Gareth Winter Creative Director
Sitting next to me at my desk as I write this is a photograph of my grandfather (my cycling hero), racing a time trial in 1949. He won, and I wear his medal as a pendant around my neck so I can take him with me everywhere I ride.
I would give anything to have one more hour with him. To ask all the questions I never had the sense to ask, and for him to meet my son.
The photo is grainy, monochrome, full of passion, grit, and heavy with the history of post-war Britain. There's no helmet. No brands. Just a fixed-wheel bike reclaimed from a scrapyard. Cycling was his escape, the light at the end of a dark, ominous tunnel.
Cycling isn't a pastime in my family, it's a passage.
Growing up in a cycling family, I binged old race tapes and collected Cycle Sport while other kids swapped football cards. I knew I wanted to contribute to the world's most beautiful sport. I just hadn’t yet found the canvas.
That clarity came later. I entered the creative world as a designer and evolved into a creative leader at the "Willy Wonka factory" of big media, Sky, where my time embedded within Team Sky, Team Wiggins, and British Cycling brought everything into focus.
I can vividly remember a stage talk by Fran Millar at our head office, sharing the methodologies of Professor Steve Peters and Sir David Brailsford. Fran's stage talk transformed the path of my professional, athletic and personal life, it was like I stepped into the Matrix.
Without that moment, I would not be where I am today or the person I am today. Writing this fills me with gratitude.
The Sky years were "the golden years" when British road cycling didn’t just win, it transformed. And I was there, not merely watching, but defining the narrative of "inspiration to participation" through our champions: Sir Bradley Wiggins, Geraint Thomas, Sir Chris Hoy, Laura Kenny, Chris Froome, etc. Winning the world's greatest races and inspiring over 1.7 million people to pick up a bike in the UK.
In collaboration and complete synergy, there was one brand orbiting at the creative apex: Rapha.
Rapha didn’t just make kit. It made mythology. It reminded us that the road is sacred, and style matters. That suffering, rendered beautifully, is its own reward. Growing up riding my dad's old hand-me-downs, and looking like a lycra-clad clown, Rapha lit a spark in me.
I have followed Rapha’s arc closely from day one. From the monastic monochrome of the early years, to the expressive elevation of Pro Team, to boundary-pushing collaborations with Patta and RCC. Rapha never just sold garments. It sold meaning. It built a world.
Now, as the brand approaches a pivotal juncture, navigating industry headwinds, cultural shifts, and the weight of its own legacy — I don’t see a problem. I see a creative opportunity. A chance to reframe Rapha not just as a premier cycling brand, but as the cultural heartbeat of the sport. A lodestar. A publisher of modern cycling myth.
That’s where I come in.
I’ve worn every hat in this ecosystem: rider, obsessive, director, strategist, builder. I’ve shaped brand identities for performance teams at altitude. I’ve built campaigns that made weekend warriors feel like champions. And I’ve told stories that invited newcomers in while keeping lifers proud.
From grassroots to gold medals, I have experienced it all. I share Rapha's purpose, "to inspire the world to live life by bike", because I have ridden around a built-up city with my son on the back of my Dutch bike, taught him how to pedal for the first time, toured around the world, raced around a velodrome on a tandem with a blind Paralympian, crashed in a crit sprint finish, beat Sir Bradley Wiggins in a 220mile race from Manchester to London, set my lungs on fire during a 10 mile TT, been Eddy Merckx’s water carrier, and everything in-between.
But more than all that — I understand Rapha. I’ve internalised its sensibility. I know how to protect its soul, grace, grit, and belonging — while propelling it into unexplored creative territory.
Imagine a Rapha that doesn’t just look premium, but feels inevitable. Where every campaign contributes to an unfolding narrative. Where riders become characters in an ongoing saga. Where launches feel like cultural events. Where RCC isn’t just community, it’s your creative lab. Where the visual system aligns seamlessly from store to screen to saddle.
With the right creative leadership, Rapha can redefine what a sports brand can be — not just in kit, but in influence. In storytelling. In meaning.
