In conversation with Anoushka Rodda
“This will always be what we do as our drive comes from our personal migration journeys – our experience is lived not learned.”
- Anoushka Rodda
Image: Anoushka Rodda, Founder & Managing Director, TEMPLO. Photo by Jane Looker.
Anoushka began her career as a designer before directing her skills to account management, she now has nearly twenty years experience in the design industry. Having seen the impact of war and human rights violations firsthand (her grandmother was born in Aleppo, her great grandparents were forced to leave their homes in Turkey during the Armenian genocide and her mother left Beirut during the civil war) Anoushka established TEMPLO. determined to use the power of positive design for social change. Her clients to date include the United Nations, British Council, London School of Economics and University of the Arts London.
How did your journey into design begin, and how did it lead to your co-founding of TEMPLO?
My love of design stemmed from being an all-rounder at school. I thrived in academic subjects and was also obsessed with art and painting as a teenager, so as soon as I realised that design was the perfect combination of strategy, problem solving and creativity it all fell into place.
After graduating from Graphic Design BA from Kingston University, I got a job as a junior designer. I soon found that I was enjoying everything about my job except the actual design work itself. I was much more interested in presenting a project, analysing the brief, building relationships with clients and so on, which led me into account management and haven't looked back since.
Can you tell us a bit about TEMPLO's approach to design?
We are a cause-led branding and communications agency committed to using the positive power of design for social change. We work in close collaboration and in co-creation with our chosen clients, and create work that stands out and stands for something.
We don’t think of this as a box ticking exercise or something that’s nice to have. This will always be what we do as our drive comes from our personal migration journeys – our experience is lived not learned.
In your opinion, what does it mean to be a leader within the design industry today?
I find that the design industry can be quite insular and navel-gazing to be totally honest. I think it’s more fulfilling to look outwards at the wider world and at the challenges we face as a society. That’s what we’re trying to do at TEMPLO.
How has your creative approach changed over the years?
Pali and I set up TEMPLO with the conviction to be cause-led from the get-go. Right from the start, our work has been true to our ethos and values.
The whole team at TEMPLO come from diverse backgrounds which continues to have a big influence on our output as a studio. Yet after all these years, what strikes me now is how consistently we’ve stuck to our principles, rejected work that doesn't meet our ethical standards and stayed true to our vision as founders for over a decade.
Have there been any past or present designers or business leaders who have significantly influenced your journey?
Reading the book Start Something That Matters, by the founder of Toms Shoes, Blake Mycoskie, was a real turning point for me. He touches on everything from the mechanics of running an ethical business to broader philosophical reflections: ‘the more you have, the more you have to maintain.’ It really resonated with me then and continues to do so today.
In terms of the design industry itself, my biggest inspiration has been a desire to challenge the status quo. The last time I checked, less than 1% of creative agencies are founded by women. Even less by those from diverse backgrounds. For years the design industry has felt like a bit of a Mad Men-esque old boys club so doing something different was a big part of what motivated me to set up TEMPLO in the first place.
What do you find to be the most challenging aspect of your work?
Like most founders I know, it is the inability – and if I'm being honest my unwillingness – to switch off that I find the most challenging. This combined with being a mother to two young children can lead to some interesting moments especially when the studio is going through a period of growth.
Image: TEMPLO have designed a bi-lingual ‘Syrian-led identity’ and website for Free Syria’s Disappeared (FSD), a coalition of leading activists, human rights campaigners and lawyers working for freedom and accountability for detainees in Syria.
Can you share a specific project that has been particularly meaningful to you in terms of its social impact and positive change?
Free Syria's Disappeared (FSD) is a cause close to my heart. FSD is a coalition of leading Syrian activists and charities such as Action for Sama and Wafa Mustafa, Families for Freedom, Caesar Families Association and Ta'afi.
We were chosen for expertise in the human rights and advocacy space, and I also have a personal connection with Syria as my maternal grandmother was born in Aleppo. This meant that we immediately understood the urgent need to turn the word’s gaze back towards Syria and the atrocities carried out by the Assad regime.
That said, I am genuinely proud of all our work because I know on some level it is making a difference to the wider world we live in.
Throughout your career, what has been the most valuable lesson you've learned, whether it's about yourself, your abilities, or life in general?
My two biggest lessons are rooted in womanhood. I learned a lot from doing hypno-birthing during both my pregnancies. I was taught the acronym BRAIN as a tool for tough or stressful decision making which I think is essential for both childbirth and running a business. That is to assess the benefits, identify the risk, follow your instincts, look for an advantage and be OK with doing nothing, too.
I use this technique all the time running the business and I often share it with our team. Another great learning came from reading Maisie Hill's book Period Power and realising that tapping into your cycle as a woman has phenomenal results at work. It's a more circular way of harnessing energy levels and productivity rather than the old school, masculine linear approach. A real game changer.
Given your experiences, what advice would you offer to anyone interested in a design career and using design for social impact?
I always tell people breaking into the industry to follow your heart and everything else will slot into place. It's that Japanese concept of ikigai – do what gives you a reason for being. Our ikigai rests at the point in which our passions and talents converge.
What excites you the most about the future of design, and what do you hope to contribute to its ongoing evolution?
The next generation are genuinely socially minded and hungry for change. That's the energy that will shape our industry.
For TEMPLO, we will continue to do what we have always done: focusing on causes and social impact. We will continue to stay close to our clients, many of whom we have collaborated with for over ten years, because real, meaningful and systemic change takes decades and we are in it for the long-haul.
Who is Anoushka Rodda outside the 'office'?
I feel really lucky that I can really be myself at work. Many of my friends with more standard careers aren’t afforded the same opportunities to express themselves.
Spending time in nature is really important to me. One of my favourite things to do between the school drop off and morning team meeting is a run through the downs or along the seafront near where I live in Brighton. I love deep breathing and being alone in nature. It's a great way to refresh your headspace. So is my twice-weekly dance class – amazing people, reggaeton tunes and a lot of sweat. Just pure joy!
Website: templo.co.uk
Instagram: @t_e_m_p_l_o
