Venkatesh Balasubramaniam

Senior Director, Product Design | Hyderabad, Telangana, India

Professional Overview

Venkatesh Balasubramaniam is a seasoned product design leader with over 20 years of experience driving innovation and user-centric design strategies for leading technology companies. As the Senior Director of Product Design at New Relic, he is responsible for shaping the design vision and leading a team of talented designers to deliver exceptional user experiences. Venkatesh also co-founded Claypot Academy, an educational platform focused on empowering the next generation of designers.

Experience Summary

Current Role

Senior Director, Product Design at New Relic (2024-05-01 to Present)

• Leads the product design function, overseeing a team of designers and collaborating closely with cross-functional stakeholders to define and execute the design strategy for New Relic's suite of products.

• Spearheads user research initiatives to deeply understand customer pain points and needs, translating insights into impactful design solutions.

• Drives the adoption of design-thinking methodologies and best practices to foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement.

• Collaborates with engineering and product management teams to ensure seamless integration of design into the development process.

Co-Founder at Claypot Academy at Claypot (2024-02-01 to Present)

• Co-founded Claypot Academy, a leading educational platform dedicated to empowering the next generation of designers.

• Oversees the development of comprehensive design curricula and mentorship programs to nurture and develop design talent.

• Collaborates with industry experts to curate and deliver high-quality educational content and workshops.

Career Progression

Prior to his current roles, Venkatesh held several senior design leadership positions, including:

• VP / Executive Director of Product Design | Leading Strategy & Innovation at Keka HR (2023-02-01 to 2024-02-01)

• Head of Design, Freshworks Neo Platform at Freshworks Inc (2019-12-01 to 2023-02-01)

• Head of Design / Senior Manager - Product Design (Freshdesk) at Freshworks Inc (2017-03-01 to 2023-02-01)

• Head of Design and Investor at Imagin8ors Pte. Ltd. (2015-11-01 to 2017-02-01)

• Founder, CEO / Creative Director / Design Partner at Zazen Designs (2006-10-01 to 2007-11-01)

Throughout his career, Venkatesh has consistently demonstrated his ability to drive design-led innovation, build high-performing teams, and deliver impactful user experiences that have transformed the products and services of the companies he has worked with.

Academic Background

Venkatesh holds a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and Engineering from Visvesvaraya Technological University.

Areas of Expertise

• User-centric design strategy and implementation

• Design system development and scalability

• Design research and user insights-driven decision making

• Cross-functional collaboration and team leadership

• Design mentorship and talent development

Professional Impact

• Spearheaded the design transformation of Freshdesk and Freshworks Neo Platform, resulting in significant improvements in user engagement and customer satisfaction.

• Co-founded Claypot Academy, which has trained and empowered hundreds of aspiring designers, contributing to the growth of the design community.

• Recognized as a thought leader in the design community, frequently invited to speak at industry events and conferences.

Conclusion

Venkatesh Balasubramaniam is a seasoned design leader with a proven track record of driving user-centric innovation and building high-performing design teams. With his deep expertise in design strategy, research, and cross-functional collaboration, he is poised to continue making a significant impact in the technology industry and beyond.