of the way. Once, we timed how long it would take to remove the entire interior of a 1999 Mercury Cougar and reinstall it. 47 min 31 sec.

Cars and Computers are Great

As part of my passion to innovate, I built a GUI for a 2006 Roush Mustang with biometrics and reconfigured the entire entertainment system to build a unique user experience. To have a little fun with the experiment, I gave my vehicle the voice of Dexter (from Dexter’s Laboratory.)

The Creative Hugo

"There are two sides to every story, so why not two sides to every person?"

Learning has been a passion of mine my entire life. I think it is because of how I see the world. Having ASD means I process things differently. I am equally statistical and artistic. Here are a few of the more artistic pieces to my personality.

Music is Life

I think we can all agree that we have “a song.” Something that reminds us of a fond memory. I am no different. I love music. I even collect vinyl. I have purchased 1 vinyl/month since March 2006. For the record, BB King Live at Cook County was the first purchase. Still one of the best records I own.

Let's have a Drink

Although I feel this should be on the technical side, it is very much a hobby of passion. I infuse bourbon. I find ingredients that I feel would pair well, age it in an Irish Whiskey Barrel, then cold drip filter it over 1 month. Freeze it, then cold drip yet again using 1.5-micron grade filters in my cold drip press. I’ve also designed my own labels with QR codes to Pac-man and the Golden Girls for novelty. I share them as gifts with clients and friends. It gives me a sense of pride. My wife is also a fan of the process and loves to help in the taste testing.

Une Monde Sans Frime

I have a passion for photography. Like most artists, I’ve picked up photography over the years (even won a few awards.) Most memorable was being included in National Geographic’s Daily Dozen photo series, and my fashion photography work for Jean Paul Gaultier. A world without frames was always my motivation when stepping behind a camera.

Father/Son Time - Extended

The technical side of me loves to build things, while the artist side of me creates experiences and stories. One such story includes me leaving Vancouver to move home. My father had passed away years earlier, but we always talked about a road trip across country in a Bullitt Mustang. So, when I decided to leave Vancouver, you can guess what car I bought for my trip. Was it irrational? 100%. Was it practical? Not entirely. Would I have done it differently if given the chance? Never. It was the trip we always wanted. 

You'll Have to Ask my Wife

If we end up working together, you’ll learn all about the extent I will go to to surprise my wife. Heck, if you wanted a reference, you’d find no better person to ask about me then her. She is the best thing to ever happen to me. But to show the creative side of me, I will share this. I hold words and emotions in high regard. So much so, that my wife was the only person I ever said I love you to. The story of how that day went is worth the chat. 

Master of Business Management

Achievements:

  • 3.61 GPA – Cum Laude Graduate; 
  • Awarded distinction for analysis in Forensic Accounting Case Study.

Related Courses:

  • Organizational Behaviour, Real-World Economics, Managerial Accounting, Principles of Management

Attended:

2013 - 2015

Master of
Interactive Media

Achievements:

  • Awarded as a top 40 graphic designer at The Los Angeles Center for Digital Art Invitational Exhibition.

Related Courses:

  • Cognition Learning Collaboration, Exploring Interaction, Game Studies, Computational Art & Design

Attended:

2009 - 2011

Bachelor of
Digital Media

Achievements:

  • 3.3 GPA;
  • Visual Art Student Association Events Coordinator, Exhibiting Artist.

Related Courses:

  • Mass Media & Consumer Cultures, Contemporary Media, Advanced Multi-Media, Time-Based Video Production

Attended:

2004 - 2007

Advanced Diploma Enterprise Business

Achievements:

  • 3.67 GPA; 
  • Award recipient for Outstanding Academic, Volunteer, and Community Contribution Award, Community Engagement Volunteer.

Related Courses:

  • Applied Selling, ERP Systems, Managerial Accounting, e-Commerce, Economics

Attended:

2001 - 2004

Royal Military College

General Training

Attended:

1998

Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Borden

Instructor Training

Attended:

2001

Unconscious Bias Certificate

Related Courses:

  • Unconscious Bias & Cognitive Bahviours

Attended:

2020

Design Thinking Certificate

Related Courses:

  • Design Thinking Fundamentals

Attended:

2020

Certificate in Professional Leadership

Related Courses:

  • Strategic Management, Leadership, Corporate Governance, Organizational Behaviour.

