Design leader helping organizations turn complex challenges into practical solutions. I work across design systems, product design, and rapid innovation, building frameworks and ways of working to improve clarity, consistency, and operational efficiency. My approach is highly collaborative and hands-on, focused on enabling teams, strengthening alignment, and creating measurable long-term impact.
Experience
Lead Designer | Yara International, Singapore
June 2021 – May 2025
Yara’s digital ecosystem became fragmented as the company moved to a regional operating model. As a part of the UX operations leadership team, I was tasked with consolidating divergent systems and establishing a unified, scalable design foundation.
Leadership
Led the merger of several regional design systems into Ahua, Yara’s global design platform used across B2C, B2B, SaaS, and enterprise applications. Set direction, priorities, and system scope in partnership with product and engineering leadership.
Hands-on design systems work
Refactored the token architecture, rebuilt multi-platform component libraries and icon systems, and collaborated with external partners on a modular illustration system. Delivered the documentation portal and established clear intake and contribution workflows for designers and engineers.
Team management
Worked as a player-coach, growing the team from 2 to 15 designers and engineers across regions. Managed hiring, mentoring, expectations, and progression, building a supportive and collaborative team environment.
Delivery
Acted as product owner for the design system. Introduced Large-Scale Scrum (LeSS) to manage multi-stream delivery and improve predictability across web, mobile, and design workstreams.
Rapid innovation
Established and led Rapid Design, an internal innovation function with one direct report and a flexible pool of contractors. Ran design sprints, rapid prototyping, and validation to help teams test and clarify ideas before committing investment.
Governance
Introduced a system-of-systems model balancing global standards with regional flexibility. Built contribution and intake workflows, ran audits with regional teams, and supported cross-functional collaboration to keep the platform coherent and trusted across markets.
Advocacy
Facilitated workshops, office hours, and training sessions to strengthen design system mastery and improve UI consistency. Promoted inclusive and accessible design through reference guidelines, multi-language content models, and Rural UX foundations for low-connectivity environments.
DesignOps
Partnered with DesignOps to consolidate fragmented tooling and vendor contracts. Led the move to a unified Figma Enterprise environment to support shared libraries, permissions, and workflows for distributed teams.
Impact
- Ahua became the global design foundation adopted by 50+ product teams
- Delivered USD 6M in measured efficiency gains
- Improved delivery predictability through scaled agile delivery
- Enabled rapid prototyping for sustainability and digital transformation initiatives
- Strengthened design maturity and shared ownership across regions
Senior Designer | Yara International, Singapore
May 2018 – May 2021
I joined Yara’s digital farming unit in Singapore to explore how digital tools could support sustainable agriculture in emerging markets. The team was developing new products for smallholder farmers across Africa and Asia, often in environments with limited connectivity and varying literacy levels. My role was to help understand these contexts and shape early product concepts that can be scaled towards working solutions.
Research and early-stage exploration
Led field research, remote studies, and interviews with farmers, agronomists, and regional teams. Mapped user journeys, needs, and mental models that informed product strategy and long-term platform direction. Presented findings to senior leadership, including the CEO, to guide investment decisions.
0→1 product design
Designed digital farming tools (FarmWeather, FarmForward, DLCC) that reached more than 5 million users across Africa and Asia. Two innovation initiatives contributed to patent filings.
Designing for real-world constraints
Created Rural UX guidelines for low-connectivity environments, shared devices, and low-literacy contexts. These later became part of the foundation for the Ahua Design System and were used by product teams working in emerging markets.
Collaboration
Worked closely with product, engineering, agronomy, and data teams to align user needs with business and climate goals. Helped product teams validate assumptions, test prototypes, and shape features that supported sustainable farming practices.
Design systems
Built Yara’s first internal design system to support consistency across early product teams. Defined component libraries, interaction patterns, and design tokens that created shared design foundations.
Impact
- Products reached 5M+ smallholder farmers across Africa and Asia
- Contributed to 15% yield improvements in field trials through data-informed tools
- Presented research insights that shaped long-term strategy and investment decisions
- Created Rural UX guidelines to guide accessible product development
- Supported two patent-backed innovations
- Delivered the foundations of Yara’s design system
UX Consultant | Ébauche, Remote
Mar 2009–Apr 2018
Partnered with early-stage startups across industries to help move from idea to launch.
- Led design and UX strategy for clients across fintech, real estate, IoT, productivity, and travel.
Created cross-platform interfaces and established design patterns for various digital products.
Coordinated with development teams to ensure high-quality implementation.
Creative Director | Mitra
Sep 2003– Feb 2009
Directed creative process, managing projects and client acquisition.
- Managed a multi-disciplinary creative team, fostering collaboration and professional growth.
- Delivered innovative digital solutions for over 200 clients across multiple industries.
Established agency-wide design standards and quality control processes.
Core skills
Leadership: Vision and strategy, Organizational design, Team management, Cross-functional collaboration.
Systems: Design systems, Design operations, Rapid prototyping, Systems thinking, User experience.
Impact: Innovation management, Sustainable design, ROI & impact measurement, Accessibility.
Education
Master’s in Innovation and Research for Sustainability (MIRS)
ISEG Lisbon School of Economics and Management, Lisbon
2025–2026 (in progress)
Executive Programme for Design Leaders (DLX | Design MBA)
Future London Academy, London
2023–2024
Patents
Downscaling Weather Forecasts (US11500126B2 · 15 November 2022)
Method for delivering hyperlocal weather predictions to resource-constrained farmers in emerging markets. Granted in the US, EU, CN, CA, AU, BR, CO, PH.
Detection of Nutrient Deficiency in Plants (EP4030889A1· 27 July 2022)
System for cost-effective, mobile-based nutrient deficiency detection using image calibration. Granted in the EU, CN, CA, AU, BR, and CO.
Connect: me@alexandertoporov.com · linkedin