Joao Simons
Design director, Ai Expert
Joao Simons
Design director, Ai Expert
AVAILABLE FOR CONSULTING
Product and Design Director pioneering Ai-driven innovation.
15+ years leading high-performance teams and driving results across global consultancies and tech innovators: McKinsey & Company, BCG, Daimler, Commerzbank. Turning complex challenges into exceptional user experiences and business outcomes.
Joao Simons
Design director, Ai Expert
AVAILABLE FOR CONSULTING
Product and Design Director pioneering Ai-driven innovation.
15+ years leading high-performance teams and driving results across global consultancies and tech innovators: McKinsey & Company, BCG, Daimler, Commerzbank. Turning complex challenges into exceptional user experiences and business outcomes.
Good Design is invisible. Much like a good WiFi signal—always there, never noticed, always useful.
01 — VALUES
01 — VALUES
01 — VALUES
What I believe in.
Purpose
Design isn't just what I do—it's how I see the world. What drives me is finding that sweet spot where business needs and human desires meet.
I'm constantly pushing beyond the obvious to create experiences that genuinely improve how people interact with technology, bringing both functional excellence and thoughtful creativity to each challenge.
Purpose
Design isn't just what I do—it's how I see the world. What drives me is finding that sweet spot where business needs and human desires meet.
I'm constantly pushing beyond the obvious to create experiences that genuinely improve how people interact with technology, bringing both functional excellence and thoughtful creativity to each challenge.
Purpose
Design isn't just what I do—it's how I see the world. What drives me is finding that sweet spot where business needs and human desires meet.
I'm constantly pushing beyond the obvious to create experiences that genuinely improve how people interact with technology, bringing both functional excellence and thoughtful creativity to each challenge.
Vision
I'm working towards a future where exceptional design becomes democratized—not just for tech giants with massive resources.
My goal is to make transformative design accessible across industries, bridging strategic thinking with hands-on craft to create solutions that turn everyday interactions into meaningful experiences.
Vision
To democratize Design by creating a future where innovative design solutions transforms everyday experiences into extraordinary ones, inspiring and empowering people.
Vision
I'm working towards a future where exceptional design becomes democratized—not just for tech giants with massive resources.
My goal is to make transformative design accessible across industries, bridging strategic thinking with hands-on craft to create solutions that turn everyday interactions into meaningful experiences.
Mission
I build teams where ambitious designers thrive through a balance of clear direction and creative freedom.
My leadership combines inspiration with rigor—setting high standards while providing the environment and motivation to exceed them. The result: cohesive teams that consistently deliver work that matters on both human and business levels.
Mission
To lead a team of visionary designers in crafting exceptional, user-centered designs that not only meet but anticipate user’s needs, ensuring the work is executed with precision, creativity, and a deep understanding of the company’s vision.
Mission
I build teams where ambitious designers thrive through a balance of clear direction and creative freedom.
My leadership combines inspiration with rigor—setting high standards while providing the environment and motivation to exceed them. The result: cohesive teams that consistently deliver work that matters on both human and business levels.
02 — LEADERSHIP STYLE
02 — LEADERSHIP STYLE
02 — LEADERSHIP STYLE
Transform. Empower. Deliver.
Creating empowered Design teams that deliver excellence
Vision-Driven Direction
I craft clear strategies that bridge business goals and design innovation. My teams succeed because we set bold targets with tangible metrics. This isn't about abstract design thinking—it's about creating a compelling direction that pushes creative boundaries while delivering real organizational growth.
Vision-Driven Direction
I craft clear strategies that bridge business goals and design innovation. My teams succeed because we set bold targets with tangible metrics. This isn't about abstract design thinking—it's about creating a compelling direction that pushes creative boundaries while delivering real organizational growth.
Vision-Driven Direction
I craft clear strategies that bridge business goals and design innovation. My teams succeed because we set bold targets with tangible metrics. This isn't about abstract design thinking—it's about creating a compelling direction that pushes creative boundaries while delivering real organizational growth.
Collaborative Empowerment
Strong teams need both structure and freedom. I've learned that the best solutions emerge when diverse perspectives collide in a supportive environment. My approach: provide clear guardrails, then create space for everyone's expertise to shine, ensuring we stay aligned with strategic priorities without stifling creativity.
