# Emanuele Pagani > Design Lead & AI Artist at Shopify, Google, Uber, Archer, Moonware Location: San Francisco, California, United States Profile: https://flows.cv/emanuele I have 25 years of experience designing and launching innovative, user-centered products and brands. My work bridges product and marketing, with a focus on scalable design systems, clear brand vision, and strategies that drive real-world impact. In recent years, I’ve worked across pioneering companies at the forefront of mobility, aviation, and commerce. I helped lead the redesign of Google Play Pass, the world’s largest app store gaming subscription, and contributed to Maps and Navigation at Uber. Today, I continue to shape experiences across multiple industries: redefining electric air mobility at Archer, building automated airport operations at Moonware through the AI-powered HALO platform, and advancing global commerce experiences at Shopify. I thrive in hybrid roles that combine hands-on design with leadership responsibilities. As a design manager, I’ve built and led multidisciplinary teams of product designers, researchers, and engineers. I’ve defined team vision, hired talent, coached individuals toward growth, and partnered with executives to ensure design is tightly aligned with company goals. At the same time, I remain a strong individual contributor—leading end-to-end design work from concept to launch, diving deep into UX flows, systems thinking, prototyping, and storytelling. I’m passionate about building meaningful, scalable solutions that improve people’s lives, and about cultivating design teams where creativity, rigor, and purpose thrive. ## Work Experience ### Head of UX @ Archer Jan 2024 – Present | San Jose, California, United States At Archer, I lead all UX initiatives across the company’s product ecosystem, including the flagship mobile app that will power the future of urban air mobility. My work spans 0→1 product development, real-time operational tools, and cross-platform design systems that support both internal teams and airline partners. • Designed the end-to-end experience for Archer’s flight booking app, shaping the core interaction model for passengers • Led UX for a patent-pending platform for managing aircraft, vehicles, crew, and ground operations • Built responsive interfaces for day-of-flight workflows, asset visibility, and live operations management • Defined scalable design systems across mobile and desktop, ensuring continuity from internal tools to customer-facing products • Partnered directly with executive leadership and engineering to translate aviation complexity into intuitive digital products ### Senior UX Architect @ Moonware Jan 2021 – Present | Santa Monica, California, United States At Moonware, I lead end-to-end design across the company’s product ecosystem, supporting airport ground operations through mobile, web, desktop, and Vision Pro platforms. I also built the company’s brand and marketing foundation, unifying product, storytelling, and go-to-market execution. • Designed and launched a multi-platform flight operations tool for managing real-time coordination of aircraft, vehicles, and crew • Created responsive, real-time interfaces for dispatching, scheduling, and operational tracking across surfaces • Built Moonware’s brand identity and full marketing stack, including the website, GTM creative assets, and investor materials • Partnered with engineering and executive leadership to guide the product from early concept to commercial deployment ### Senior Staff Product Designer @ Shopify Jan 2024 – Jan 2025 | Remote As the UX lead within Shopify’s Growth team, I drove the strategy and execution of merchant onboarding, activation, and core admin experiences. My work focused on improving early-stage outcomes through redesigned flows, intelligent guidance systems, and AI-powered tooling that scaled across the platform. • Delivered a $1.2M/month revenue lift by redesigning the merchant first-time-land experience • Led the redesign of the admin homepage, including a new dynamic feed system and personalized guidance cards • Expanded Sidekick, Shopify’s AI assistant, with new UX patterns that improved merchant support and onboarding • Built and deployed AI-generated illustration models to help merchants launch on-brand storefronts faster • Partnered cross-functionally to rapidly test, measure, and scale improvements across the growth funnel ### UX Design Lead, Google Play @ Google Jan 2021 – Jan 2024 | Mountain View, California, United States At Google, I played a pivotal role in shaping the user experience for Play Pass, a subscription service offering access to a curated selection of premium apps and games. I led UX for onboarding and monetization across the Google Play ecosystem, designing for more than 1.2 billion users worldwide. My work spanned mobile, web, and internal tools, with direct impact on product growth and global expansion. • Launched the new Play Pass experience for web and expanded the product to 5 additional international markets • Led the design of the Play Pass offer framework in collaboration with major mobile game developers, resulting in a 170% increase in subscriptions • Shipped the new Google Play onboarding experience and plan picker, streamlining user activation and personalized subscription options • Redesigned the official Play Pass website to support marketing, SEO, and scalable campaign integrations • Partnered with cross-functional teams to align UX strategy with monetization goals and developer needs ### UX Design Lead, Maps and Navigation @ Uber Jan 2021 – Jan 2021 | San Francisco, California, United States At Uber, I led the end-to-end UX for Maps & Navigation across both driver and rider surfaces. My redesigns contributed to key improvements in pickup speed, reachability, and safety—unlocking significant gains in annual operational earnings at global scale. I managed a team of designers and delivered navigation systems now used across the entire Uber product suite. • Completely redesigned Driver Navigation, resulting in a +178% increase in adoption • Shipped features like Trip Status and Side of Street, enhancing the rider pickup experience • Led UX for the Uber Maps framework, now powering the Rider, Driver, Eats, and Postmates apps • Improved global metrics tied to driver efficiency, communication, and trip safety, driving measurable business impact • Oversaw a team of UX designers, balancing product velocity with system-level design cohesion ### UX Design Lead, Elevate @ Uber Jan 2020 – Jan 2021 | San Francisco, California, United States At Uber Elevate, I led design for Uber’s aerial ridesharing initiative, helping define the future of urban air mobility. The Elevate team aimed to transform daily transportation by launching fleets of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft across cities like Dallas, Los Angeles, and Melbourne by 