Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Languages
Earlier Experience
Executive Education
Core Leadership Areas
Timeline
Generic

Vaaibhav V. Bhardwaj

New York,NY

Summary

Design executive with 15+ years of experience leading product design, AI experience strategy, and innovation portfolios across financial services, healthcare, and global digital platforms. Proven track record of building and scaling multidisciplinary teams (2–14 direct reports across US and India), owning product and experience portfolios, and delivering GenAI-powered, data-driven platforms that drive business growth, operational efficiency, and decision-making outcomes. Specialized in designing AI-assisted workflows and emerging agentic systems that enhance user decision-making, automate complex processes, and enable scalable product innovation in regulated environments. Trusted partner to executive leadership, influencing product roadmap, investment decisions, operating models, and organizational design, while embedding design as a strategic function across enterprise transformation initiatives.

Overview

14
14
years of professional experience

Work History

Sr. VP Product Design & AI Experience Strategy

Citi Bank
New York, NY
03.2025 - Current
  • Lead end-to-end product design and AI experience strategy for Citi’s digital wealth ecosystem, shaping advisor and client journeys across investment lifecycle.
  • Own design direction, product experience strategy, and portfolio prioritization across onboarding, planning, estimation, and portfolio management workflows.
  • Designed and operationalized GenAI-driven advisor workflows and early-stage agentic interaction models, enabling intelligent investment planning and decision support.
  • Drive AI-enabled product innovation, embedding intelligent workflows, predictive insights, and automation into advisor tools to improve productivity and accuracy.
  • Partner with Product, Engineering, Risk, Compliance, and Business leadership to influence product roadmap, funding strategy, and enterprise investment decisions.
  • Establish and scale design operations and governance, including frameworks, standards, and research integration across teams.
  • Lead resource allocation and cross-initiative prioritization, balancing regulatory constraints, business impact, and delivery timelines.
  • Define and operationalize product development and experience strategy, aligning with enterprise KPIs and long-term transformation goals.
  • Deliver executive-level storytelling and artifacts (journeys, blueprints, strategic narratives) to drive leadership alignment and decision-making.
  • Led cross-functional teams to drive strategic initiatives and enhance operational efficiency.
  • Developed and implemented risk management frameworks to mitigate financial exposure.
  • Mentored senior leadership on best practices for team development and stakeholder engagement.
  • Fostered partnerships with key stakeholders to expand service offerings and drive revenue growth.
  • Developed and executed strategic initiatives to drive business growth, resulting in higher revenues and market share expansion.
  • Championed innovation by encouraging cross-functional teams to pursue creative solutions to complex challenges.
  • Collaborated with executive leadership team members on long-term strategic planning that ensured sustainable success for the company.
  • Established a culture of continuous improvement, leading by example to drive operational excellence across the organization.
  • Identified opportunities to improve business process flows and productivity.
  • Strengthened relationships with key stakeholders, fostering trust and collaboration across the organization.
  • Presented and discussed strategy and initiative progress with senior business leaders.
  • Developed, coached and provided feedback to top-performing teams using strong leadership and analytical thinking skills.
  • Influenced organizational change initiatives that resulted in significant improvements in workplace efficiency and employee satisfaction.
  • Developed measurement tools, dashboards, and reports to track metrics on adoption and effectiveness of initiatives.
  • Provided strong leadership to enhance team productivity and morale.
  • Managed large-scale projects and introduced new systems, tools, and processes to achieve challenging objectives.
  • Reviewed and analyzed reports, records and directives to obtain data required for planning department activities.
  • Conducted performance evaluations, compensations and hiring to maintain appropriate staffing requirements.
  • Held monthly meetings to create business plans and workshops to drive successful business.
  • Evaluated hiring, firing, and promotions requests.
  • Established and maintained strong relationships with customers, vendors and strategic partners.
  • Analyzed industry trends and tracked competitor activities to inform decision making.
  • Collaborated with legal, accounting and other professional teams to review and maintain compliance with regulations.
  • Led recruitment and development of strategic alliances to maximize utilization of existing talent and capabilities.
  • Cultivated company-wide culture of innovation and collaboration.
  • Led cross-functional teams to enhance operational efficiency and streamline processes.
  • Mentored junior staff, fostering professional growth and enhancing team capabilities.
  • Managed project timelines and resources to ensure successful delivery of key objectives.
  • Collaborated with stakeholders to identify areas for improvement and implement solutions effectively.
  • Resolved staff member conflicts, actively listening to concerns and finding appropriate middle ground.
  • Achieved departmental goals by developing and executing strategic plans and performance metrics.
  • Defined clear targets and objectives and communicated to other team members.
  • Recruited, interviewed, and hired employees and implemented a mentoring program to promote positive feedback and engagement.
  • Facilitated team brainstorming sessions that led to innovative solutions for long-standing operational challenges.
  • Led cross-functional teams to achieve project goals, fostering collaboration and innovation.
  • Directed cross-functional teams to develop and implement strategic initiatives, enhancing operational efficiency.
  • Spearheaded organizational change management efforts, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives and stakeholder engagement.

