Product design leader with 11+ years across AI, SaaS and consumer products. I've managed a team of 8 designers, helped unlock a $7.5M enterprise beta, and now lead design for Agency OS at HighLevel.
How I lead
The principles behind how I build teams and ship work that matters.
01
Outcomes over output
Every project starts with the business metric it should move. Polished screens are the means, not the goal.
02
Empower, don’t micromanage
I set clear context and a high bar, then give designers real ownership, staying close enough to unblock, never so close that I take over.
03
Alignment is a design problem
Workshops and critiques that turn ambiguity into decisions product, engineering, and design can all commit to.
04
Grow people, not just products
Regular 1:1s, honest feedback, and career plans shaped around each designer. Great teams are built deliberately.
AI product strategy
Took agentic AI at Sprinklr and voice AI at Builder.ai from vision to shipped product, defining how people work alongside AI.
Complex systems, made clear
Turned dense enterprise data into actionable insight. The Insights Use Case Hub earned the Sprinklr CTO Award.
Building design teams
Managed 8 designers at Builder.ai, owning hiring, mentoring, critiques, and career growth while raising the quality bar.
Design systems & scale
Created systems and shared patterns that help product, engineering, and design ship consistently across SaaS and consumer products.
“One of those rare Design Managers who leads with both incredible vision and genuine empathy. He doesn’t micromanage; he truly empowers. He invested so much time in understanding my personal career goals and tailored his mentorship to help me grow.”
Tushar Verma
Product Designer · Reported to Ankur at Builder.ai
“Ankur combines strong product thinking with a collaborative leadership style. He builds alignment, facilitates productive discussion, and helps teams move from ambiguity to action.”
Michelle Brannan
Principal Product Designer · Worked with Ankur at Sprinklr
“Beyond technical mentorship, he offers thoughtful guidance on career and personal development. He would elevate every team that he’s a part of!”
Swarna Awasthi
Product Designer · Reported to Ankur
How do you lead a design team?
How do you use AI in how you design and ship?
How do you measure design's impact on the business?