Design leader and UX specialist.
CV
Professional Summary
I'm a people-oriented leader with 22 years of experience in UX and design and more than 10 years in strategic, leadership roles. I love working where there is a worthwhile mission, with organisational values that align with my own: human, sustainable, transparent, accessible and fair.
I speak publicly and offer mentoring to the global design community.
Specialties: Design Leadership, Product Design, UX, Design Ops, Digital Transformation, Design Systems, Service Design
Experience
Mar 2023 - Present
Group Head of User Experience
Spirax Sarco (Strategy, Leadership, Culture, IOT, AI)
In my current role, I am responsible for defining and executing the UX strategy across a multi-national FTSE 100 engineering group. I lead a multidisciplinary team of researchers, designers, and developers, delivering user-centred digital experiences across Spirax Group’s global business units. I work closely with senior leadership, product owners, and technical teams to plan, prioritise, and deliver solutions that drive business value and align with our corporate brand and strategy. I introduced DesignOps practices to streamline workflows and created and launched the Group’s first design system, now adopted by global development teams to create cohesive and scalable experiences. Solutions delivered include IIoT platforms, AI-powered chatbots, mobile apps, e-commerce, and web experiences -all grounded in a strong understanding of user needs and complex technical domains.
Jan 2019 - Dec 2022
Head of Product Design
Curtis Fitch (Ecommerce, Productivity)
Responsible for all design strategy and execution across a range of digital solutions. I recruited and led the in-house product and design teams, working with additional partners to design all product experiences, including an online auction platform on which more than US$500 million of rough diamonds is sold each year. I was heavily involved in a major digital transformation program with De Beers, including a B2C jewellery marketplace.
Oct 2018 - Mar 2024
Founder, Director
Research & Experience Design Ltd
I founded RED to provide a wide range of consultancy services across product and user research and experience design, working with local agencies, helping them to grow and scale.
Oct 2013 - Oct 2018
Head of User Experience
Iress, Fintech
I grew and led a global team of researchers, UX consultants, visual designers, and front-end developers, introducing design processes and scaleable ways of working. Operating initially as a centralised function, I successfully integrated research and design roles into the main product teams and introduced a global design system.
July 2010 - Oct 2013
Senior Design Manager
BAE Systems Applied Intelligence (Agency)
The UK's largest design and build agency (formerly known as Detica) at the time. I led teams designing solutions for a range of clients, including national security, fintech, telco, health, entertainment, transport and financial services.
2000-2010
Various UX design roles
In-house and agency
Following university, I held design and UX roles at various companies and agencies.
Special Projects
Sept 2018 - Present
Head of Experience
Cheltenham Design Festival
The Cheltenham Design Festival is a blend of talks, panels, and workshops featuring international and local design figures. I am responsible for the overall experience of festival attendees - speakers, visitors, and the students who attend the academy sessions. I occasionally speak at the festival and take part in Q&A panels.
Sept 2019 - Present
Trustee
Cheltenham Design Foundation
The Cheltenham Design Foundation is a charitable trust that serves to promote the benefits of design and creativity to people from all backgrounds. The Design Academy, the Foundation’s free Saturday school for young people, gives 14-16 year olds the opportunity to explore a wide range of creative subjects under the guidance of professional designers.
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The culmination of the Academy year is an exhibition of work as well as an awards ceremony at which all students are recognised for their contribution. Academy attendance is high, with the sessions met with extreme positivity by students, parents and teachers.
June 2016
Volunteer - Rebrand Project
The James Hopkins Trust is a local charity that provides nursing respite care for Gloucestershire's life-limited and life-threatened young children.
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Following a voluntary day on site, I organised a team of volunteer designers to modernise the charity's brand. The nature of the organisation means there is a lot of sentiment and emotion attached to it so we had to work carefully. We engaged with volunteers and the staff at the Trust to understand the vision, mission, and values. We explored colour palettes and tone of voice through magazine tears and mood boarding. I presented the new brand to the trustees and service users where it was very well received and has been in use since 2016.
Education
2000
University of Gloucestershire
BSc Computing with Multimedia
Interests
My passion for design extends outside work and I read a lot about areas I'm not experienced in, particularly about the design of cities and physical urban spaces.
I coach two local football teams - one girls' and one boys' and we have a family season ticket to Cheltenham Town football club.
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I am trying to learn the piano. I collect records. I paint (badly) and am about to throw myself into creative writing.