Collaborative Empowerment
Strong teams need both structure and freedom. I've learned that the best solutions emerge when diverse perspectives collide in a supportive environment. My approach: provide clear guardrails, then create space for everyone's expertise to shine, ensuring we stay aligned with strategic priorities without stifling creativity.
Collaborative Empowerment
Strong teams need both structure and freedom. I've learned that the best solutions emerge when diverse perspectives collide in a supportive environment. My approach: provide clear guardrails, then create space for everyone's expertise to shine, ensuring we stay aligned with strategic priorities without stifling creativity.
Technical Mentorship
You can't lead what you don't understand. My hands-on experience informs my leadership style, allowing me to guide technical decisions without micromanaging. I've built my career on raising the bar for excellence while developing the capabilities that help teams tackle increasingly complex challenges.
Technical Mentorship
You can't lead what you don't understand. My hands-on experience informs my leadership style, allowing me to guide technical decisions without micromanaging. I've built my career on raising the bar for excellence while developing the capabilities that help teams tackle increasingly complex challenges.
Technical Mentorship
You can't lead what you don't understand. My hands-on experience informs my leadership style, allowing me to guide technical decisions without micromanaging. I've built my career on raising the bar for excellence while developing the capabilities that help teams tackle increasingly complex challenges.
Adaptive Governance
Rigid processes kill innovation. I build frameworks that provide enough structure to scale while maintaining the flexibility to pivot when needed. This balance—between consistency and adaptability—has been key to navigating shifting market conditions and evolving user needs across every team I've led.
Adaptive Governance
Rigid processes kill innovation. I build frameworks that provide enough structure to scale while maintaining the flexibility to pivot when needed. This balance—between consistency and adaptability—has been key to navigating shifting market conditions and evolving user needs across every team I've led.
Adaptive Governance
Rigid processes kill innovation. I build frameworks that provide enough structure to scale while maintaining the flexibility to pivot when needed. This balance—between consistency and adaptability—has been key to navigating shifting market conditions and evolving user needs across every team I've led.
02 — OUTCOMES
02 — OUTCOMES
02 — OUTCOMES
How I transformed complexity into competitive advantage, delivering measurable results that drive growth.
AI
SPREAD AI
Revolutionizing industrial product development with Ai engineering intelligence
Role:
Head of Design leading a Design department of 4 product Designers, 1 UX researcher and 1 branding Designer
Head of Design leading a Design department of 4 product Designers, 1 UX researcher and 1 branding Designer
Impact:
Achieve 1000% (10x) improvement in key operational metrics through AI-powered transformation of siloed engineering data into actionable insights.
Achieve 1000% (10x) improvement in key operational metrics through AI-powered transformation of siloed engineering data into actionable insights.
Reduce time-to-market for new products by 35% through early identification of cross-domain gaps and enhanced visibility across the development lifecycle.
Reduce time-to-market for new products by 35% through early identification of cross-domain gaps and enhanced visibility across the development lifecycle.
Decrease error searching time by 75% via intelligent fault identification and contextual knowledge delivery at the point of need.
Decrease error searching time by 75% via intelligent fault identification and contextual knowledge delivery at the point of need.
SaaS
MCKINSEY AND COMPANY
Transforming the global Design service intake platform of McKinsey & Company
Role:
Design Lead overseeing a team of 2 product Designers and 1 UI Designer
Design Lead overseeing a team of 2 product Designers and 1 UI Designer
Impact:
70% increase in user satisfaction using internal services
70% increase in user satisfaction using internal services
20% recuction in information mismatch and rework
20% recuction in information mismatch and rework
Partenered with Figma raising Design tool adoption by 40% and reducing costs by 60%
Partenered with Figma raising Design tool adoption by 40% and reducing costs by 60%
Mobile App
Siemens
Humanising Technology for Workplace Productivity
Humanising Technology for Workplace Productivity
Role:
Role:
Lead Product Designer in a team of 4 Designers
Lead Product Designer in a team of 4 Designers
Impact:
Impact:
Increased workplace productivity by 27% through optimized meeting scheduling
Increased workplace productivity by 27% through optimized meeting scheduling
Reduced time spent on meeting organization by 43% via smart automation
Reduced time spent on meeting organization by 43% via smart automation
Achieved 94% user satisfaction rating during initial implementation phase
Achieved 94% user satisfaction rating during initial implementation phase
OPERATIONS
SPREAD AI
Talent development of a world class Design department
Talent development of a world class Design department
Role:
Role:
Head of Design leading a Design department of 4 product Designers, 1 UX researcher and 1 branding Designer
Head of Design leading a Design department of 4 product Designers, 1 UX researcher and 1 branding Designer
Impact:
Impact:
80% of designers complete at least two upskilling courses per year
80% of designers complete at least two upskilling courses per year
100% Designer satisfaction with the new career development process
100% Designer satisfaction with the new career development process
Cross-functional project participation rises by 60%
Cross-functional project participation rises by 60%
My digital arsenal
The tools behind the transformation. I've built this collection over years of practice, constantly refining it as technology evolves. These aren't just apps I've dabbled with—they're instruments I've mastered and integrated into effective leadership methodologies. The value isn't in the tools themselves, but in how they're strategically deployed to solve complex design challenges.
