About

Hi, I’m Gareth Spenceley. I’m a Head of Product Design with 17+ years design industry experience; shaping brands, building digital products, and leading high-performing design teams.

I help companies connect with customers through experiences that are crafted with care, backed by strategy, and built to scale.

Over the years, I’ve designed everything from mobile apps and brand systems to airport installations, packaging, and global B2C platforms. And along the way, one thing has stayed constant:

• Great design is about connection

• Connecting people to products

• Connecting businesses to opportunities

• Connecting ideas to moments that actually matter

I created this space to bring clarity to who I am, what I care about, and how I work. It's more than a portfolio, it's a platform to share my thinking, showcase meaningful work, and start conversations with the kinds of businesses and collaborators I want to work with next. As my career shifts deeper into design leadership, I wanted a place that reflects both my craft and my point of view.

The professional side

My background is rooted in graphic design, the discipline of grids, typography, brand identity, and craft.

As digital products evolved, so did my focus: moving into UX, service design, design systems, and leadership. But I never lost that foundation in storytelling, form, and clarity.

Today, as Head of Product Design at a global telematics company, I lead teams across:

• UX and brand experience design

• UI, interaction, and visual design

• Scalable design systems and design ops

• UX research and product validation

• Design and business strategy

• Team leadership, coaching, and culture-building

I believe design should be at the table early, not as polish, but as a partner to strategy and growth.

Good design isn’t about trends, noise, or perfection. It’s about solving the right problems with honesty, restraint, and a relentless commitment to clarity.

I’ve helped early-stage startups find their footing, guided SaaS businesses through scaling pains, and elevated the voice of design within global organisations.

I lead with purpose: empowering teams, elevating quality, and aligning great work with real business outcomes.

Clients & collaborations

Over the course of my career, I’ve had the privilege of designing for some of the world’s most iconic and trusted brands, leaders in their industries who demand excellence, craft, and clarity.

I've worked extensively across outdoor sports, alcohol and spirits, technology, automotive, insurance, and luxury sectors, often at the intersection of brand and product, where user experience directly shapes perception and value.

Outdoor & adventure

Arc'teryx, Patagonia, Scarpa, Grivel, Outdoor Research, Deuter, Rottefella, Blackcrows, Goal Zero, Rab, and many more in the outdoor sports, performance products and expedition space.

Alcohol & spirits

G.H. Mumm, Beefeater Gin, Olmeca, Absolut, Jameson, Monkey 47, Perrier-Jouët, Chivas Regal, Pernod Ricard, Martell, Havana Club, Aberlour, The Glenlivet, and many more boutique and global labels.

Technology

Microsoft, Cisco and other leading-edge tech firms where design supports scale and complexity.

Luxury & lifestyle

Sunseeker Yacht Charters, luxury watches and jewellery, and other premium lifestyle brands where experience and aesthetic are inseparable.

Automotive & insurance

Williams F1, Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, Pirelli, American Automobile Association, Direct Line Group, Progressive, Aviva, Munich Re, Plymouth Rock, and a growing list of mobility innovators.

These collaborations reflect not only the breadth of sectors I’ve worked in, but also the depth of trust placed in design to deliver brand-aligned, high-performing digital experiences. And truly, this is just a snapshot, the list goes on.

The creative mindset

When I’m not deep in product strategy or mentoring teams, you’ll probably find me somewhere feeding the same curiosity that drives my work.

I find inspiration everywhere:

The mechanical poetry of watches, to the texture of letterpress typography, the quiet elegance of good architecture and interiors, the energy of city streets, the palette of a well-lived city; the honesty of great design many don't even notice. It all fights for my attention.

Travel fuels a lot of this, wandering through different cultures, seeing how environments shape people, and how people, in turn, shape experiences.

I'm drawn to places where creativity feels woven into the streets: from Seattle’s coffee shops to Copenhagen’s cycle lanes.

I value sustainability, thoughtful design, and building products and cultures that aren't just innovative, they're responsible.

I believe that the best creative leaders aren't just skilled, they're observant, open, and driven by genuine curiosity.

The now and what’s next

Right now, I'm based in the UK, but my long-term goal is clear:
Relocation to the Pacific Northwest (Portland, Seattle or San Fransisco) where creativity, community, and proximity to the outdoors come together in a way that feels like a perfect fit.

I'm actively open to senior leadership opportunities where product design is seen as a driver of impact, not an afterthought, roles that blend creative direction, systems thinking, and strategic influence.

If you’re working on something meaningful, a product that needs stronger customer connection, a team that’s growing, or a company ready to invest in design leadership, I’d love to talk.

Coffee, city streets, notebooks open - let’s connect.

The philosophy behind the practice

Good design is never an accident.

It’s the result of clear thinking, sharp craft, strategic vision, and consistent care, across every detail, every decision, every experience.

I believe in asking better questions, not rushing to easy answers.

In choosing clarity over complexity.

Substance over noise.

Enduring ideas over fleeting trends.

Leadership, to me, is about raising standards, for the work, for the team, for yourself, and building cultures where creativity thrives, not just survives.

Design isn’t just what we ship.

It’s how we think. It’s how we listen.

It’s how we leave things better than we found them.

Thanks for stopping by.