Khaya Mtshali

I'm Khaya Mtshali, a passionate Product Designer with over a decade of experience in transforming complex challenges into intuitive, story-driven solutions. From leading an academic design department to growth hacking a startup to #1 in the country, I’ve honed a unique ability to design delightful, accessible products.

My journey began at Vega School in Johannesburg, where I graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Multimedia Design in 2007. Winning the Grand Prix award at the annual Design Indaba as a student ignited my passion for design, leading me to a fulfilling role as lecturer and Head of the Design department at North West University. There, I mentored 120+ students in various design disciplines, with 80% pursuing successful careers in design.

After honing my craft in academia, I ventured into the industry, founding Village Design Research, where I collaborated with corporates like Munich Re and Old Mutual to apply design thinking to complex problems. My role at IBM IX allowed me to simplify enterprise workflows for clients across the Middle East and Africa. My most notable achievement was leading the product design for Obey, where I crafted the company's first app, propelling it to #1 in South Africa on the App Store. I thrive on challenges and am eager to collaborate on shaping the future of work through innovative design.