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Design Meets Business is a podcast that inspires designers to think beyond pixels. On this show you'll hear design leaders from all over the world talk about their stories, lessons they've learned during their careers, and how you can use Design to make a bigger impact in your organisation.
41 Episodes
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Steve "Buzz" Pearce is a design leader with 25 years of experience spanning companies like Skype, Microsoft, SkyScanner, TravelPerk, and Monday.com. Since his early days, Steve has chosen to focus on doing great work, learning from amazing people, and being challenged, rather than always seeking promotions. On the last episode of this season we chat about the progression from tools to craft to invention, the accountability ladder framework that changed how he leads, why you need to play the victim less and take ownership more, and his leadership style of leading like a shepherd—guiding people to greener pastures whilst protecting and nurturing the team.Timestamps:02:16 – Steve's career arc07:08 – Proving competence before getting promoted11:16 – The framework: tools, craft, invention, and influence20:44 – Balancing micromanagement with giving space32:16 – Building people up, not crushing them34:50 – Giving permission to be honest and role modelling feedback39:50 – The mental flip: business, team, then yourself40:26 – What to let go of when moving into leadership54:44 – The accountability ladder59:06 – Leading like a shepherd01:00:32 – End of show questionsConnect with SteveLinkedInSelected links from the episodeLeading with Questions, by Michael MarquardtThe Accountability LadderHatch Conference Lisbon 2026
Cap Watkins was most recently VP of Product Design at Lattice, and previously he's held design leadership roles at Amazon, Etsy, BuzzFeed, and Primary.com. Cap started his management career as an experiment after experiencing bad management himself, deciding to do the opposite of everything he'd hated from previous managers. On today's show we chat about the basics of great management, why design lost its craft over the past decade, how senior ICs influence without authority, and how to make any project exciting enough to build your reputation.Timestamps:02:16 – Cap's intro06:46 – Management basics: transparency, showing up, and treating people like adults09:24 – Should you try management or stay on the IC track?12:08 – How to avoid being a bad manager when you're starting out19:24 – Building divisive opinions and culture through transparency20:26 – How senior ICs influence without formal authority25:40 – How design lost its craft and became too strategic28:28 – The hiring crisis: from 1 in 10 to 1 in 100 pass rates36:40 – Making boring projects exciting44:14 – End of show questionsConnect with CapLinkedInSelected links from the episodeManaging Humans, by RandsTurn The Ship Around, by Lt. David MarquetThe Making of a Manager, by Julie Zhou
Matt Davey is Chief Experience Officer at 1Password, where he's been for over 13 years, starting as a part-time contractor and growing alongside the company through multiple chapters of change. On today's show we chat about staying at one company for such a long time and what that means, the importance of self-awareness in recognising when your role has changed, why a healthy tension in a product team is important, how to make 'Good Trouble,' and how AI is reshaping Design.Timestamps:02:14 – Matt's journey at 1Password and growing with the company04:42 – Recognising chapter changes at work08:30 – The loneliness of design leadership and talking to peers11:22 – Doing what you want to be doing and giving away responsibilities17:48 – Storytelling and getting buy-in from execs29:36 – Building products without much data38:06 – Good trouble and healthy tension54:06 – How AI is changing Design01:07:32 – End of show questionsConnect with MattWebsiteSelected links from the episodeMaking Good TroubleWhat you can expect to work on as a 1Password intern1Password Careers
Jennifer Darmour is VP of Design at Oracle Health, where she's reimagining the healthcare experience. Jennifer has developed a distinct point of view on design through three pillars: beauty, meaning, and wellness. On today's show we chat about building culture that sustains craft, why good debates lead to better design, how AI is reshaping creativity, and what designers should double down on.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro02:40 – Jennifer's journey from journalism to design08:26 – The three pillars: beauty, meaning, and wellness14:22 – Building culture that sustains craft28:16 – Why good debates and healthy conflict matter in design42:34 – Leading design in complex healthcare systems56:18 – AI's role in creativity and what it will never be good at01:04:12 – Presenting work and getting meaningful feedback01:06:44 – End of show questionsConnect with JenniferLinkedInWebsiteSelected links from the episodeHow to argue using the RISA framework
Rachel Been is Expedia's SVP of Design. Previously, she was one of the designers who laid the foundations for Google's Material Design, and has worked across products at Airbnb, Google Home, and Nest. Starting her career as a photojournalist, Rachel brings a unique perspective to product design, grounded in curiosity and craft. On today's show we chat about designing for infinite expressiveness, the tension between craft and efficiency, the power of curiosity over specialisation, and what AI should and shouldn't be able to do.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro02:22 – Rachel's journey from photojournalism to design05:42 – The power of curiosity and being a generalist09:16 – Designing for infinity and infinite expressiveness18:34 – The tension between craft and efficiency in design28:22 – Material Design's impact and evolution35:48 – AI-powered search and building AI products at Expedia42:16 – The future of search and conversational interfaces48:24 – End of show questionsConnect with RachelLinkedInSelected links from the episodeExpedia in ChatGPTCarly Ayres' essay on the great design reset.
