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Summary
Type
Agency
My Role
Director of Digital Design
Business Model
Agency
Location
Shanghai
Engagement
6 months
Core Brief
Build a new venture
In 2015, I joined Razorfish in Shanghai just as the agency merged with Publicis Groupe. My role as UX Design Director focused on helping large Fortune 500 clients localize and launch their digital presence in the Chinese market. I led digital strategy and product work across fashion, FMCG, and luxury verticals — with clients including L’Oréal, Shanghai Tang, and others entering or scaling within China. Working closely with local stakeholders and global brand teams, I helped shape digital experiences that bridged global standards with regional consumer behavior.
Go-to-market
Go-to-market efforts were heavily focused on digital channels native to China — particularly WeChat, Tmall, and local ad networks. Our role was to support brand and media teams in adapting messaging, site structure, and user flows to better suit local acquisition strategies. For many clients, we advised on how to drive foot traffic to flagship retail locations while also building a long-term direct-to-consumer digital foundation.
Product & Design
As UX Design Director, I led a team of designers and worked in partnership with engineers, strategists, and analytics leads to define end-to-end digital journeys. I was responsible for developing UX strategies, leading design sprints, and overseeing execution across mobile, desktop, and in-store platforms. A significant part of the work involved rethinking navigation, checkout flows, and content strategy to align with Chinese consumer expectations and usage patterns.
Lessons & Resources
One major challenge was adapting global brand systems and legacy infrastructure to the fast-moving, mobile-first Chinese digital landscape. Global platforms often lacked the integrations or flexibility needed to perform effectively in-market. I learned to prioritize simplicity and speed over feature-completeness — designing solutions that worked within technical constraints while delivering value quickly. Getting early alignment with local stakeholders was critical to success.