This role isn’t a stepping stone for me, it’s a return. To purpose. To story. To the brand that shaped how I saw the sport. And how I shaped the sport in return.
Let's have coffee ☕️
Career
Creative Director | Brand Storyteller | Growth Strategist
Crafting transformative ideas into results-driven campaigns
Hi Rapha! I’m Gareth Winter, a Creative Director passionate about turning bold visions into captivating stories that drive action. With a background spanning brand, advertising, growth, TV, sports, e-commerce, and personal transformation, I specialise in aligning creative initiatives with business goals to inspire, connect, educate, and convert.
Working with
Unique Value Proposition
I thrive on building high-performing teams and delivering world-class creative strategies. My approach is rooted in inclusivity, innovation, and the philosophy of marginal gains—proving that small, continuous improvements lead to extraordinary success.
Experience Highlights
Creative Director, Mindvalley
Current
Defining and executing creative, brand and growth strategy, overseeing creative projects, leading creative teams and culture, developing talent, brand management and visual identity.
Creative Director, Go City
2024
Delivering a 30% increase in growth within 1 month at Go City, a global private equity travel and sight-seeing/attraction company. Leading a team of creatives and designers, streamlining processes, project management, workflows and evolving the brand, visual identity, and tone of voice.
Creative Director, Veloforte
2022-2023
Built and led a creative team to deliver excellence in craft, execution and performance.
Generated 60% YoY growth in e-commerce in 2022.
A remarkable 93% growth in e-commerce revenue within 1.5 years (Jan 22 - Jun 23).
Established Veloforte as the leader of natural sports nutrition
Drove creative and marketing strategies that communicate the value of real food in sports nutrition.
Developed language and tone of voice across all platforms.
Produced and directed all Veloforte productions.
Led brand collaborations and B2B network
Built a community of ambassadors, influencers, and affiliates.
Senior Creative, Sky
2010-2021
Inspired over 1.7 million people to take up cycling in the UK.
Played a pivotal role in communicating Team Sky's historic victories at the Tour de France, Team GB’s numerous Olympic gold medals, and the continuous streak of results through to 2019.
Built enduring and expanding networks with pro-cyclists, brands, and sponsors.
Collaborated with sporting legends, actors, journalists, and on-screen talent.
Contributed to impactful initiatives like Sky Ocean Rescue and charity endeavours.
Demonstrated commitment to fostering an inclusive culture and advancing corporate social responsibility.
Next Challenge
My experience has equipped me with a unique blend of big-business acumen and small-business agility — to have abundance yet remain hungry, or to have limited resources, yet still punch above my weight.
I bring the ability to adapt, innovate, and drive growth, whatever the environment.
I am an architect of creativity and leadership who believes in leading by first mastering the art of following. I am excited about the opportunity to discuss how my skills and experiences align with Rapha’s vision and goals. Please let me know your availability for a conversation, and I will be ready to jump on a call or head over to Rapha HQ for a coffee.
Thanks for reading.
Gareth.
07414716933 | garethwrwinter@outlook.com
Gareth Winter CV
Mental Health First Aider | MHFA England
Athlete & Brand Ambassador | Cycling & Fitness
Skills
Creative direction
Brand architect
Design and art direction
Product design
Gen AI and LLM
Digital and OOH advertising
Marketing, strategy and insight
Copywriting and scriptwriting
Social media and affiliate/influencer marketing
B2B, retail and partner collaborations
Filmmaking & Photography
Adobe Suite: Premiere, After Effects, Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign
career
Creative Director, Mindvalley
• 2024 - 2025
Creative Director, Go City
• 2024
Creative Director, veloforte
• 2022 - 2023
Creative Director, Le Blanq
• 2021 - 2022 (part-time)
Senior Creative, Creative Director, Sky
• Sky Creative Corporate Communications | 2019 - 2022
• Sky Creative, Cycling | 2013
Creative
Sky Product & Brand | September 2012
Sky Sports & News | September 2011
Sky News | September 2010
References:
Lee Parker, Executive Creative Director, Disney
Manon Dave, Chief Product & Innovation Officer