Proven Leadership Impact
Global Design Leadership at Scale
Open Finance & Fintech Platform Impact
AI-Driven Experience Innovation
Pioneered AI integration in enterprise platforms, including the design of GPT-powered financial advisor tools and GovernAI for governance workflows.
Authored an AI Playbook defining collaboration patterns, ethical use principles, and design guidelines for AI in complex, regulated environments.
Delivered trusted, intuitive experiences in high-compliance financial ecosystems — from Nasdaq’s data-rich trading and governance platforms to Northwestern Mutual’s award-winning Planning Experience and Diligent’s AI-powered GovernAI suite.
Designed for secure API integrations, interoperability, and regulatory compliance while driving adoption, engagement, and revenue.
Led design organizations of up to 120+ people across North America, EMEA, and APAC, integrating product design, research, content strategy, accessibility, and design systems into enterprise strategy.
Built high-performance, multi-level leadership teams, embedded design in business OKRs, and scaled operational excellence for measurable product and business impact.
Leading Strategic AI Design
Agentic Experiences
AI Playbook
AI Design System
Building AI-Powered Products
Management Scope
Implications
Over the past five years at Northwestern Mutual and Diligent, I’ve led large, multi-layered design organizations, including teams of Directors who themselves lead managers and ICs.
While at Meta, I led smaller, high-impact teams—giving me a well-rounded perspective on team dynamics at every scale. This range of experience enables me to drive clarity, cohesion, and performance across complex org structures.
Platform Leadership
Business Domains, Buyers, & Users
Compliance Officers & Risk Managers
Financial Advisors, Underwriters, Account & Service Managers, Insurance Reps, Investors
Design & Engineering Teams
C-Suite (CEO, CFO, CISO, IRO, GC) & Board Members
Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC)
Fintech & Wealth Management
Enterprise SaaS & B2B Tools
Consumer Mobile Apps
Platform Infrastructure & Design Systems
I’ve led design across complex, high-stakes domains—where clarity, trust, and usability are critical. From financial advisors and compliance officers to engineers and board members, I’ve helped teams design for expert users with demanding workflows, across industries like GRC, fintech, and enterprise SaaS. These experiences have sharpened my ability to lead with empathy, structure ambiguity, and drive business impact through design.
Domains
Buyers and End Users
Cross-functional Design Functions
Design Operations
Design Program Management
Localization
Accessibility
Technical Writing
Product Design
Design Systems
User Experience Design
UX Research
Content Strategy
I've built and led multi-disciplinary design teams spanning core functions such as Product Design, UX Research, Content Strategy, Design Systems, Operations, and Accessibility — ensuring both craft excellence and organizational scale.
Core Disciplines
Enablement & Scale
Leading Global & Local Design Teams
Implications
My teams have spanned continents and cultures—from Budapest to Baltimore and Milwaukee to Menlo Park. These charts illustrate how I’ve led distributed teams across companies of varying scale and structure. Whether building co-located hubs or remote-first orgs, I’ve developed systems to keep teams aligned, collaborative, and high-performing—regardless of geography.
I live near the beach in New Jersey and have spent years working in remote and hybrid teams. With easy ferry access to Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Jersey City, I stay well-connected to key hubs while leading globally. I thrive at a NYC desk, surrounded by designers, product collaborators, and senior leaders driving impact together.
Designing Influence
Author of Liftoff! – A Playbook for Design Leaders
Helping Audiences Worldwide Rethink Design Leadership
I'm the co-author of Liftoff!, a practical guide for new and emerging design leaders. Published by Rosenfeld Media, the book distills hard-earned lessons from building and scaling design teams at high-growth companies. It’s used in design orgs around the world to help managers gain confidence, navigate ambiguity, and lead with impact.
Learn more about Liftoff! and why it’s become a go-to resource for emerging and established design leaders, or check it out on RosenfeldMedia.com.
I’ve spoken at design conferences across North America, South America, Europe, and Australia on topics ranging from scaling design teams to integrating AI into product development. My talks focus on the intersection of leadership, systems thinking, and emerging technology — offering frameworks, not just inspiration, to help teams lead the future of design.
Curious if I’m the right speaker for your event?
I share what I’ve learned to help others lead with more clarity, confidence, and impact — whether through writing, speaking, or mentoring. From co-authoring a go-to guide for design leaders to speaking on global stages, I aim to make leadership more accessible and actionable.
Copyright 2025 Chris Avore and Erova Studios LLC