03 — SKILL SET
03 — SKILL SET
03 — SKILL SET
The core competencies and methodologies behind my approach to Design, ai and leadership.
Operations
/
01
Orchestrating Design excellence through high-performance Teams
I've built my approach to operations on a simple truth: exceptional design requires exceptional teams. It's not just about hiring talent—it's about creating the conditions where talent flourishes and delivers consistent results. Each element below represents practices I've refined across organizations of varying sizes and complexities.
Leadership and talent development
Design Culture
Process optimization
Cross-functional collaboration
AI workflow automation & integration
Performance measurement
Vendor & partnership strategy
Operations
/
01
Orchestrating Design excellence through high-performance Teams
I've built my approach to operations on a simple truth: exceptional design requires exceptional teams. It's not just about hiring talent—it's about creating the conditions where talent flourishes and delivers consistent results. Each element below represents practices I've refined across organizations of varying sizes and complexities.
Leadership and talent development
Design Culture
Process optimization
Cross-functional collaboration
AI workflow automation & integration
Performance measurement
Vendor & partnership strategy
Operations
/
01
Orchestrating Design excellence through high-performance Teams
I've built my approach to operations on a simple truth: exceptional design requires exceptional teams. It's not just about hiring talent—it's about creating the conditions where talent flourishes and delivers consistent results. Each element below represents practices I've refined across organizations of varying sizes and complexities.
Leadership and talent development
Design Culture
Process optimization
Cross-functional collaboration
AI workflow automation & integration
Performance measurement
Vendor & partnership strategy
Operations
/
01
Orchestrating Design excellence through high-performance Teams
I've built my approach to operations on a simple truth: exceptional design requires exceptional teams. It's not just about hiring talent—it's about creating the conditions where talent flourishes and delivers consistent results. Each element below represents practices I've refined across organizations of varying sizes and complexities.
Leadership and talent development
Design Culture
Process optimization
Cross-functional collaboration
AI workflow automation & integration
Performance measurement
Vendor & partnership strategy
Strategy
/
02
Transforming organizational vision into actionable design strategy
Strategy fails when it exists only in slide decks. My approach bridges the gap between abstract business objectives and tangible design actions. After years of navigating corporate priorities and market realities, I've developed frameworks that connect business metrics to creative exploration in ways that drive measurable impact.
Values & vision alignment
AI-enhanced research methodologies
Strategic positioning
Customer journey mapping
Experimentation & validation frameworks
Business acumen
Ethical design leadership
Strategy
/
02
Transforming organizational vision into actionable design strategy
Strategy fails when it exists only in slide decks. My approach bridges the gap between abstract business objectives and tangible design actions. After years of navigating corporate priorities and market realities, I've developed frameworks that connect business metrics to creative exploration in ways that drive measurable impact.
Values & vision alignment
AI-enhanced research methodologies
Strategic positioning
Customer journey mapping
Experimentation & validation frameworks
Business acumen
Ethical design leadership
Execution
/
03
Delivering Design excellence through systematic implementation
Even brilliant strategy falls apart without disciplined execution. I've learned—sometimes the hard way—that implementing design at scale requires systems that balance creative freedom with operational consistency. These practices have emerged from leading complex initiatives where delivery quality directly impacted business success.
