Design Leadership
What leaders say
01Testimonials
In their words
Full recommendations from people I have worked with directly.
“I worked alongside Sam at Indeed Flex, where he led design across many genuinely varied briefs — a SaaS rebrand, our AI agent for clients, complex reporting dashboards, and a hybrid prototyping tool to support the revenue team. That breadth is notable because Sam handled each with the same steady, considered approach rather than treating them in the order of prestige.
Sam uses naturally high emotional intelligence in a role that demands it. Design leaders sit in difficult territory — between product, engineering, and commercial stakeholders who rarely want the same thing at the same time. Sam navigated that without drama, adapting his style to whoever he was in the room with and keeping the work moving. He has a high agency and bias for action and doesn't over invest in the process.
Technically, he has a strong grounding in design principles and was particularly effective at translating between design intent and engineering reality — building out design systems that gave the team a solid foundation. He thinks fast and iterates faster, but the ideas are grounded.
Beyond the work, Sam is genuinely people-oriented in a way that isn't forced. He shows real warmth and curiosity about the people around him, and that makes him a natural anchor for team culture. Any company that hires him gets a better room. You'll also leave knowing considerably more about Italian football stadia than you believed possible, which I consider a bonus.
I'd work with him again without hesitation.”
“Sam is by far one of the most talented, all round creatives I have worked with. He has turned our products into world class propositions & built and led a team that are energised by his passion and professionalism. He has the rare mix of strategic thinking coupled with mind blowing ideas that make him the best in his space.”
“I've had the pleasure of working closely with Sam for 4 years, and I can confidently say he is an exceptional colleague and team lead. We've collaborated regularly on design strategy; these sessions have always been highly productive, with Sam actively seeking input and encouraging thoughtful discussion to strengthen outcomes. Sam has played a key role in a number of joint projects, particularly around future vision work for both Flex and Indeed. He has always been a strong advocate for bringing the design team together and ensuring alignment across initiatives. His ability to unite people and create a shared sense of purpose has been at the core of his work. On a personal level, Sam is approachable, personable, and highly supportive. He creates an environment built on trust, fairness, and autonomy, which allows individuals and teams to thrive. He is deeply respected not only within the design function but across the wider business, and his leadership consistently enables those around him to grow and succeed. Working with Sam has always been a genuine pleasure, and I would highly recommend him to any organisation looking for a thoughtful, collaborative, and inspiring leader.”
“I worked closely with Sam on the TPO.com social network and mobile phone store. Sam is a first class designer, without a question, but he's more than that — he really gets the overall "big picture" of user engagement, user experience, and how that interfaces with business strategy. 10/10!”
“I had the pleasure of working with Sam for over a year at The People's Operator. Sam is an incredibly talented visual, brand and user experience designer, but that doesn't even begin to describe his value to the company. Sam was a linchpin at TPO, holding together relationships between all departments, and proactively leading many different aspects of the business. I hope to get the opportunity to work with Sam again in the future.”
Interested in working together?
Whether you need a full-time design leader or fractional support, I would like to hear from you.