A principal at Gensler, Ted Jacobs has 20 years of brand development, design, and creative direction experience. As a design director, he leads efforts for integrated environments and strategic brand positioning for Gensler’s retail and corporate clients. Most recently, Jacobs served as global director of design for Starbucks Coffee Co., where he led a large creative team focusing on the evolution of the Starbucks brand through new retail concepts and extensive communications platforms. His team developed all aspects of in-store communications for existing stores and developed a strategy and design vernacular for a new portfolio of brand and retail concepts. His background also includes seven years as global retail creative director at Nike in Beaverton, Ore. There, he helped direct the development of Nike’s diverse retail venues and channels, including the flagship NikeTowns and stores, vendor shop programs and large-scale branded events and exhibits.