The key challenges were multifaceted and required strategic leadership:

Building & directing a team: Recruit, manage, and mentor a new design team capable of executing on a broad vision while meeting ambitious business objectives.

Strategic product roadmapping: Collaborate closely with tech leadership to create and align on a feasible product roadmap that balanced innovation with technical constraints.

Product unification & iteration: Merge two separate legacy applications into a single, cohesive product, and establish a process of continuous iteration to optimize the customer experience.

Global brand rebranding: Unify a fragmented brand identity and execute a phased, multi-country rebranding strategy without disrupting existing operations.

Cross-functional alignment: Ensure design consistency and strategic alignment across diverse international marketing teams, adapting to frequent organizational changes.

To tackle these challenges, I built a collaborative, and user-centered design practice integrated within the organization.

Structured agile collaboration: designers were embedded into cross-functional agile squads, working directly with Product Owners and developers to ensure design was a core part of the product development lifecycle.

Design team rituals & systems: We established regular design rituals, weekly syncs, and planning sessions, to ensure alignment, maintain consistency, and foster a shared vision.

Brand & marketing integration: I built a dedicated branding team that collaborated closely with international marketing teams to provide assets, ensure brand compliance, and support on coordinating the brand launch campaign.

Data-Informed & user-centric optimization: We fostered a close partnership with the Data and Operations teams. By combining quantitative data with user research, we prioritized product iterations that directly addressed user pain points and operational needs.

Executive alignment: I maintained continuous communication with stakeholders and department leaders through regular reviews, ensuring design initiatives were aligned with overarching business goals.