Hi,
I'm Gianni Cardone, a creative leader with 15 years of experience building digital products, shaping service strategies, and leading design teams.
I like challenges: I think holistically, and I transform my ideas into tangible solutions by launching products that have an impact on people's lives.
I am currently Design Team Lead at Sherpany.
My work: products, strategies, leadership
Most of my work is confidential. Below you can find a few short overviews of a small selection of my commercial and personal projects. Please, get in touch if you want to know more.
Transforming scientific journal publishing
Driving platform growth with accessibility and design systems
Defining new mobility experiences
Creating a solar energy ecosystem
Building a startup for hikers
Developing a strategy to enter the health industry
Building a design team
My experience
During my career, I've worked for major international brands as part of innovation consulting companies, as a freelancer or as an internal product and design expert. The diversity of challenges allowed me to gain experience along the entire digital creation process and work in multidisciplinary teams: from service strategy to production and scaling digital products. Below you can find an overview of my professional story.
Design Team Lead
Mar 2025 – Present
Remote, Global
I lead a multidisciplinary team of 9—including UX designers, UI designers, UX writers, and user researchers—and am responsible for shaping and executing Sherpany’s design strategy. I oversee the development of a scalable design system to ensure a consistent and high-quality user experience across our platform. By leveraging AI-powered tools and workflows, I continuously improve design processes, team efficiency, and delivery quality. Through research-driven, cross-functional collaboration, I help product teams deeply understand user needs and create intuitive solutions that enhance meeting productivity.
Head of Design
Oct 2023 – Nov 2024
Remote, Global
I led the design domain and team, staying deeply involved in both strategic and hands-on UX/UI work to drive impactful results. Partnering closely with the CEO and Head of Engineering, I co-created our product vision, strategy, and roadmap. I led the design process end-to-end, helping shape product direction and contributing ideas that informed our development pipeline. I facilitated workshops, led Google Design Sprints, conducted user research, and ensured seamless collaboration with engineering to deliver consistent, high-quality outcomes.
Design Director
Dec 2021 – Sep 2023
Remote, Global
I led the global design function, managing a talented team of digital product designers and user researchers. I drove innovation and ensured exceptional user experiences in the Morressier SaaS platform within the EdTech and Scholarly Publishing industry. I spearheaded the development of a scalable design system that enhanced consistency and efficiency across our products. In this role, I provided guidance to harmonize design efforts and foster a cohesive vision across multiple cross-functional teams, while empowering individuals to thrive and grow. As a design leader, I also consulted with scientific societies and publishers, collaborating to drive innovation and build impactful new solutions and services.
Design Director
Jan 2018 – Nov 2021
Munich Area, Germany
Design Lead
Jan 2017 – Jan 2018
Munich Area, Germany
Senior Service Designer
Jul 2016 – Dec 2016
Munich Area, Germany
I led the German design team empowering it to design and realise meaningful solutions across industries while connecting it to the global design team. In addition I was part of the strategic team responsible for the creative vision and a driver of new business strategy initiatives to explore new areas of expertise for the company. As a designer by heart, I also created and led client relationships while working directly with the design teams to develop and realise digital services, products, and solutions.
Self-Employed - IBEX app
Creator & Head of Design
May 2017 – December 2020
Munich Area, Germany
I designed, developed, published, distributed, and advertised a web and mobile app for hikers, catering to their needs for finding the best hikes based on their individual preferences. The app allowed users to create and share memories of their hikes with their companions or a selected community. Fueled by my passion for hiking, I collaborated with a team to continuously expand the service and support the hiking community. Following the initial user research, design, and partial coding of the product, I took charge of all marketing efforts, engaged with the hiking community, and consistently evolved IBEX based on customer feedback.
The project was discontinued in December 2020.
Senior Service designer
May 2014 – Jun 2016
Berlin Area, Germany
UX & Service Designer
Jun 2012 – May 2014
Berlin Area, Germany
Interaction Design Intern
May 2011 – Sep 2011
Berlin Area, Germany
I designed digital solutions across industries, developing design strategies, planning & conducting user research, and designing & running co-creation, user and stakeholder workshops while leading UX/Visual Design teams to bring service design solutions to reality and test them with final customers.
Freelancer - Motrix
Interaction designer
May 2011 – Jun 2011
Turin Area, Germany
I designed and developed an interactive installation for Oerlikon Graziano - a worldwide leader in the field of “Components for Power Transmission”- to enable an interactive experience showcasing the complex operation of a mechanical gear.
Freelancer - IdLab
Interaction designer
Sep 2010 – Apr 2011
Milan Area, Germany
I designed and developed four installations at the Fondazione Plart Museum in Naples to create an educational trail to involve people and playfully show them the plastics world.
Industrial designer
Jan 2007 – May 2009
Turin Area, Germany
Industrial designer
Sep 2005 – Mar 2006
Turin Area, Germany
I created innovative solutions for the Design and Development department focussing on backpack and tent design, including following and supporting their development and realisation.
Get in touch
If you want to know more about my work, share your thoughts, or just say hello, please contact me via email or on LinkedIn.