Jehad Affoneh is Chief Design Officer at Toast, where he leads design across product, platform, and culture. Previously, he held design leadership roles at VMware and other complex B2B companies. Starting his career as an engineer, Jehad brings a unique perspective to design, viewing it fundamentally as problem solving. On today's show we chat about the transition from engineering to design, the value of being multilingual across disciplines, organisational design, and how AI is transforming the way teams build products.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro02:08 – Jehad's journey from engineering to design leadership05:32 – Being multilingual across disciplines and bridging gaps09:48 – Organisational design and how teams should be structured20:16 – The role of design systems and platforms at scale31:44 – Leading design in complex B2B environments42:22 – How AI is changing product building and design tools52:18 – The future of AI agents and conversational interfaces58:02 – End of show questionsConnect with JehadLinkedIn
Vuokko Aro is Chief Design Officer at Monzo, where she has led the design function for nearly a decade through hypergrowth from startup to one of the UK's most loved fintech brands. She oversees a team of over 100 people across product design, brand design, and user research. On today's show we chat about scaling design teams, building trust through transparency, the value of constraints, and how to focus on strengths rather than weaknesses as you grow in your career.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro02:26 – Vuokko's journey into design and joining Monzo06:16 – Building in the open and transparency as a core value11:42 – Scaling design whilst maintaining craft and quality23:12 – Building design culture and protecting craft at scale37:44 – Managing stakeholders and navigating disagreement48:36 – Transitioning from IC to leadership and learning to let go55:48 – Career development and focusing on strengths01:03:22 – End of show questionsConnect with VuokkoLinkedInSelected links from the episodeThe Monzo Book of Money
Andrea Mangini is a design and creative leader whose career spans some of the most design-driven companies in the world — from Adobe and Autodesk to Netflix and Shopify. She’s led teams that built the tools and experiences shaping how people create, design, and build. Andrea’s work focuses on design craft, leadership, and helping teams find courage in the uncomfortable parts of growth. She believes great design comes from curiosity, collaboration, and a willingness to keep learning, even when the path isn’t clear.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro and Andrea’s career arc06:45 – Taking risks and embracing discomfort13:20 – Reframing imposter syndrome18:40 – Balancing stability and growth24:50 – The importance of collaboration, improvisation, and jamming with others31:10 – Designing at the speed of conversation38:20 – Learning to let go: not every problem needs to be solved46:40 – Balancing collaboration with impact48:10 – Leading craft at scale54:00 – Reflections on growth, curiosity, and keeping design human72:38 – End of show questionsConnect with AndreaLinkedInSelected links from the episodeMidjourney11LabsKREA
Josh is a super designer who believes the best ideas come from collaboration and play. Over his career, he’s worked across agencies and tech companies such as Google, ZOE, and Booking.com, helping teams find energy and originality in their process rather than following rigid methods. His approach to design blends experimentation, curiosity, and a love for building things together. Today, he sets the foundations for AI in Healthcare at Microsoft.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro and about Josh05:10 – How early experiences shaped his approach to creativity and experimentation10:25 – Breaking away from process16:30 – Jamming and working together23:00 – Iteration, failure, and confidence through experimentation29:40 – Designing for emotion and joy36:00 – Building psychological safety and low-ego collaboration42:20 – How design culture shapes product outcomes48:00 – Creativity outside of work and where inspiration comes from50:00 – AI as a design partner and what human context still mattersConnect with JoshLinkedInInstagram
Avi Ashkenazi is a design leader who’s spent his career moving between hardware, software, and strategy—always focused on how teams turn ideas into real products. He’s led design at global companies and helped build teams that work across both physical and digital experiences. Today, Avi leads design at Deel, where he’s shaping how millions of people get hired, paid, and supported around the world. His work is about creating simple, human experiences in complex systems and helping designers stay curious while scaling their impact.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro05:10 – Lessons from working across hardware, software, and physical spaces09:20 – How curiosity and iteration shaped his approach to design leadership13:40 – Building design teams that collaborate across disciplines17:55 – The role of storytelling and empathy in influencing business outcomes22:30 – Designing for trust and simplicity27:45 – How Deel approaches product design33:10 – Balancing craft with speed38:20 – What good design leadership looks like in distributed teams43:00 – Reflections on curiosity, growth, and keeping design human55:34 – End of show questionsConnect with AviLinkedInSelected links from the episodeShape Up, by Ryan SingerMultipliers, by Liz WisemanTools Avi mentionedNotebookLMGenway AIBagel AIWhisk AIWeavy AIMobbin