Innovation management
Design systems
UX/UI Expertise
AI-accelerated prototyping & development
Prompt engineering & generative design
Documentation
Monitoring & UX analytics
Execution
/
03
Delivering Design excellence through systematic implementation
Even brilliant strategy falls apart without disciplined execution. I've learned—sometimes the hard way—that implementing design at scale requires systems that balance creative freedom with operational consistency. These practices have emerged from leading complex initiatives where delivery quality directly impacted business success.
Innovation management
Design systems
UX/UI Expertise
AI-accelerated prototyping & development
Prompt engineering & generative design
Documentation
Monitoring & UX analytics
Communication
/
04
Evangelizing Design's strategic value across the organization
Design thrives when it's understood beyond the design team. Throughout my career, I've seen how intentional communication transforms design from a service function to a strategic driver. These approaches have helped me secure executive buy-in, align cross-functional teams, and elevate design's role across organizations.
Executive engagement
Design advocacy
Stakeholder management
External representation
Crisis management & adaptability
Human-AI collaboration facilitation
AI-powered data visualization & storytelling
Communication
/
04
Evangelizing Design's strategic value across the organization
Design thrives when it's understood beyond the design team. Throughout my career, I've seen how intentional communication transforms design from a service function to a strategic driver. These approaches have helped me secure executive buy-in, align cross-functional teams, and elevate design's role across organizations.
Executive engagement
Design advocacy
Stakeholder management
External representation
Crisis management & adaptability
Human-AI collaboration facilitation
AI-powered data visualization & storytelling
Strategy
/
02
Transforming organizational vision into actionable design strategy
Strategy fails when it exists only in slide decks. My approach bridges the gap between abstract business objectives and tangible design actions. After years of navigating corporate priorities and market realities, I've developed frameworks that connect business metrics to creative exploration in ways that drive measurable impact.
Values & vision alignment
AI-enhanced research methodologies
Strategic positioning
Customer journey mapping
Experimentation & validation frameworks
Business acumen
Ethical design leadership
Strategy
/
02
Transforming organizational vision into actionable design strategy
Strategy fails when it exists only in slide decks. My approach bridges the gap between abstract business objectives and tangible design actions. After years of navigating corporate priorities and market realities, I've developed frameworks that connect business metrics to creative exploration in ways that drive measurable impact.
Values & vision alignment
AI-enhanced research methodologies
Strategic positioning
Customer journey mapping
Experimentation & validation frameworks
Business acumen
Ethical design leadership
Execution
/
03
Delivering Design excellence through systematic implementation
Even brilliant strategy falls apart without disciplined execution. I've learned—sometimes the hard way—that implementing design at scale requires systems that balance creative freedom with operational consistency. These practices have emerged from leading complex initiatives where delivery quality directly impacted business success.
Innovation management
Design systems
UX/UI Expertise
AI-accelerated prototyping & development
Prompt engineering & generative design
Documentation
Monitoring & UX analytics
Execution
/
03
Delivering Design excellence through systematic implementation
Even brilliant strategy falls apart without disciplined execution. I've learned—sometimes the hard way—that implementing design at scale requires systems that balance creative freedom with operational consistency. These practices have emerged from leading complex initiatives where delivery quality directly impacted business success.
Innovation management
Design systems
UX/UI Expertise
AI-accelerated prototyping & development
Prompt engineering & generative design
Documentation
Monitoring & UX analytics
Communication
/
04
Evangelizing Design's strategic value across the organization
Design thrives when it's understood beyond the design team. Throughout my career, I've seen how intentional communication transforms design from a service function to a strategic driver. These approaches have helped me secure executive buy-in, align cross-functional teams, and elevate design's role across organizations.
Executive engagement
Design advocacy
Stakeholder management
External representation
Crisis management & adaptability
Human-AI collaboration facilitation
AI-powered data visualization & storytelling
Communication
/
04
Evangelizing Design's strategic value across the organization
Design thrives when it's understood beyond the design team. Throughout my career, I've seen how intentional communication transforms design from a service function to a strategic driver. These approaches have helped me secure executive buy-in, align cross-functional teams, and elevate design's role across organizations.