Lead, Product Experience & Design Strategy

Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS)
USA
08.2024 - 10.2024
  • Led product experience strategy and design direction for member-facing healthcare platforms, improving care navigation and engagement.
  • Owned design prioritization and delivery alignment, ensuring initiatives were tied to operational efficiency and business outcomes.
  • Partnered with product and engineering teams to embed design into product development and healthcare workflows.
  • Delivered research-driven insights and frameworks influencing product roadmap and experience transformation strategy.

Sr. Lead, Product Design Strategy

UnitedHealthcare
USA
09.2022 - 04.2024
  • Led enterprise product design strategy across provider and member ecosystems, improving complex healthcare workflows and systems.
  • Defined future-state product and experience models, enhancing operational efficiency and digital engagement.
  • Influenced portfolio prioritization, feature investments, and product decisions in a regulated environment.
  • Translated complex operational systems into scalable, intuitive product solutions.

Sr. Manager, Product Design & Research

Elevance Health (Anthem)
USA
07.2021 - 09.2022
  • Managed and scaled a team of designers and researchers, driving product design and research strategy across enterprise platforms.
  • Established research frameworks, governance models, and insight pipelines to support product roadmap decisions.
  • Partnered with AI, data, and product teams to align user insights with platform innovation and business outcomes.
  • Led resource planning and prioritization, ensuring alignment with product delivery and organizational goals.

Product Design & Innovation Lead

Rush University Medical Center
USA
01.2021 - 05.2021
  • Led product design and innovation initiatives improving patient and provider experience systems.
  • Delivered new service and product models aligned with clinical workflows and operational strategy.

Product Designer & UX Research Lead

Anthem Inc
USA
05.2020 - 12.2020
  • Led research and design strategy shaping product usability, engagement, and care experiences.
  • Delivered insights influencing product roadmap and experience improvements.

Product Design & Innovation Strategist

Hitachi America & IIT Institute of Design
USA
08.2019 - 03.2020
  • Led innovation strategy and future-state product frameworks for emerging ecosystems.
  • Delivered insights guiding long-term product and business strategy development.

Head of Product Design & Innovation

Noun Design Innovation Pvt. Ltd.
India
01.2018 - 01.2019
  • Built and led a product design and innovation practice, managing a multidisciplinary team.
  • Owned end-to-end product strategy, development, and delivery across digital transformation initiatives.
  • Established operating models, design frameworks, and processes to scale product innovation capabilities.
  • Led resource planning, staffing, and cross-project prioritization across engagements.

