designer / prototyper / leader / entrepreneur
Design leader with a bias for action, driven by data, and grounded in technology.
I am a design executive with 15+ years of experience translating complexity into clarity.
A CAREER IN DESIGN
The journey so far
A practitioner at heart, a systems thinker by training, a player-coach by passion, and a leader by conviction. Strategic, results-driven design leader with 15+ years of experience including years of leading large cross-functional teams and aligning UX vision with business goals to deliver measurable impact.
Recent Publication
Featured as a chaper in 'Chief Design Officers at Work', a book by Jaleh Afshar
This book is sheds light on the challenges design leaders face and how they handle them in different organizations and geographies.
The different interviews cover many topics I have been very curious about - Ranging from creative differences in craft and cultural differences in corporate design functions to organizational challenges unique to different industries.
recent signature achievements
Core Competencies Driving Design Excellence
I’ve built global design organizations, led company-wide transformation efforts, and brought design maturity to engineering-driven cultures.
Building a powerhouse design organization
With a rare blend of deep design expertise and engineering acumen, I bring the ability to attract, recruit, lead, and mentor world-class design talent.
I’ve established and scaled product innovation studios and design organizations from the ground up at global leaders like Nokia, HP, Yahoo! etc. In my latest role, I scaled a distributed multi-layered design org from 3 to 32, spanning 6 countries and 24 brands.
Managing expansive design portfolios
… of 24 brands covering 64 products with 90+ interfaces across the board. All being built in different geographies with shared engineering and product teams.
Impacting culture change
Reporting to the EVP of Product & Development and
operating as part of the Senior Leadership Team, I rolled out changes and defined protocols for product and design to collaborate efficiently.
Supervising Managers and Directors
Identified, mentored and grew leaders who lead teams of designers and researchers spread across multiple design studios in 6 countries - USA, Israel, Northern Ireland, Czech Republic, Estonia, India.
Directed the establishment of a Design Partnership Program
… bringing together Sales teams, Product
teams, Design teams, and Customers to evaluate
ideas and solutions.
Directed a full-scale rebranding
… across corporate and product brands, including a UI overhaul of all products on track for completion within one year.
Drove the AI Design Strategy initiative
… to define standards and protocols for designing AI features across all products in Perforce’s portfolio. This initiative resulted in the development of UI components, UX patterns, and design principles that prioritize user privacy, data control, and transparency.
Catalyzed inorganic team growth
… from Perforce’s mergers/acquisitions and integrated incoming designers, helping them navigate the uncertainties of organizational restructuring.
Established the UX research practice
… with its manager to evangelize and streamline research driven design focussing on both quantitative and qualitative projects.
Defined and operationalized design processes
… and multi-functional partnership frameworks to facilitate the design team to ‘shift-left’.
TESTIMONIALS
Meaningful impact on my teams
Insights from fellow design professionals who have collaborated and grown within my network. Their experiences highlight the tangible outcomes of a shared design vision and leadership.
... I appreciate how you filled in design gaps when resources were sparing by getting your hands dirty and doing some really terrific design work. I appreciate how you advocated for the design team, often facing strong headwinds...
Brian DeVerter
Sr Manager, Product Design | Perforce Software
…It was very clear that you
trusted us as professionals and
had every intention of supporting
us as we adjusted to the new
organization…
…In my time I saw you integrate
the product design teams from two
huge acquisitions. This is no small
feat. To build out a design team
across the world that can support
such a large and diverse portfolio
is remarkable. I have mad respect
for how you sorted through those
logistics and matured a design
practice at the same time…
Joe Wagner
Sr Manager, Product Design | Perforce Software
…Thank you for all that you have taught me, all the opportunities you offered, and most of all, for being a mentor more than a manager. Your teachings have shaped my design practice as well as the management ethos. You will be missed!
Ishani Sathe
Manager, Product Design | Perforce Software
…Your efforts to highlight our team’s work and impact have not gone unnoticed. You consistently supported and uplifted us—not just professionally, but personally as well.
You’ve done an incredible job building the team, establishing strong processes, and demonstrating the value we bring to enhancing the customer experience. I’m truly grateful for all that you’ve done for me and for the team…
Alyssa Moore
Sr. Product Designer | Perforce Software
Our first chat was so inspiring that the decision to join Perforce to have you as a leader was a no-brainer. I am grateful that you brought me into your team…
Paulina Obasi
UX Researcher | Perforce Software
…What’s always stood out is how genuinely interested you are in people. For some reason, I always looked forward to our 1:1s — they felt like a space to share not just work updates, but bits of life, and somehow you’d connect the dots between the personal and the professional with such warmth and calm presence…You’re leaving behind a strong foundation and a team that’ll carry your influence forward….
Abhishek Kanthed
Sr. Product Designer | Perforce Software
…I’ve learned so much from you, not just about design, but about navigating everything that comes with the job. Your guidance has shaped how I show up, think, and move forward, and I’m truly grateful for the trust, space, and support you’ve given along the way…
Manvi Singh
Product Designer | Perforce Software
Thank you so much for everything. You were honestly one of the reasons I decided to join Perforce…
…You encouraged me to maintain a healthy work-life balance. You often said that while work is important, our personal lives and families are just as valuable. That perspective meant a lot to me and I really appreciated it…
Ruby Kurien
Product Designer | Perforce Software
Thank you, Uday, for all your contributions to making, building, growing, and maturing the Product Design to where it is today. Without your guidance nor leadership, we wouldn't be where we are today…
…for the impact that you’ve made and had at Perforce. You’ve built an amazing team – you’ve taken the Product Design team of 1 and built it to the powerful and impactful team that it is today and I’m proud to be a part of. You’ve championed Product Design as a skill and art that Perforcians come to value as critical part of building our products. Your enthusiasm will be missed…
Pintu Sethi
VP Product Design | Perforce Software
FAST FACTS
Portfolio
I owned the design strategy for the portfolio and was responsible for many cross functional initiatives to improve the Product UX culture at Perforce.
24
Brands
64
Products
90+
Interfaces
Team
As part of the Senior Leadership Team reporting to the EVP of Product & Development, led design and research teams across nine countries, managing Directors and Managers.
32
Designers
9
Geographies
7
Timezones
Design Citizenship
Beyond work, I am involved in multiple community initiatives directly and indirectly impacting design and design talent
27
Conferences as speaker
2
Patents awarded
2
Board positions held
8
Startups coached
