Ruven R. - Strategic Design Leader | Enabling Companies to Create Exceptional Products, Ventures & Teams

Go to Website

Berlin, Germany

Experience

Aug 2020 - Present

5 years 5 months

Berlin, Germany

Product Design Principal / Digital Transformation Consultant / Strategic Designer

Freelance

Lead strategic and operational design initiatives for consultancies, agencies, and enterprise clients focusing on design maturity, customer experience transformation, and global product expansion.
Zooplus (via Etribes): Led strategic design and digital transformation of Zooplus’ shift from a D2C model to a scalable multi-seller marketplace. Defined end-to-end strategy, aligned cross-functional teams, and facilitated C-level decision-making. Delivered a modular MVP and experience framework (HEART), enabling a successful pilot launch and projected +15-20% revenue growth.
Zooplus (via Etribes): Led design and experience strategy for a subscription-based Autoshipment feature to increase CLTV and repeat purchases. Defined value proposition and integrated experience framework, ensured seamless coexistence with loyalty programs. Collaborated with product, CRM, and loyalty teams, and validated usability, trust, and adoption through behavioral research and testing.
FMCG Brand (Confidential): Coached head of design and empowered design team by establishing DesignOps, facilitating vision and strategy workshops, and driving execution. Challenged the status quo, aligned design initiatives with business goals, and implemented scalable frameworks to improve efficiency, collaboration, and innovation culture.

Mar 2017 - Aug 2020

3 years 6 months

Berlin, Germany

Senior UX Consultant

Freelance

Delivered UX strategy, service design, and experience consulting for mid- to large-scale digital products and transformation programs across finance, mobility, and retail.
ETL Tax B2B Software Relaunch: Led complete redesign and UX of ETL Tax’s B2B platform, improving workflow efficiency, usability, and scalability for tax professionals across the DACH region.
Commerzbank B2B Portal: Co-led relaunch of the B2B section of Commerzbank’s online portal for corporate clients, optimizing workflows, enhancing usability, and strengthening the digital experience for business users.
Mercedes-Benz.com & Volkswagen WeShare: Co-led global digital initiatives, defining UX strategy, onboarding flows, and MVP delivery to enhance user experience across web and mobile channels.

Jan 2014 - Dec 2017

4 years

Berlin, Germany

Senior UX Designer

SapientRazorfish

Led high-impact UX and design initiatives for global brands across e-commerce, mobility, telecom, and logistics.
Swarovski: Led global e-commerce relaunch and a cross-functional UX team, defining end-to-end experience and product architecture. Improved conversion and retention through a unified design system and scalable modular framework.
McDonald’s Germany: Directed all digital experience and campaign initiatives, including app, websites, and loyalty programs. Increased engagement and loyalty participation through cohesive, data-driven design.
Audi.com: Led global relaunch of Audi’s digital brand presence, driving UX strategy and responsive design across markets. Strengthened brand consistency and UX quality worldwide.

Jan 2005 - Dec 2014

10 years

Experience Design & Creative Roles

Various Agencies & Freelance (M&C Saatchi, DDB, Scholz & Volkmer, JvM, CB.e, webguerillas)

Held multiple creative and experience design positions, contributing to award-winning digital campaigns and UX/CX work for major brands in automotive, FMCG, and technology sectors.

Summary

Strategic Design Leader with 18+ years of experience driving digital transformation, scaling design organizations, and creating impactful customer experiences across industries. Proven success in building cross-functional teams, defining operating models, and leading end-to-end design strategies that deliver measurable business outcomes. Trusted consultant for leading corporations and start-ups - bridging strategic vision, design excellence, and organizational growth.

Languages

German

Native

English

Advanced

Education

Oct 2001 - Jun 2005

Winona State University

Bachelor of Arts · Mass Communication - Advertising · Winona, United States

Need a freelancer? Find your match in seconds.

Try FRATCH GPT

Similar Freelancers

Discover other experts with similar qualifications and experience

Experience

Product Design Principal / Digital Transformation Consultant / Strategic Designer

Freelance

Senior UX Consultant

Freelance

Senior UX Designer

SapientRazorfish

Experience Design & Creative Roles

Various Agencies & Freelance (M&C Saatchi, DDB, Scholz & Volkmer, JvM, CB.e, webguerillas)

Summary

Languages

Education

Winona State University

Bachelor of Arts · Mass Communication - Advertising · Winona, United States

Similar Freelancers

Consultant, Advisor and Partner - Product, Design, Growth, Operation & Automation Expert

Senior Experience Strategist

Product Management | E-Commerce Consulting

Product Manager / Product Owner / Product Coach

Freelance Trainer, Mentor

Interim Executive for Scalable Ventures, Product Strategy & Innovation

Independent Strategic Consultant, Freelance UX/CX Lead

Interim Head of Product

Senior Manager

Interim Head of Sales and Marketing

Senior Designer & Researcher CX / UX / UI / Service Design / Innovation and Strategy

UX Specialist & Product Advisor

UX, Growth, Product Management

Strategic UX/UI Designer

Lecturer, UX Prototyping & Introduction to Figma

Lead UX Design Engineer

Founder, UX/Product Designer, AI Automation Strategist

CRM Manager & Consultant

Venture Builder

COO & Co-Founder

Turning AI into ROI for SMEs | GenAI that Works for Leaders and Teams | Strategy to Training to Agents to Innovation

Design Sprint, Research, UX Design

Project lead / managing consultant (part time)

Founder & Product Lead

Strategy Consulting & Project Lead

Senior UX/UI Design Consultant

Senior UX/UI Designer

Freelance Product Designer

Founder

Brand Strategy