Design Meets Business

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