I wanted to share a little of my background with everyone on CorelDRAW.com.

It all started a long time ago, in a country far far away (I was living in Switzerland at that time). My first real encounter with Graphics software on an Intel-based PC was with CorelDRAW 2.0... I just switched from an Atari ST. I still have some of the files that I created back then, without having any idea of what I was doing... really scary. During my years at university (computer science and business, e.g. no formal teaching in art and layout), I developed an interest for Graphics and Design, and yes, I was still a CorelDRAW user... but I really wasn't in photo-editing at that time (digital cameras didn't even exist). But then, it all changed... I got myself a job at Micrografx and started using DESIGNER 6.0, the first version for Windows 95 (anyone remember the big ABC Graphics Suite 95 box?). Over the years, while keeping an eye on what Corel was doing with its graphics package, I used up-to version 9 of DESIGNER. And before you ask, I had already left MGX when they got acquired by Corel in 2002.

In early 2003, after being Product Manager for an Enterprise software company, I found my way back into the world of Graphics software, joining Corel in the UK on the Product Management team and immediately started using CorelDRAW again... as it's a small world, the first thing on the job was the European launch of Corel DESIGNER 10. I had the chance over the years to talk with some of you (mainly those in Europe) about CorelDRAW, DESIGNER and other Corel products and was in close contact with my product management counterparts in Ottawa. After the launch of CorelDRAW Graphics Suite 12, I also got involved with Corel DESIGNER Technical Suite 12 on a global basis.

For the CorelDRAW Graphics Suite X3 which launched in January 2006, I remember going to way to many countries in way to little time across Europe for the press tour... that's what happens when a product is launched in 7 languages simultaneously. As a side note, you might not know that the chameleon that is on the front of the box has been named "Carlos" internally

Fast forward a few months: At the end of 2006, I relocated to Ottawa (just in time for the winter) to take over the position I currently have. Last week, one of the projects I've been working on over the past few months has gone live! And if you ask what it is... have a look at the URL in your browser.

Now to what I actually do with the products of the CorelDRAW family. One of my hobbies is about layout and design, and I use CorelDRAW to get some of my ideas to life. I use it for example to design web site layouts, and then slice the resulting image in little parts with Corel PHOTO-PAINT (I generally hand-code the HTML after that). Looking at what other users are doing, I have a lot to learn. And as CorelDRAW is a great multi-page illustration software, I use it all the time for my presentations (internally and externally)...