Hi, my name is Neil

I design products that grow businesses and lead the teams that ship them.

Product Design Leader with 15+ years in regulated industries: banking, fintech, telco and health insurance. Most recently Senior Product Design Manager at Flink, where I led design on the consumer app across three years of scale. Now consulting independently from Berlin.

See case studies More about me
Portrait of Neil Caetano
Trusted by teams at FlinkMTNAbsaBarclaysDiscoveryShoprite

Case studies with real outcomes

Five projects, five different problems: each one starts with what changed, not what was drawn.

The rest of the shelf

Four more projects: a banking rebrand, a money-transfer app, an aviation flight bag, and a 0 → 1 startup.

Barclays → Absa Banking rebrand Cash Send App Shoprite BagPortr 0 → 1 startup EFB Aviation

Senior design isn't what I make. It's what I make possible.

The part of the job that never fits in a Figma file. Receipts below are from my anonymised 360° reviews at Flink.

Building design teams

At Flink I built the product design career framework and promoted two designers to IC3. My one-on-one format was adopted company-wide by the People Team.

Design as strategy

In my final year at Flink I effectively operated as Head of Product Design, allocating designers across every domain through the long-term planning process.

Do a lot with a little

My philosophy, and my review scores backed it: rated “exceeds expectations” in consecutive cycles while trimming tooling costs and cutting design iteration cycles by 15%.

“Neil is an exceptional people manager… his finger is on the pulse of his entire team at all times.”
Manager review, Flink
“I feel like I have 100% of his support in the impact of my work and the future development of my career.”
Designer on Neil's team, anonymised 360°
“He handled the team transitions well, and always ensured the highest possible level of transparency for his team.”
Product peer, anonymised 360°
Neil standing on the Trolltunga cliff ledge above a Norwegian fjord

A designer at heart, a problem solver by experience

I specialize in Product Design (UI & UX) with a deep passion for the technology that connects design with impactful user experiences. I chase the balance between form and function: solutions that look great and move business numbers.

Based in Berlin, I now consult independently on end-to-end product design after three years leading design at Flink. Before that: Head of Design at Discovery Vitality, MTN MoMo, British Airways via Nacelle, and the Barclays/Absa corporate banking group.

Design LeadershipProduct StrategyUX / UIDesign SystemsUser ResearchMentoringData-driven Design