“James thinks at a strategic level and has great ideas on what we could be doing to improve the position business banking finds itself. This is often backed with real customer feedback and insight, which James seeks out and often leads on.”

My path into product design wasn’t standard. I studied magazine journalism, spending my early career in trend forecasting and editorial design. That background taught me two critical skills that define my approach today:

• Separating long-term human behaviour from short-term fads
• Mastering strict information hierarchy

In fintech, where software is often weighed down by legacy code and heavy regulatory constraints, I use those skills to abstract messy logic into simple, intuitive user mental models.

I’m passionate about mentoring and supporting my team, with a strong belief in trust-based management. I trust that you’re here on merit and that you know how to do the job well. I can’t be across every project at all times, so I count on you to keep me updated, and to say early when you need support or a second opinion.

While I see myself as accountable for my team’s development, I encourage them to take charge of their own paths, with me providing guidance as needed. My feedback style is adaptable; happy with async, but I prefer real-time for in-depth discussions.

• My default setting is trust
• Micromanagement stifles growth and never leads to the desired results
• I expect my team to help shape their own path, not be handed one

Logic over Theatre

I value outcomes over performative design rituals. I prefer fast, informed assumptions, quick prototypes, and immediate testing over endless “design by committee.” Process should serve product velocity, not slow it down.

Systems Architecture

I am drawn to the structural layer of product design. I turn back-end technical complexity into clear, maintainable design systems and self-service component libraries. Solid documentation and UI systems are business assets that save hundreds of engineering hours.

Autonomy, Trust & Momentum

I believe in tight, cross-functional alignment early on; aligning with product, risk, and engineering on what needs to be solved. Once aligned, I execute with high autonomy and protect the team’s maker-time so we can focus on shipping high-quality software quickly.