Country Head, Product Design Strategy & Innovation

Panasonic Corporation
India
01.2012 - 01.2017
  • Led product design strategy and innovation portfolio across global business units.
  • Built and scaled a multidisciplinary design organization supporting product innovation and business growth.
  • Owned product development and operating model strategy, aligning design with business objectives and go-to-market plans.
  • Directed resource allocation, team structuring, and program delivery across geographies.
  • Influenced global leadership on product roadmap, innovation priorities, and strategic investments.
  • Led cross-functional teams to improve operational processes and enhance product quality.
  • Developed and implemented strategic initiatives that increased efficiency across multiple departments.
  • Mentored junior staff, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and professional growth.
  • Analyzed market trends to inform product development and align with consumer demands.
  • Streamlined communication channels between departments, resulting in improved project timelines.
  • Oversaw budget management for projects, ensuring resource allocation aligned with strategic goals.
  • Facilitated training sessions on new technologies and systems to enhance team capabilities.
  • Collaborated with senior leadership to define long-term business strategies and objectives.
  • Accomplished multiple tasks within established timeframes.
  • Enhanced customer satisfaction by resolving disputes promptly, maintaining open lines of communication, and ensuring high-quality service delivery.
  • Maximized performance by monitoring daily activities and mentoring team members.
  • Cross-trained existing employees to maximize team agility and performance.
  • Developed and maintained relationships with customers and suppliers through account development.
  • Developed a strong company culture focused on employee engagement, collaboration, and continuous learning opportunities.
  • Managed budgets effectively, ensuring optimal financial performance while investing in necessary resources for business growth.
  • Reduced operational costs through comprehensive process improvement initiatives and resource management.
  • Streamlined workflows by identifying bottlenecks in existing systems and implementing appropriate solutions.
  • Led cross-functional teams to achieve project goals, fostering collaboration and innovation.
  • Increased market share with strategic business development efforts, expanding into untapped markets.
  • Facilitated team brainstorming sessions that led to innovative solutions for long-standing operational challenges.
  • Built high-performing teams through effective recruitment, onboarding, and talent development initiatives.
  • Improved marketing to attract new customers and promote business.
  • Negotiated favorable terms with suppliers, cutting operational costs while maintaining quality of service.
  • Conducted market research to identify customer needs and adjusted product offerings accordingly, increasing customer satisfaction.
  • Organized professional development programs for staff, leading to improved performance and skill sets.
  • Planned, created, tested and deployed system life cycle methodology to produce high quality systems to meet and exceed customer expectations.

Education

MS - Project Management

Harrisburg University
USA

MDes - Human Computer Interaction

IIT Institute of Design
USA

MDes - Strategic Design Management

National Institute of Design
India

Bachelor’s - undefined

Wigan & Leigh College
UK

Skills

  • Product Design Leadership
  • Design Strategy
  • Innovation Leadership
  • Organizational Scaling
  • Stakeholder Influence
  • Product Strategy
  • Portfolio Planning
  • Resource Allocation
  • Operating Model Design
  • Project Management
  • Business Transformation
  • GenAI Product Design
  • Agentic Systems
  • AI-Driven Workflows
  • Intelligent Platforms
  • UX/UI Design & Research
  • Service Design
  • Workshop Design and Facilitation
  • Journey Mapping
  • Research
  • Prototyping
  • Figma

Languages

English
Hindi

Earlier Experience

  • Founder, VDAC (Design Strategy & Consulting)
  • Product Design & Research, Euro Wine Gate
  • UX/UI Research Assistant, Nokia Corporation

Executive Education

Harvard Business School, Driving Growth Through Innovation

Core Leadership Areas

  • Product Design Leadership (0→1 and Scale)
  • AI Experience Strategy (GenAI & Agentic Systems)
  • Design Strategy, Innovation & Portfolio Ownership
  • Product Development & Operating Model Strategy
  • Design Operations & Organizational Scaling
  • Resource Allocation & Portfolio Prioritization
  • Customer Experience Transformation
  • Data-Driven Product & Business Strategy
  • Executive Stakeholder Influence & Alignment

Timeline

Sr. VP Product Design & AI Experience Strategy

Citi Bank
03.2025 - Current

Lead, Product Experience & Design Strategy

Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS)
08.2024 - 10.2024

Sr. Lead, Product Design Strategy

UnitedHealthcare
09.2022 - 04.2024

Sr. Manager, Product Design & Research

Elevance Health (Anthem)
07.2021 - 09.2022

Product Design & Innovation Lead

Rush University Medical Center
01.2021 - 05.2021

Product Designer & UX Research Lead

Anthem Inc
05.2020 - 12.2020

Product Design & Innovation Strategist

Hitachi America & IIT Institute of Design
08.2019 - 03.2020

Head of Product Design & Innovation

Noun Design Innovation Pvt. Ltd.
01.2018 - 01.2019

Country Head, Product Design Strategy & Innovation

Panasonic Corporation
01.2012 - 01.2017

MS - Project Management

Harrisburg University

MDes - Human Computer Interaction

IIT Institute of Design

MDes - Strategic Design Management

National Institute of Design

Bachelor’s - undefined

Wigan & Leigh College

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Vaaibhav V. Bhardwaj