Executive engagement
Design advocacy
Stakeholder management
External representation
Crisis management & adaptability
Human-AI collaboration facilitation
AI-powered data visualization & storytelling
03 — TESTIMONIALS
03 — TESTIMONIALS
03 — TESTIMONIALS
Success stories told by others
I have been very fortunate to work under Joao at SPREAD as a Senior Product Designer and I can safely say that he has been the best manager I have ever had. He is not only an exceptional designer, but also an inspirational leader and motivator who I have always looked up to and continue to do so
Katja Bruhn
Senior Product Designer - SPREAD Ai
As anyone who’s been in the position of hiring designers would know, the combination of raw creative talent, mastery of the plethora of available design tools, and exceptional sense for user experience; is indeed a rare talent. João is that talent, the complete package.
John Ngo
Product Design Lead - McKinsey & Co.
Joao is one of the fastest product designers I worked with...We worked on the journeys and features of six digital products together and his attention to details was always super helpful..If you have him on your team, count yourself lucky and just implement what he comes up with.
Ahmet Acar
Principal Advisor
I had the pleasure to work together with Joao on an intense 9-week project where he was brought on to support the design stream and bring our ideas to life...Joao works "smart" meaning that he creates fantastic output but also makes sure as a team we are heading in the right direction with design elements and visuals.
Adrien D.
Director & General Manager - BCG X
Joao not only inspired and led a large design team during my time at the company but also demonstrated an incredible passion for his work. He consistently found innovative solutions to challenging problems, maintained a strong customer focus, and had a visionary approach to software design.
Marc Sommer
Product Manager - SPREAD Ai
I have been very fortunate to work under Joao at SPREAD as a Senior Product Designer and I can safely say that he has been the best manager I have ever had. He is not only an exceptional designer, but also an inspirational leader and motivator who I have always looked up to and continue to do so
Katja Bruhn
Senior Product Designer - SPREAD Ai
As anyone who’s been in the position of hiring designers would know, the combination of raw creative talent, mastery of the plethora of available design tools, and exceptional sense for user experience; is indeed a rare talent. João is that talent, the complete package.
John Ngo
Product Design Lead - McKinsey & Co.
Joao is one of the fastest product designers I worked with...We worked on the journeys and features of six digital products together and his attention to details was always super helpful..If you have him on your team, count yourself lucky and just implement what he comes up with.
Ahmet Acar
Principal Advisor
I had the pleasure to work together with Joao on an intense 9-week project where he was brought on to support the design stream and bring our ideas to life...Joao works "smart" meaning that he creates fantastic output but also makes sure as a team we are heading in the right direction with design elements and visuals.
Adrien D.
Director & General Manager - BCG X
Joao not only inspired and led a large design team during my time at the company but also demonstrated an incredible passion for his work. He consistently found innovative solutions to challenging problems, maintained a strong customer focus, and had a visionary approach to software design.
Marc Sommer
Product Manager - SPREAD Ai
I have been very fortunate to work under Joao at SPREAD as a Senior Product Designer and I can safely say that he has been the best manager I have ever had. He is not only an exceptional designer, but also an inspirational leader and motivator who I have always looked up to and continue to do so
Katja Bruhn
Senior Product Designer - SPREAD Ai
As anyone who’s been in the position of hiring designers would know, the combination of raw creative talent, mastery of the plethora of available design tools, and exceptional sense for user experience; is indeed a rare talent. João is that talent, the complete package.
John Ngo
Product Design Lead - McKinsey & Co.
Joao is one of the fastest product designers I worked with...We worked on the journeys and features of six digital products together and his attention to details was always super helpful..If you have him on your team, count yourself lucky and just implement what he comes up with.
Ahmet Acar
Principal Advisor
I had the pleasure to work together with Joao on an intense 9-week project where he was brought on to support the design stream and bring our ideas to life...Joao works "smart" meaning that he creates fantastic output but also makes sure as a team we are heading in the right direction with design elements and visuals.
Adrien D.
Director & General Manager - BCG X
Joao not only inspired and led a large design team during my time at the company but also demonstrated an incredible passion for his work. He consistently found innovative solutions to challenging problems, maintained a strong customer focus, and had a visionary approach to software design.
Marc Sommer
Product Manager - SPREAD Ai
04 — FAQ
04 — FAQ
04 — FAQ
Demystifying the details
01/
How do you approach design transformation in established organizations?
