Nicolas El Azzi

Product Design & Strategy Leader

I help organizations navigate critical design transitions

How I contribute

As organizations grow, design teams often hit inflection points where existing ways of working no longer scale:

  • The design function exists but lacks structure, clarity, or strategic alignment
  • The team grows but processes, quality, and impact start breaking down
  • Design operates as a service but needs to become a strategic partner

I specialize in these transition moments, whether it's building from scratch, restructuring for scale, or transforming culture and operating models.

My approach isn't about "doing more design”, it's about building the infrastructure (DesignOps, frameworks, rituals) so design teams can work with clarity, autonomy, and deliver measurable business impact.

My leadership approach: CALM

  • Connect - Build trust and alignment through regular rituals and transparent communication
  • Autonomize - Empower teams to make decisions within clear frameworks and shared goals
  • Lead by example - Balance strategic direction with hands-on support when teams need it
  • Measure what matters - Use data and outcomes to guide iteration and celebrate progress

Selected impact highlight

  • Salsify - Built European design team from scratch (France/Portugal), reducing ramp-up time by 30%.
  • Schneider Electric - Reduced rejected orders by 30% and publishing workload by 50% through B2B data governance platform redesign.
  • Galeries Lafayette - Generated €300K in revenue within 3 weeks through discovery workshops to unlock Paris Haussmann store inventory for online sales.
  • Concorde Hotels - Delivered +40% conversion rate and +430% product page performance through e-commerce redesign.
  • AOL France - BBuilt shared component library for AOL Europe (FR/UK/DE), accelerating new channel launches by 30%.

Experiences

  • 2022 - NowSalsify (previously Alkemics) - Senior Manager, User Experience
  • 2018 - 2022Ippon Technologies - Design Lead
  • 2016 - 2017Napoleon Agency - Lead UX Designer
  • 2014 - 2015Commonwealth Bank of Australia - Senior UX Designer, My Wealth
  • 2008 - 2014Axance - Senior UX Designer
  • 2001 - 2008AOL France - Graphic / UI Designer