Experience · Saaliq Maqbool

5designers on the team I lead

50+production screens shipped

80pages in the website revamp I led

15–20%faster turnaround after I set up a design SLA

20%less production time with AI-assisted workflows

20M+YouTube views on the Ishq Live film I shot and graded

Growth

Promoted twice in 30 months.

Jun 2022Graphic Designer
Hired remotely. Brand and web for US clients.
Mar 2023Senior Graphic Designer
Promoted nine months in.
Dec 2024Graphic Design Specialist
21 months later, with a team of five to lead.

What I’m strongest at

What I’m best at.

01
Research to flows
Surveys, interviews, audits and journey maps that end in a flow someone can build.Seen in EcoTrack
02
Design systems
Figma libraries, tokens and clean developer handoff, behind 50+ production screens.Seen in mPay Delight+
03
Brand and visual
Brand guidelines and collateral across iQuasar, iQuen and Sahal, plus identities for local brands.Seen in Bootcamp
04
Motion and film
I shoot, edit and grade. The Ishq Live film has passed 20M views.Seen in Ishq
05
Leading a team
Five designers, design QA, and an SLA that cut turnaround by 15 to 20%.Seen in Red Feather
06
AI-assisted workflows
Figma MCP, Firefly and others folded into the process, with 20% less production time.Seen in Lapse

How I lead

Five designers, one standard.

My client work is under NDA, so here’s how I run the team instead, with real numbers.

A design SLA

A shared turnaround standard across parallel product and brand requests. Turnaround got 15 to 20% faster.

Design QA

Every piece is reviewed before it ships, for consistency, hierarchy and detail, so the team’s output reads as one hand.

AI-assisted workflows

I folded AI tools into the team’s process for wireframes and asset generation. Production time dropped by 20%.

An 80-page website revamp

I led the design of an 80-page website revamp at iQuasar, from structure to final pages.

In their words

What the team wrote down.

…The designs not only met but exceeded our expectations.

I am writing to express our sincere appreciation for the exceptional graphics that Saaliq recently produced for us. We were thoroughly impressed by the professionalism, creativity, and overall excellence of the work. The designs not only met but exceeded our expectations, adding great value to our project. Given the quality and impact of Saaliq’s work, we would like to ensure his involvement in future graphic design needs for [our company]. His talent and attention to detail are exactly what we require to maintain the high standards we aim for in our visual presentations. Thank you for fostering such a talented individual within your team. We look forward to continued collaboration and hope to work closely with Saaliq moving forward.

An iQuasar clientAppreciation email · name withheld

…a quiet but powerful force behind our customer retention success.

The Graphics Team has played a pivotal role in retaining key PD and PSD customers through their consistent delivery of high-impact web design and visual content. Their work reflects iQuasar’s values of excellence, collaboration, and customer focus. Their contributions have been a quiet but powerful force behind our customer retention success.

iQuasar company recognitionOn the Graphics Team: Saaliq, Mariya, Ifat, Nabeela and Tahir

…a worthy recipient of the Resilient Quasar of the Year Award.

Through unwavering dedication and exceptional resilience, Saaliq has consistently delivered outstanding results in 2024. From taking ownership of the Graphics Point of Contact role to spearheading key initiatives like the software website redesign and branding updates, Saaliq has exceeded expectations while maintaining a positive attitude. His adaptability, commitment, and ability to inspire those around him make him a worthy recipient of the Resilient Quasar of the Year Award.

iQuasar award citationResilient Quasar of the Year, 2024