2023. My role spanned pilot interfaces, flight operations, and brand strategy—bridging complex aviation systems with intuitive, user-friendly design. • Designed the Pilot HUD UI for modern eVTOL vehicles, focused on clarity, safety, and real-time awareness • Built internal flight operations tools for trip configuration, airspace safety, and contingency management systems • Developed several patent-pending UX solutions for airspace management and map-based operational tools • Designed the Uber Air experience inside the Uber app, aimed at a global audience of over 110M users • Authored the first Uber Elevate Community white paper, articulating use cases and vision for aerial ridesharing • Directed all brand, PR, and marketing creative, aligning storytelling with product and aerospace innovation ### Founder @ Inkstinct Jan 2009 – Jan 2021 | San Francisco Bay Area As Founder of Inkstinct, I led the product and UX strategy for a cross-platform experience that reimagined how tattoo artists, studios, and enthusiasts connect. What began as a searchable tattoo studio directory became the largest global community of tattoo fans and professionals, spanning mobile, desktop, and social. Inkstinct Inc. was privately acquired in 2022. • Curated the full iOS, Android, and desktop platform, shaping the experience through user research and behavioral insights • Built a proprietary algorithm and database with 380,000+ studios, automatically synced from Facebook and Instagram • Grew the Instagram audience to 4M organic followers and launched the largest tattoo Pinterest page globally • Introduced the first tattoo social network, enabling users to discover and share tattoos, artists, and studios in any city • Led the full product roadmap, business strategy, branding, and go-to-market execution • Managed a distributed team including UX designers, engineers, and social media managers • Achieved 9M+ mobile downloads and featured placement in the Apple App Store (2014 & 2017) ### Creative Director @ Kittyhawk Jan 2018 – Jan 2020 | San Francisco, California, United States At Aloft (formerly Kittyhawk), I led UX and brand design across mobile, web, and marketing for one of the most influential platforms in commercial drone operations. My work shaped tools used by airspace professionals, government agencies, and drone operators—including the official FAA B4UFLY app—while elevating the company’s brand identity and market presence. • Designed and launched the FAA’s official B4UFLY app for iOS and Android, reaching 1M+ active users • Rebuilt the Kittyhawk mobile experience, delivering a complete UX overhaul across platforms • Created and implemented the brand identity, including full visual language and scalable design guidelines • Designed a new B2B marketing website and digital funnel, resulting in a 400% spike in organic traffic and generating a $1.2M+ revenue pipeline • Balanced hands-on execution with strategic brand storytelling across product, marketing, and investor-facing channels • Partnered with the FAA and other regulatory bodies to ensure tools were safe, compliant, and intuitive ### Creative Director @ Cloud4Wi Jan 2015 – Jan 2018 | San Francisco, California, United States At Cloud4Wi, I led the design system, product UX, and brand evolution for a smart location-based marketing platform serving global enterprise clients. My work spanned product and marketing, unifying brand expression with performance-driven user experiences across mobile and web. • Built the Cloud4Wi product design system, improving design velocity and consistency across the platform • Created the brand identity, visual language, and all marketing assets used across digital and print channels • Designed and optimized the company website, driving SEO growth and performance improvements • Led the UX for mobile product experiences used by enterprise clients like Adecco, Armani, Clarks, Bulgari, Burger King, Ermenegildo Zegna, Illy, KFC, Microsoft, Loro Piana, Hermes, Swatch, McDonald’s, Prada Group and more • Implemented a B2B content strategy and SEO improvements that resulted in a +250% increase in organic traffic over 2 years • Directed award-winning creative campaigns, including promotional videos and media for key product launches • Managed and mentored a team of UX designers, aligning execution across product and brand initiatives ### Head Of Design @ Faenza Group Jan 2012 – Jan 2015 | Bologna Area, Italy After Faenza Group acquired my agency, I led the transformation of our small digital team into an integrated in-house agency—introducing a full suite of digital services to complement the company’s legacy in print and publishing. This expansion delivered substantial value to existing clients and positioned Faenza Group for success in the digital era. • Developed the newly acquired team into an in-house digital agency, offering end-to-end digital strategy and execution • Expanded services to include digital marketing, brand positioning, marketing design, and mobile UX • Introduced design thinking and digital innovation across the organization to modernize legacy offerings • Delivered interactive experiences, including augmented reality apps and cross-platform digital publishing • Drove digital transformation across a wide portfolio of clients, opening up new revenue streams and capabilities ### Founder @ Good Karma Agency Jan 2007 – Jan 2011 | Santa Barbara, California Area I co-founded Good Karma, a digital agency based in Ravenna and Santa Barbara, delivering high-impact design and marketing solutions across web, mobile, and brand. The studio worked with over 200 clients across industries and was ultimately acquired by Faenza Group in 2011. • Led strategy and execution across digital design, brand identity, UX, and campaign development • Built and launched custom websites, apps, and digital publishing solutions for startups and established brands • Developed and managed paid advertising campaigns, SEO strategies, and social content to maximize growth • Positioned the agency as a leader in digital storytelling and creative innovation • Successfully negotiated the acquisition of Good Karma by Faenza Group, transitioning into their in-house design leadership ### Product Designer @ I&Co Jan 2006 – Jan 2007 | Ravenna Area, Italy I&Co was an Advertising / Communication agency based in Ravenna, Italy. ## Education ### Diploma of Education in CNOS FAP - Graphic design, Photography, Illustration, Web design, Marketing Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna ### Bachelor of Applied Science - BASc in Informatics University of Ferrara ## Contact & Social - LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/paganiemanuele - Portfolio: https://emanuelepagani.com/portfolio - Portfolio: https://5pmdesign.com --- Source: https://flows.cv/emanuele JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/emanuele/resume.json Last updated: 2026-04-13