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Design is where empathy meets evidence, and beyond numbers and visual aesthetics — design is about people

Profile

Certified 🇬🇧🇺🇸 NN/g and IxDF UX and Design expert and Design and UX Leader with 20+ years of experience delivering impact at scale. I bridge strategy and execution — building systems, guiding teams, and leading transformations that elevate both product and business outcomes. I’ve worked with leading tech companies across industries, from fintech to SaaS — including TBC, Sber, MTS, Yandex, TASS, Mail.ru Group, and others.

Core Skills

My expertise lies in building scalable design processes and developing comprehensive design strategies that shape robust, sustainable design cultures. My skill set includes advanced user research, rapid prototyping, and strategic art direction — all grounded in deep UX principles and a strong design thinking mindset. I’m driven by innovation and a commitment to crafting solutions that not only meet business goals but deliver meaningful value to users.

• UX Strategy & Transformation
• Design Systems (Federated & Scalable)
• Team Leadership & Mentorship
• Design Thinking Facilitation
• Cross-functional Collaboration
• Product-Led Growth & CX
• Agile / Lean UX Integration
• Multimarket Experience (CIS, EMEA)

TBC

2020 — 2025

Head of Design and UX in TBC Bank / Design Transformation Lead TBC Group PLC

Tbilisi,Georgia

• Led Design Transformation across TBC Group PLC, including TBC Bank and affiliated companies, driving consistency, scalability, and strategic impact of design at group level.
• Built and scaled a decentralized Product Design function that supports strategic domains, digital platforms, and the bank’s long-term innovation agenda.
• Managed and mentored a multidisciplinary team of designers, researchers, and design system specialists, fostering a culture of collaboration, ownership, and continuous growth.
• Introduced and institutionalized human-centered design methodologies, helping teams across the organization align around user needs and business goals.
• Implemented a new federative model for the Design System Team, ensuring consistent UI and UX across products while supporting autonomy across teams, and overall Brand Experience
• Developed and launched TBC’s unified Design Principles, aligning teams across domains and improving product quality and brand consistency.
• Championed cross-functional rituals between Design Leads and Product/Tech stakeholders to drive alignment, roadmap clarity, and delivery efficiency.
• Oversaw the integration of DesignOps and ResearchOps practices to streamline onboarding, performance tracking, and capability growth across the design function.
• Facilitated numerous design thinking workshops, trainings, and strategic sessions that contributed to product vision, service improvements, and cultural change.
• Represented TBC Bank in external conferences and educational platforms, positioning the company as a leader in design maturity and innovation in the region.

Case study of TBC ATM Redesign *Created in Collaboration with Yuriy Malugin

TBC Insurance*

*Created in Collaboration with Ivan Kork

Sber

2020

Design and UX Team Lead in Sberbank (Sber Ecosystem)

Moscow,Russia

• Led design and UX for two fast-moving digital ventures within the Sber Ecosystem: Sber Automotive and Credistory, working at the intersection of fintech, mobility, and new economy services.
• Built and managed cross-functional design teams, including UI/UX designers, communication designers, and product researchers.
• Created and implemented end-to-end design processes — from discovery and product concept to MVP and visual identity — in record timeframes.
• Defined and launched design strategies for two new Sber products, including foundational experience flows, tone of voice, and product personality.
• Collaborated closely with product, tech, and brand teams to bring cohesive, human-centered experiences to market.
• Laid the groundwork for scalable design systems and documentation processes to support rapid iteration and handoff.
• Integrated user research, rapid prototyping, and agile methodologies into early-stage product development.
• Helped define strategic positioning and digital experience principles for new services within the growing Sber ecosystem.
• Acted as a bridge between innovation teams and central Sber stakeholders, ensuring alignment with ecosystem-wide goals and experience standards.

Credistory number one financial marketplace in Russia

Case study of Brand Identity and Brand Platform (Created in Collaboration with Linii Group)

MTS

2018-2020

Head of Design and UX Department in MTS (MTS IT)

Moscow,Russia

• Reported directly to the VP of IT and joined MTS at the onset of its digital transformation journey.
• Integrated UX and design into company-wide business processes and helped reposition MTS as a tech-driven employer brand.
• Led a team of over 50+ experts across Product Design, UX Research, and Analytics.
• Implemented Design Thinking practices across MTS product teams in Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus; facilitated over 70 cross-functional sessions.
• Played a key role in shaping MTS’s platform and workspace strategies as part of executive strategic sessions.
• Initiated and built the MTS Design Guild — the company’s first professional design community uniting all internal designers and researchers.
• Led the creation of the MTS Design System for web and mobile, enabling scalability, consistency, and faster development cycles.
• Oversaw UX research, testing, and MVP development for MTS’s first investment mobile app based on the new design system.
• Co-led the concept and UX design of a mobile workspace for 70,000+ employees, resulting in MTS's first internal super app with high adoption and NPS score.
• Delivered a healthcare monitoring platform (MTS 120/80) in collaboration with Russia’s National Cardiology Center, becoming a leading solution for cardiovascular patient care.

