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Executive Leadership & Transformation
Head of Design & UX Director
Design is more than an attractive interface — it is a lever for business outcomes. I provide design leadership that connects vision, team and processes, measured by what truly matters to your business: conversion, customer retention and development velocity.
The Starting Point
Many companies invest in designers, tools and research, yet design remains the execution function at the end of the chain instead of a strategic partner at the beginning. Decisions are made before user needs are validated; priorities shift as soon as time pressure rises; designers deliver screens without being involved in the question, “What problem are we actually solving?”
This is rarely a talent problem. It is a leadership problem: someone is missing who represents design as an independent, business-relevant function — with a seat at the decision-making table, clear standards for the team and the ability to translate user insights into product and business decisions. That is exactly the role I take on.
The Role
What a Head of Design Is Actually Responsible For
Design leadership is more than “the person who approves the mockups.” Six areas make the real difference in practice.
01
Design Vision & Strategy
Develop a vision that supports company goals and consistently align design decisions with it rather than with taste or trends.
02
Interface to Product, Engineering & Executive Management
Represent design at the decision-making table so the user perspective is considered from the start rather than added afterward.
03
Team & Talent Development
Develop designers and researchers, clarify responsibilities and build a culture of craft, feedback and ownership.
04
Design Systems & Processes
Create consistent standards, reusable components and clear handoffs between design and engineering — for speed instead of friction.
05
Embed the User Perspective in the Organization
Turn research insights into input that actually reaches product roadmaps and business decisions — rather than ending up in a report.
06
Make Impact Measurable
Connect design decisions to the metrics that matter to the company: conversion, development speed, support effort and customer retention.
Approach
The First 90 Days
Design leadership that creates structure immediately — without turning everything upside down on day one.
Days 1–30
Listen & Map the Landscape
- Talk to the team, Product, Engineering and executive management
- Understand existing processes, tools and decision paths
- Clarify the stakeholder map and expectations for the role
- Identify initial patterns and friction points
Days 31–60
Structure & Quick Improvements
- Introduce clear roles, responsibilities and review cadences
- Close the first process gaps without reinventing everything
- Select a visible pilot project that demonstrates real value
- Improve design standards and collaboration with Engineering
Days 61–90
Show Impact
- Complete the pilot and connect the result to business metrics
- Present a strategy for the next two to four quarters
- Build trust for larger structural changes
- Define a team and process roadmap for sustainable growth
Focus Areas
My Focus Areas in Practice
UX Strategy & Experience Vision
Build clear strategic direction, experience principles and user-centered decision processes.
Customer Journey & Conversion
Analyze existing journeys and identify optimization potential across all touchpoints.
UX for Products & Platforms
Connect user needs and business goals in SaaS, B2B and e-commerce products.
Team Building & Design Operations
Build high-performing UX and product design teams and professionalize processes and collaboration.
Experience
25+ Years of UX and Product Responsibility
For more than 25 years, I have been developing digital products, platforms and customer experiences — from international B2B platforms to AI products. I have never treated UX responsibility in isolation, but always in conjunction with product strategy, technology and business goals.
- coopz (Social Dating App): Mobile-first UX from onboarding through retention, including a gamification concept for profile completion and a chat/notification center — 100,000+ users and a top-3 ranking in the Google Play Store.
- KWC Professional (3D Product Configurator): Made complex configuration and planning flows usable for professional and end customers, including a dedicated mobile UX concept.
- Franke Foodservice Systems: UX architecture for an international B2B platform over 9+ years, including workshops, usability tests and UX audits in agile sprints — 300+ delivered features, 20,000+ products and 10+ languages.
- Lorberg (E-Commerce): Digital repositioning and UX architecture for Europe’s largest tree nursery, including a one-page checkout and project-based order management — 300%+ traffic growth and 40,000 products in the catalog.
- Mina AI: Conversational UX and dialogue architecture for an AI product in the sensitive field of mental health, with 16 specifically designed use cases and interactive prototypes for validating user feedback.
- Studicash: UX and matching logic for a two-sided recruiting marketplace.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Companies Ask Me First
We already have designers on the team — do we still need external design leadership?
Very often, yes. Good designers produce good work — but someone has to connect that work strategically, negotiate with Product and executive management, and own prioritization. That is the gap I fill without replacing existing teams.
How quickly does impact become visible?
Initial structural improvements typically become visible within the first 60 days. A visible pilot project with measurable impact is usually delivered toward the end of the first 90 days — see the process above.
How is this different from a traditional design agency?
An agency delivers projects. I take on leadership responsibility within the company itself — with a seat at the decision-making table, responsibility for the team and accountability to executive management.
How is the collaboration organized?
Depending on the need: as a time-limited mandate to bridge a gap, as ongoing support with reduced hours, or as an advisor alongside executive management. We agree on the setup in the first conversation.
Ways to Work Together
Typical Engagement Models
Design Leadership
Taking on design leadership for a defined period, for example to bridge a vacancy.
UX Advisory
Sparring partner for executive management, product teams and design organizations on strategic questions.
UX Transformation
Building user-centered product and design organizations from the ground up.
Team & Process Building
Professionalize design systems, review processes and collaboration with Engineering.
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Create Better Digital Experiences Together
Whether it is UX strategy, team building or how design can create more impact in your company — let’s talk.