I start by mapping the current state against business objectives to identify leverage points. Rather than imposing systems, I collaborate with stakeholders to develop a tailored roadmap that builds on existing strengths. This typically involves a 90-day assessment phase, followed by targeted interventions across team structure, processes, and technology. The focus remains on creating measurable business impact rather than cosmetic changes.
02/
What's your methodology for building high-performance design teams?
My approach balances three components: skill diversity, psychological safety, and clear growth paths. I've found the most successful teams combine specialized expertise with T-shaped capabilities. I establish structured feedback mechanisms and learning rituals that create a culture of continuous improvement. Most importantly, I connect individual growth to business outcomes, ensuring design talent development directly supports organizational goals.
03/
How do you measure the impact of design investments?
Beyond the standard metrics of user satisfaction and engagement, I establish trackable connections between design activities and business outcomes. This means collaborating with finance and analytics teams to create custom measurement frameworks that quantify how design improvements influence revenue, retention, and operational efficiency. The key is establishing these measurement systems before design work begins, not as an afterthought.
04/
What's your approach to integrating AI into design processes?
Rather than treating AI as a replacement for human designers, I view it as a capability multiplier. I typically implement a three-layer approach: automating repetitive tasks, augmenting creative exploration, and enabling entirely new design possibilities. This requires careful technology selection, workflow redesign, and skills development. The goal is always enhancing human creativity and decision-making, not diminishing it.
01/
How do you approach design transformation in established organizations?
I start by mapping the current state against business objectives to identify leverage points. Rather than imposing systems, I collaborate with stakeholders to develop a tailored roadmap that builds on existing strengths. This typically involves a 90-day assessment phase, followed by targeted interventions across team structure, processes, and technology. The focus remains on creating measurable business impact rather than cosmetic changes.
02/
What's your methodology for building high-performance design teams?
My approach balances three components: skill diversity, psychological safety, and clear growth paths. I've found the most successful teams combine specialized expertise with T-shaped capabilities. I establish structured feedback mechanisms and learning rituals that create a culture of continuous improvement. Most importantly, I connect individual growth to business outcomes, ensuring design talent development directly supports organizational goals.
03/
How do you measure the impact of design investments?
Beyond the standard metrics of user satisfaction and engagement, I establish trackable connections between design activities and business outcomes. This means collaborating with finance and analytics teams to create custom measurement frameworks that quantify how design improvements influence revenue, retention, and operational efficiency. The key is establishing these measurement systems before design work begins, not as an afterthought.
04/
What's your approach to integrating AI into design processes?
Rather than treating AI as a replacement for human designers, I view it as a capability multiplier. I typically implement a three-layer approach: automating repetitive tasks, augmenting creative exploration, and enabling entirely new design possibilities. This requires careful technology selection, workflow redesign, and skills development. The goal is always enhancing human creativity and decision-making, not diminishing it.
01/
How do you approach design transformation in established organizations?
I start by mapping the current state against business objectives to identify leverage points. Rather than imposing systems, I collaborate with stakeholders to develop a tailored roadmap that builds on existing strengths. This typically involves a 90-day assessment phase, followed by targeted interventions across team structure, processes, and technology. The focus remains on creating measurable business impact rather than cosmetic changes.
02/
What's your methodology for building high-performance design teams?
My approach balances three components: skill diversity, psychological safety, and clear growth paths. I've found the most successful teams combine specialized expertise with T-shaped capabilities. I establish structured feedback mechanisms and learning rituals that create a culture of continuous improvement. Most importantly, I connect individual growth to business outcomes, ensuring design talent development directly supports organizational goals.
03/
How do you measure the impact of design investments?
Beyond the standard metrics of user satisfaction and engagement, I establish trackable connections between design activities and business outcomes. This means collaborating with finance and analytics teams to create custom measurement frameworks that quantify how design improvements influence revenue, retention, and operational efficiency. The key is establishing these measurement systems before design work begins, not as an afterthought.
04/
What's your approach to integrating AI into design processes?
Rather than treating AI as a replacement for human designers, I view it as a capability multiplier. I typically implement a three-layer approach: automating repetitive tasks, augmenting creative exploration, and enabling entirely new design possibilities. This requires careful technology selection, workflow redesign, and skills development. The goal is always enhancing human creativity and decision-making, not diminishing it.