Attended:

2019

Certificate in Strategic Management

Achievements:

  • 3.72 GPA – 5 Graduate Courses; 
  • Developed financial models for the Disney and Netflix partnership that yielded 6 MCU television series.

Related Courses:

  • Strategic Management, Internal Corporate Governance, Corporate Strategy, Business Analysis & Valuation

Attended:

2014

Client:

Hamilton Health Sciences

Duration:

22 months

Role:

Change Management Consultant

Deliverables:

  • Worked with education consultants to develop HHS’s “Centre of Excellence” training program that focused on succession planning. Lead to the development of a Centre of Excellence that promotes potential leaders.
  • Reviewed HHS staff engagement surveys and launched a strategic plan that leveraged inclusion initiatives, townhall updates and an annual film festival to celebrate “behind the scenes” staff that often go unrecognized.

Highlights:

  • These efforts led to the strategic rebranding: “Best Care for All.” helping to increase staff engagement by over 30%.
  • Launched the ten-year communication plan, and strategic roadmap with branded balanced scorecards.

Client:

Capital Hill Group

Duration:

14 months (ongoing)

Role:

Digital Strategy Consultant

Deliverables:

  • Worked with government relations directors to facilitate behavioural science workshops to help leadership adjust their brand strategy, leading to the re-design of their user experience, website, and marketing efforts.

Highlights:

  • Increased viewership by over 400% and a close rate of prospects at 83%.

Client:

Bank of Montreal

Duration:

14 months

Role:

Canadian Lead Digital Strategist

Deliverables:

  • Managed a marketing team to drive the digital adoption of BMO’s clientele. Adopted an agile approach to run experiments leveraging behavioural science to increase digital adoption rates.
  • Reconfigured the reward process which decreased the payout process from 3 months to 72 hours.
  • Managed a marketing portfolio of $2.5M and launched national campaigns for BMO’s first AI chatbot and mobile cheque deposit app feature implementation.

Highlights:

  • Tested the UX hypothesis of increasing engagement through the use of gamification and trigger-based cognitive bias, increasing digital adoption conversions by 335% compared to the median campaign.

Client:

Manpower (Alberta)

Duration:

6 months

Role:

User Experience (UX) Consultant

Deliverables:

  • Led Manpower’s focus-group testing to understand applicants’ needs; worked with business development consultants to develop training workshops focused on diversity and inclusion.

Highlights:

  • Streamlined application processes by adopting design thinking methods to rebuild the customer experience to increase successful placement rates by 34%.

Client:

Intuitive Shipping

Duration:

6 months

Role:

User Experience (UX) Consultant

Deliverables:

  • Established focus-group testing to launch an affiliate marketing program to grow Intuitive Shipping’s diverse user base.
  • Redesigned the behavioural targeting of communications, resulting in a full AODA-compliant website redesign.

Highlights:

  • Increased viewership by over 25% and established an affiliate marketing program to increase users.

Client:

Agave Homes

Duration:

8 months (ongoing)

Role:

Digital Strategy Consultant

Deliverables:

  • Performed industry analysis and digital strategy planning to establish brand advantage and positioning.
  • Managed digital campaign strategies and collateral development of Agave Homes’ brand.

Highlights:

  • Built Agave Homes’ website and launched the entire online presence, helping to sell their custom-built homes in an ultra boutique niche market.

Client:

Bell Canada

Duration:

6 months

Role:

Digital Communications Consultant

Deliverables:

  • Worked with Labour Relations to design experiments to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges staff face in the workplace. From this research, we developed campaigns that promoted engagement through diversity.
  • Collaborated with HR to redesign the external website UX, increasing application submissions by 27%.

Highlights:

  • Increased intranet usage by over 600% with the restructuring of UX/UI designs to optimize for mobile devices.

Client:

Township of Carling

Duration:

6 months

Role:

User Experience (UX) Consultant

Deliverables:

  • Worked with the municipality to reevaluate their online presence. Through team collaboration sessions, we mapped out a new community user experience, built an AODA-compliant website, and trained municipal staff on web design fundamentals.
  • Established municipal brand guidelines and produced a brand booklet for all digital assets and communications.

Highlights:

  • An increase in viewership of 37% (10,000 views/mth), and a 26% increase in average click-through rates.