J.B. Chaykowsky is a design and product leader with over two decades of experience spanning architecture, technology, and fintech. He spent more than 10 years at Intuit, where he led global design teams across the UK and France, shaping products for accountants and small businesses. Today, as Director of Creative & Design at Redpin, he’s focused on building a global real-estate payment platform that connects people across borders. Beyond his leadership roles, J.B. writes about creativity, design leadership, and the intersection of AI and craft—helping designers think more deeply, work with greater intent, and build products that reflect the people they serve.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro06:45 – Early lessons: creativity, writing, and how wayfinding shaped his design thinking10:00 – The rise of AI in design: adoption phase, experimentation, and the gap between good and great17:15 – What AI means for designers’ roles and careers22:00 – How AI could empower design founders27:00 – Deep thinking & using AI as a creative partner40:20 – The future of design systems47:30 – Craft, taste, and creating products with soul in an AI-driven world55:00 – Building “real teams”66:17 – End of show questionsConnect with J.B.LinkedIn, WebsiteSelected links from the episodeAI-Generated “Workslop” Is Destroying ProductivityReal Teams, J.B.'s post
Ryan is the founder of Accelerate Design Company. He's a Product and Design leader who brought food photography, live-order tracking, and remote driver training to DoorDash, launched step-function improvements to Airbnb’s checkout, messaging, search, and host calendar products, and launched products at TechCrunch Disrupt, Dreamforce, and WWDC. Ryan has led teams of all sizes, from two to 200, and is now advising companies on product management, design, and go-to-market strategy, as well as helping mid-career designers develop business skills to do more influential work and have more meaningful careers.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro02:39 – Ryan's career and his thoughts on design education08:03 – Describing the ROI of Design – his course for designers14:57 – Gaining credibility by connecting design to business metrics24:17 – Tailoring tactics for your specific environment28:28 – Pursuing stakeholders through building good relationships with them30:45 – How does Design work at the different companies he worked 39:00 – The befits of scrapping incremental testing43:34 – Assessing the quality of a team before joining47:15 – On Accelerate Design company, his new business53:06 – End of show questions.Connect with RyanLinkedIn, Accelerate DesignSelected links from the episodeDescribing the ROI of Design, Ryan's course
Doug has been in the Design world for 30 years and is well known for his role as VP of Design at IBM, where he oversaw IBM's design practice, design career and leadership programs, and the scaling of cross-functional design thinking practices. Doug is a role model for many design leaders and someone I've been looking up to for many years. Having him on the show is such an honour.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro02:32 – The three chapters in Doug's career09:35 – Building good relationships at work13:18 – The environment needed for designers to do great work20:44 – The role coaching played for him and how he's coached others27:13 – How do you know when a report is ready for a promotion36:04 – An overview of the work done at IBM by Design 42:16 – The role of ethics in Design48:13 – Design in the age of AI51:04 – End of show questions.Connect with DougLinkedInSelected links from the episodeThis is a Prototype Podcast (Apple, Spotify, Google)The Making of a Manager, by Julie ZhouThe Total Economic Impact Of IBM’s Design Thinking Practice, by Forrester
Dan is a seasoned designer with over 20 years of experience in leading teams at companies such as Farfetch, Just Eat, Wonderbly, and Fresha. Until very recently Dan ran a small design studio – Rubber Studio. In today's chat we get a behind the scenes view into the life of a studio owner, what's important when trying to find work, and how your life as a designer can change if you decide to start a studio yourself.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro02:38 – Dan's journey into Design05:43 – His thoughts on Design education08:28 – His journey as a studio owner19:44 – What you need to know before starting a studio32:32 – What's important when pitching for work43:39 – On his talk about innovation at Hatch Conference46:36 – End of show questionsConnect with DanLinkedInSelected links from the episodeChris DoJust enough research, by Erika HallSupermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon (Documentary Trailer)Dan Tase: Why Innovation Fails? (And what can we do about it) – Talk at Hatch Conference
