My path to product design took a few detours. Across countries, careers, startups, successes, and failures, every chapter left something behind that shapes how I design, lead, and build today.
I grew up in Sweden, but some of my most formative years were spent living abroad in Spain and Central America. New languages, cultures, and ways of seeing the world became part of everyday life. I learned Spanish, learned to adapt quickly, and developed a curiosity about people and perspectives that has stayed with me ever since.
I studied Business & Marketing at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, including 1.5 years abroad in Spain. It gave me an early foundation in how businesses grow, what motivates people, and how ideas become something people actually want. That perspective still shapes how I think about products today.
I moved from Sweden to the U.S. in 2006 and started designing and building websites from scratch with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Long before today’s no-code and AI tools, design and code were already intertwined for me. What started as a side pursuit became a foundation I still build on today, now supercharged by AI.
While continuing to design on the side as a Freelancer, I spent a decade across marketing, sales, business development, and events. I learned how companies grow, how ideas get sold, and how teams get aligned. Along the way, I stepped into leadership roles, served on boards, and mentored others. It gave me something I still bring to design today: a broader view of the business behind the product.
In 2017, an idea became an entrepreneurial leap. I took it from concept to a software company, learning firsthand what it takes to design a product, build a team, raise money, find customers, and bring something new to market. COVID ultimately changed the market we served, but building Planesty became one of the most valuable experiences of my career and shaped the product designer and leader I am today.
Read the Planesty story →From startups to Disney and ESPN, I’ve grown from hands-on product designer to design leader while never stepping away from the craft. I’ve led teams, shaped product strategy, mentored designers, and partnered closely with product and engineering to ship experiences used by millions. Today, I’m still designing, still building, and still learning.
Across different industries, roles, and chapters, the through-line has always been the same: turn good ideas into products and experiences people love, bring great people together, and create the conditions for everyone to do their best work.
The full story on LinkedIn →Designer. Builder. Leader. Coach. A few different chapters taught me to see problems from more than one angle, adapt quickly, care about the people around me, and never take myself too seriously.
Living across countries taught me to listen first, read the room, and find my footing quickly.
Design, business, entrepreneurship, and leadership give me different lenses for finding the right problem and the right way to solve it.
Sports keep me competitive, curious, and humble. There’s always another game to learn, another skill to improve, and usually someone better to learn from.
Seven years of coaching reinforced what great teams need: clear direction, honest feedback, shared ownership, and room to enjoy the work.
Being easy to work with is underrated.
Do ambitious work. Challenge each other. Laugh often. Share the credit. Leave the ego at the door.
A few words from designers, engineers, and product partners I’ve worked alongside.
“Hugo always stood out as a designer”
Hugo is a technical leader with a relentless commitment to building a collaborative culture and serving our users. He involves his peers and stakeholders in his process and gets the best out of them. A true team player. Hugo is a natural leader, with strong values and deep work ethics. I will always cherish our relationship from Disney.
ANDRÉ BERNARDI · MANAGER“Exceptional design instincts. Even better under complexity.”
Hugo has exceptional design instincts and a rare ability to turn complex, ambiguous problems into simple experiences. He brings rigor to the work, aligns product, design, and engineering, and leads with a calm, collaborative energy. People trust him, enjoy working with him, and do their best work around him.
SHAUN MCPARTLIN · SR. PRODUCT MANAGER“Hugo excelled at being the design leader”
During our time working together at Neat, Hugo excelled at being the design leader. At a startup, design plays an important role in both helping the team execute quickly and navigate the murky world of where the product is heading. Hugo did both, getting deep into the work, collaborating closely with engineers, and serving as a partner to product to ensure we had the right priorities and were delivering work that added value.
ALEX JANSEN · PRODUCT MANAGER“Hugo has a natural instinct for UX and UI”
Hugo has a natural instinct for UX and UI, but what really stood out was how he brought design and development together as one team. His ability to understand both sides created shared ownership, stronger collaboration, and ultimately a better product.
GABOR PUHALLA · CEO OF PROFIQ“Dependable and amazing partner”
Thanks for being such a dependable and amazing partner! Working with you, I'm not only learning about design but also gaining valuable insights into effective collaboration. Your openness to share expertise and provide support has been invaluable, and I genuinely appreciate the positive impact you've had on the team and our projects.
YIQI SUN · LEAD DESIGNER“Hugo is a natural leader”
I always look forward to working with Hugo, no matter how big or small the project. Hugo is a natural leader within our team and he always provides great feedback and fresh perspectives. Excited to see what amazing work lies ahead of us!
GABRIELLE WEST · CONTENT DESIGNER II
