Open to opportunities

stephen bennett

@stephenbennett

Message

Design leader and player-coach building scalable product and brand experiences that drive impact.

Canada

Message

What I'm looking for

I seek leadership roles where I can build teams and systems, drive cross-functional product outcomes, scale design operations, and deliver measurable customer impact.

I am a Head of Design with 15+ years of experience shaping product and brand experiences for B2B SaaS, fintech, and consumer platforms, blending hands-on UX with strategic leadership. I build scalable design systems, unify cross-functional teams, and use research-driven insights to improve adoption, accessibility, and delivery velocity.

As a player-coach I’ve led large design organizations, delivered 100% adoption of a global design system, improved NPS and customer satisfaction across products, and introduced AI-powered prototyping to accelerate release cadence. I prioritize clarity, simplicity, and measurable impact while mentoring teams and securing executive buy-in for major initiatives.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Current

Independent Design Consultant

Current

Independent Design Consultant

Jan 2020 - Present (5 years 9 months)

Provided design leadership and hands-on interaction design for startups and enterprises, delivering prototypes, lightweight design systems, and workshops that improved usability and stakeholder alignment.

Interaction Design Prototyping Design Systems Workshops Product Strategy UX Research

Director, Experience Design

CIBC

Jan 2021 - Mar 2025 (4 years 2 months)

Led secured banking product design across mobile and web, directing a 60+ design organization and delivering a redesign that improved usability and drove NPS +12 (47% promoters). Built the True North Design System (100% adoption), increasing velocity by 25% and reducing costs by 33%.

Design Leadership Design Systems UX Research Accessibility Figma Prototyping Stakeholder Management Cross Functional Collaboration

Executive Creative Director

Therefore Interactive

Oct 2020 - Jan 2021 (3 months)

Directed creative vision and product design strategy for a SaaS-focused digital agency, leading a 7-person agile team and driving a rebrand that increased inbound leads by 25% and new client conversion by 15%.

Brand Strategy Product Design Team Leadership UX Prototyping Client Engagement Agile

Executive Creative Director

Bond Brand Loyalty

Oct 2016 - Apr 2020 (3 years 6 months)

Led Creative & Strategy practice, directing a 75+ person team to unify multi-product brand experiences and post-acquisition experience projects that drove +22% customer satisfaction and met 95% of client OKRs.

Creative Leadership Customer Experience Design Thinking Rapid Prototyping & Strategy Stakeholder Management

Creative Director

Wattpad

Oct 2014 - Aug 2015 (10 months)

Directed brand refresh and product identity unification across mobile and web, increasing daily active users by 10% and improving app store ratings by 0.5 stars while aligning UX with brand strategy.

Brand Refresh Brand Identity Prototyping Visual Design

National Creative Director

TAXI

Jul 2011 - Mar 2014 (2 years 8 months)

Led multi-product ecosystem redesign for TELUS, delivering unified digital experiences that increased digital sales conversions by 20% and reduced production timelines by 25% through agile processes.

Digital Strategy Agile UX Creative Leadership Process Improvement

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

Langara College

Advanced Diploma, Digital Communications and Multimedia

Completed an Advanced Diploma in Digital Communications and Multimedia focusing on digital design, multimedia production, and communication technologies.