A Curious Dabbler.
I started web designing as a teenager, teaching myself HTML, CSS, and PHP so I could build what I designed in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and Fireworks (my tools of the trade back then). That curiosity led me to study Multimedia at UWE Bristol, where I earned a 2:1 and a lifelong habit of experimenting. I now lead design at Easol and have 10+ years of experience across multiple industries and company stages, from startups to scaleups to enterprises. I’m a creator and builder by nature and in this post AI World, the possibilities are incredibly exciting.
Read on below about my career journey….
The E-com Starting Point.
Role: Design & Usability Executive
My first big role was at Photobox, where I moved from graphic design and front end development into UX, becoming the first to hold that title there. I learned research, analytics, and usability hands on, teaching myself Google Analytics and SiteCat. After four years, I was ready for a new challenge, enter Sticky9.
The Social Media Experience.
Role: Lead UX Design
Sticky9 was a small startup building around the Instagram boom. I led UX from the early days, shaping product and design direction and learning the value of fast, iterative releases. Working across design, engineering and marketing, I developed both my product instincts and creative leadership, catching the startup bug in the process.
The Agency Life.
Role: Director of UX
I spent a short stint at Tangent, leading UX projects for multiple clients. It confirmed what I’d long suspected and that’s me preferring owning a product end-to-end, understanding customers deeply and driving value through continuous iteration rather than project handovers and saying toodle-loo.
The Surprising Enterprise.
Role: Product Design Lead
I joined Salesforce in 2015, leading design for Marketing Cloud’s Advertising Studio, spanning products like Lead Capture, Journey Builder Ads, and Advertising Campaigns. Balancing several scrum teams as the sole designer taught me to prioritise clarity and purpose in every design decision.
A Startup within a Corporate Healthcare.
Role: Director of Product Design
In 2018, I joined GSK to build a new design function focused on tech driven health. Leading a small team, we operated like a startup inside a global organisation, creating digital tools for scientists, clinicians, and patients.
AI/ML in a new GSK, BioPharma
Role: Director of Product Design
By 2021, our team shifted towards AI/ML for R&D, designing products that surfaced the value of complex data and models for scientists. It was my first deep step into applied AI in product design, and it reshaped how I think about human machine collaboration.
Leading design at a Series A to B
Role: Product Design Lead
I’m currently leading design at Easol, an experience commerce platform for festivals, retreats and location based experiences. I work as a player/coach, setting design direction, mentoring the team and staying very hands on with the craft. My focus is on moving fast without losing quality, building systematically and shipping work that expands what creators can do on Easol.
You Crazy Thing.
If you’ve read this far, thank you! If something here resonated, I’d love to hear from you. You can find me on. www.linkedin.com/in/paul-salter-2044671a.