Dan is a seasoned design executive who's led teams at Microsoft, Google, UnitedHealth Group, Walmart, and Lloyd's, among others. From working on the Surface Tablet, starting Project ARA at Google, leading the efforts to redesign Walmart.com, and more recently writing his own book, Uplifting Design, Dan believes in the importance of Design at the core of any business, and that's what we're talking about today. We also chat in detail about how his design team has doubled conversion for walmart.com, and about why he believes that you should look at your career from a perspective of two year stretches.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro02:42 – Dan's journey into Design04:06 – Why Dan thinks Design is at the core of business09:11 – The forces that come down to devalue Design15:51 – Companies that show Design matters23:24 – Designing software vs. hardware and how compassion fits into this42:54 – On the redesign of Walmart.com51:29 – Dan's new book, Uplifting Design56:08 – Managing your career in two-year stretches01:04:18 – End of show questionsConnect with DanLinkedIn, Uplifting.Design, WebsiteSelected links from the episodeNeolMcKinsey Design ReportFuelling Creative Renewal Report
Lea is a Product & Growth Consultant with a massive proven track record of helping companies get traction. Today we talk about experimentation frameworks, how to build better relationships with Product, and about what kinds of designers are best to collaborate with.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro02:36 – Lea's journey into Product03:37 – On working for one company vs. consulting 07:06 – Lea's definition of Product10:50 – Building relationships with Product19:18 – The ideal designer to work with25:08 – On experimentation47:39 – The importance of quality in a product52:39 – End of show questionsConnect with LeaLinkedIn
Maria is a Product Design Leader at Turo and Founder of Careercoach.design. In this episode get to talk about the rise of the Player-Coach Designer, about building better relationships at work, about coaching, and we also talk about practical advice on how to approach your job search. Timestamps:00:00 – Intro02:18 – Maria's journey into Design04:28 – On Player-Coach Designers12:43 – Maria's thoughts on Design leadership19:21 – Building relationships at work23:44 – Giving and receiving feedback30:27 – Maria's practice as a Coach34:10 – On finding a job48:36 – Demystifying interview questions54:24 – How to negotiate your salary56:58 – End of show questionsConnect with MariaLinkedIn, CareerCoach.DesignSelected links from the episodeDemystifying common design interview questions, by Maria
Alastair Simpson is a design leader and mentor, serving as VP of Design at Dropbox. Prior to Dropbox, Alastair was Head of Design at Atlassian, where he helped scale the design team from 20 to over 250. On today's show we chat about craft and how important it is for designers at any level, persuasion, how to present work, and how to deal with puzzling feedback.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro02:28 – Alastair's journey into Design06:34 – On building the right habits11:24 – Sharing work, getting feedback, and storytelling27:45 – How to get good at presenting work31:44 – Soft skills that are important for designers33:56 – Craft of Design vs. surgical optimisation41:29 – Leading through craft47:16 – The importance of inspiring others50:06 – What Alastair hopes will happen over the next decade52:02 – End of show questionsConnect with AlastairLinkedIn, MediumSelected links from the episodeThe one critical skill most designers overlook, by AlastairInfluence: The Psychology of Persuasion, by Robert CialdiniStart With Why, by Simon SinekAtomic Habits, by James Clear
Sean has spent the past 25 years at the intersection of commerce, consumer behaviour, and data-driven feedback loops. This included working for Tesco, GfK, and two long stints with Amazon, among others. In this chat we talk about how design can better work with product, how to speak the language of our senior stakeholders, and what he's learned about hiring from interviewing over a thousand people at Amazon.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro03:54 – How does Product act differently in small vs. in big companies05:53 – Interviewing others as a Bar Raiser at Amazon10:55 – Portfolios – How do you get to the bottom of study cases?13:24 – The one question Sean likes to ask in interviews17:58 – How does a good relationship between Design and Product look like?29:58 – Challenges that Product faces when they deal with Design49:10 – Making it 'cheap' to be wrong53:23 – Why sometimes Design reports to Product56:53 – End of show questions.Connect with SeanLinkedInSelected notes from the episodeSean's 10 Product Development Principles (to create the right culture and velocity):1. Solve the right user need2. Measurable accountability to outcomes3. Release value in slices (avoid long bets)4. Put data in the hands of decision makers5. Build once, run everywhere6. Make it cheap to be wrong 7. Build it fast AND proper8. Extreme focus on top priorities9. Simplify, simplify, simplify10. Be credible
We're switching gears a little from Design and catch up with Tom Scott, who's sharing his thoughts on building and using your network for your job search, the rise of the player-coach designer, and his thoughts on design education.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro03:52 – Community approach in recruitment09:30 – The current state of design recruitment13:56 – Portfolios – Do you need them?23:04 – How to build and use your network for your job search29:51 – The rise of the player-coach designer36:51 – On design education44:28 – End of show questionsConnect with TomLinkedIn, Verified, Verified Insights, Verified Insider PodcastSelected links from the episodeWhy You Shouldn’t Hire Junior Designers, by Christian Vasile
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