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About

Alex Zapadenko

Principal Product Designer

Product design leader with 15+ years across enterprise platforms, B2B SaaS, and 0โ†’1 products. Currently directing AI-driven design at Banyan Software, shaping both the AI-assisted pipeline and the next-generation experiences it ships across a portfolio of 50+ vertical SaaS products. Recently led the design for re-platforming Intuit Mailchimp Transactional โ€” a developer-focused email API โ€” into the unified Mailchimp experience. Earlier, scaled TheoremOne's design team from 10 to 50+ and integrated a 200-person global design practice at Monks. Open to select fractional and advisory engagements where I can set strategy, ship complex products, and build the teams behind them.


By the numbers

15+
Years of experience
5+
In design leadership
100+
Largest team led
30+
Designers hired
50+
Projects delivered
10+
Industries served

Career

Principal Architect, AI Product Design

Banyan Software ยท May 2026 โ€“ Present

Direct AI-driven design for an internal Software Modernization Factory retooling a portfolio of 50+ vertical SaaS products across the group. Shape both the AI-assisted pipeline that does the work and the next generation of experiences it ships โ€” embedding intelligent workflows into products where legacy interfaces stood.

Principal Product Designer

Product Inc. ยท Dec 2022 โ€“ Present

Run a fractional design practice for early-stage founders, from product strategy through launch. Anchor ongoing engagements at EarthWonders (e-commerce) and Edvo (B2C SaaS), and ship 0โ†’1 concepts, marketing sites, and investor materials for Cracken AGI, Journify, UnboxAI, and other emerging startups.

Product Designer (Contract)

Intuit Mailchimp ยท April 2026

Set the design vision for collapsing Mailchimp Transactional into the core Mailchimp product โ€” a re-platform that unifies two separate apps into a single workspace for marketers and developers. Made the case for swapping an incremental UI refresh for a full platform integration, and shaped the roadmap that followed.

Senior Director of Product Design

Monks Technology Services ยท May 2022 โ€“ May 2024

Following the acquisition of TheoremOne, co-led the integration of the TheoremOne and Zemoga design teams into a unified 200-person global practice. Stood up leveling, career paths, and hiring ops that closed the merger in under 9 months โ€” faster than any other function. Ran a 100-person product design org, lifted delivery quality and client confidence, and represented design in enterprise sales that contributed to multimillion-dollar wins. Provided strategic IC leadership on engagements with Apple, GitHub, Wells Fargo, PNC, and BCG.

Director of Product Design

TheoremOne ยท Nov 2020 โ€“ May 2022

Scaled the design team from 20 to 50+ during the company's growth to 500 people and eventual acquisition. Put organizational structure, hiring operations, and performance frameworks in place, and lifted overall design maturity and delivery quality across client engagements.

Manager of Product Design

TheoremOne ยท Jun 2017 โ€“ Nov 2020

Grew the design team from 10 to 20 and introduced lead roles to give the org structure for scale. Stood up design operations, career frameworks, and client engagement models โ€” the foundation that let the team take on larger, more complex enterprise engagements.

Product Designer

TheoremOne ยท Dec 2015 โ€“ Jun 2017

Delivered UX and visual design from concept to production across retail, telecom, logistics, and B2B SaaS โ€” embedded in cross-functional teams alongside engineering and product. Clients included Apple, First American, Infor, AT&T, Maersk, and Caterpillar.

UX/UI Designer

Early Career (Rokitt, Star, Ciklum) ยท Aug 2007 โ€“ Nov 2015

Eight years of UX and visual design across travel, tech, gaming, and agency environments โ€” formative product work that shaped everything that followed.


Rates

Fractional design leadFrom $12k per month

Owns the design direction and the system everyone builds against. A standing weekly working session, async availability for decisions, and hands-on work where it matters most.

AdvisoryFrom $5k per month

Standing access without delivery ownership โ€” a weekly session, design review, and help with hiring and org design.

Audit or sprintFrom $6k fixed scope ยท 2โ€“3 weeks

A UX audit, a strategy sprint, or a design-system assessment. Fixed scope, fixed price, a written result.

Ad-hoc$350 per hour

For one-off reviews and questions that don't warrant a retainer. No minimum.

Equity considered alongside a reduced retainer for early-stage teams.


Get in touch

Open to select fractional and advisory engagements. Reach him at hello@product.inc or on LinkedIn.