About
Custom Lab media laboratory was founded in November 2008 in Kyiv.
For over six years it was an official division of the international publishing house Sanoma in Ukraine. After the withdrawal of the publisher, since January 2015, Custom Lab has acted as an independent outfit.
Custom Lab is an association of media professionals: editors, journalists, designers, photographers, and other specialists with expertise and capacity to create new media projects of any degree of complexity in the Ukrainian, English, and Russian languages.
Custom Lab has produced some 40 unique printed and digital media projects for corporate customers, among them magazines B2P, B2B, B2C, company albums, annual reports, production catalogues, themed booklets, specialised editions, web projects, and digital magazines.
The lab is led by Roman Sulima, a renowned Ukrainian journalist with 20-odd years of expertise in the field and over 50 media startups in his portfolio.
Roman Sulima
owner
Founder and director of media studio Custom Lab, one of leading business media managers in Ukraine, with over 20 years of experience in journalism (since 2003, in top positions), former chief editor of popular magazines The Bill (“Афиша”) and 10 Days (“10 дней”). Mr. Sulyma has been active in business periodicals and content marketing since 2007. In 2008 he led the new businesses department at the international publishing house Sanoma Ukraine, where over 6 years some 40 customised media projects were created. Many of them are presented in the portfolio on this website.
Anzhela Khachaturova
journalist, editor
One of the leading journalists on staff at Custom Lab. Starting her professional career in 2008, Ms. Khachaturova has worked as a freelance for Marketing Media Review, “Дело,” “Новый маркетинг,” and ArtUkraine. In 2010-12 she was the editor of the monthly Your Number («Твой номер»), published by Kyivstar. Since 2013 she has worked as a reporter for Novy Kanal, a TV station.
Iryna Verbova
journalist, editor
In media industry since 2005. Editor of the magazines Prevention, Casa Viva, Sensa (Publishing House Sanoma Media). Editor-in-chief of design magazine NM House.
Victoria Shaparenko
journalist, editor
Starting her career in 2006, Ms Shaparenko has worked for glossies and magazines for parents, written for advertising campaigns, and developed corporate projects. Now she is one of Custom Lab’s major contributing editors.
Natalia Volodchenko
journalist, editor
A historian by training, a journalist by profession and a cook by vocation.
Yulia Proskurina
Chief SMM manager
Chief SMM manager for Custom Lab’s projects, in charge of content filling, consulting, and promotion in Facebook, Instagram and other social networks. Ms. Proskurina is a successful fashion blogger with over 20,000 followers in Instagram and has worked in internet marketing for more than 7 years. Her portfolio contains successfully implemented projects in a variety of spheres, from show business to culture, including some very specialized, such as construction, development, and cleaning products.
Yaroslav Rudenko
art-director, designer
One of Ukraine’s top-notch graphic designers with more than 15 years of experience. In 2004-14 Mr. Rudenko worked as an art director for Men’s Health Ukraine. Currently he is cooperating with leading mass media (including Custom Lab) as a designer and art director.
Yulia Pirohova
corrector
Joined the team in 2018. One of the first projects in which she took part was "Ideas People". Today she is one of the key editors of the media studio - print and electronic projects. Combines studio and scientific work.
Serhii Moroz
journalist, editor
A leading colour correction specialist for the Custom Lab projects with more than 15 years of experience in publishing. His major areas of expertise are design, page makeup, preparation for print, advertisement makeups, and colour correction. He has also worked for such periodicals as "Экран недели," 10 Days, XXL, Domus Design, and "Отдохни".
Serhii Hryhurko
art-director, designer
An expert art director, with almost 20 years in the media, one of the best specialists in print and digital media. Mr. Hryhurko was a long-time art director for the magazine Story, published by Sanoma Media. He is the developer of the digital version of National Geographic Ukraine (for iPad).
Oksana Kostiushko
journalist, editor
An expert with more than ten years of experience in spheres like construction, architecture, design, and household appliances. Her past career includes such positions as editor for the magazine "Уютная квартира," assistant editor-in-chief of the magazine CASAVIVA, and assistant editor-in-chief of a women’s web portal (fashion, interiors, cooking). One of the leading journalists on staff at Custom Lab.
Iryna Leonidova
art-director, designer
One of the main art directors of Sanoma Media Ukraine for 8 years and the soul of the design team of the Custom Lab content studio. Direct relation to the launch of three brand magazines and applications. The circulation of the women's magazine Prevention has increased by 250%. A special approach to the layout of PR materials in the style of the Sensa women's magazine increased 3 times the number of new advertising clients, a third of which had not previously considered advertising in print media. In total, the portfolio contains more than 10 specialized publications.