Yandex

2017

Art Director – Yandex Search & Voice Assistant (Russia & Turkey)

Moscow,Russia

• Led creative direction and UX strategy for Yandex Search in Russia and Turkey, one of the company’s core products with massive daily usage.
• Worked on early-stage visual identity and UX definition for Yandex’s voice assistant, Alice, contributing to its personality, tone, and multi-platform presence.
• Managed cross-functional design teams and collaborated with product, engineering, and localization units to deliver culturally attuned experiences for both Russian and Turkish markets.
• Developed visual guidelines, motion patterns, and interaction models for Alisa’s interface, aiming for a human, intuitive, and branded assistant experience.
• Evolved Yandex’s design language within the Search vertical, creating scalable patterns and systems used across web and mobile platforms.
• Drove the visual and UX evolution of search interfaces — from layout logic to result blocks and quick answers — improving usability and engagement.
• Facilitated creative workshops and internal design critiques, fostering collaboration and raising design quality across product teams.
• Contributed to user research and A/B testing efforts to validate interface directions and optimize for real-world usage.

TASS

2014-2017

Director of Design & UX Studio – TASS News Agency

• Joined TASS as Art Director and, within 1.5 years, founded and led the in-house Design & UX Studio, becoming its Director of Design and UX
• Led a full-scale rebranding and digital transformation of one of the most respected news agencies in Eastern Europe.
• Oversaw the redesign of the entire TASS digital ecosystem, including the main news portal (web & mobile), editorial tools, and B2B content platforms.
• Directed the creation of a unified Editorial Platform used by editors, journalists, photographers, correctors, and partners — consolidating 10+ fragmented services into a seamless, fully integrated experience.
• Conducted extensive UX research and co-creation workshops to inform the product strategy for editorial tools and newsroom workflows.
• Launched more than 50 digital media projects, including flagship initiatives like DVLand, Eto Kavkaz, Nauka, and an award-winning multimedia experience about the Russian Revolution.
• Led the UX and visual overhaul of TASS’s main media platform, balancing the needs of diverse user segments and improving engagement and usability based on qualitative and quantitative research.
• Built and scaled the TASS Design System, ensuring consistency and flexibility across digital content, product teams, and editorial needs.

Cavea+ Redesign and Vision for the Future*

Cavea+ is a leading Georgian digital streaming platform offering a selection of movies and TV shows. Accessible via web and mobile apps, it provides content in Georgian and English, catering to audiences interested in Georgian cinema and international films.

*Created in Collaboration with Sasha Lazarev

Profy Redesign and Vision for the Future*

Profy is a Georgian digital platform and mobile application designed to streamline the process of booking professional home services. *Created in Collaboration with Ivan Kork

Side Projects & Activities

Advisory Board Member and Curator / Mentor in Design Institute

2024-Current

Tbilisi,Georgia

Co-Producer and Host in Netav Media

2023-Current

Tbilisi,Georgia

Founder of the biggest closed expats community in Georgia, 👋 Gamarjoba

2023-Current

Tbilisi,Georgia

Co-founder of Fumfula Cafe (Japanese Pancakes)

2022-2025

Tbilisi,Georgia

Mentor / Curator in British Higher School of Art & Design & HSE Art And Design School

2018-2021

Moscow,Russia

Founder and Partner in TOPOS Studio

2017-2021

Moscow,Russia

Co-Founder of Future Georgia Design and Innovations Conference

2015

Tbilisi,Georgia

Graduated from Internet Initiatives Development Fund with iFamous.Me* Project

2013-2014

Moscow,Russia

*iFamous.Me was a digital platform designed to showcase and support creative individuals. It was one of the most successufll Russian Based platforms for Creative Economy. Launched in the early 2009s, it served as a digital space for artists, models, photographers, and other creatives to present their work and gain exposure.

Speeches

From 🇬🇪 with love!