Namaste!
I'm Rakesh Patwari,
I've been fortunate to lead design organizations that shape product strategy, scale high-performing teams, drive organizational transformation, and establish design operations that deliver measurable business impact.
It has been an incredible and humbling journey from a small village in South India to Silicon Valley, from being a stereotypical programmer to a design leader. A big thanks to my family! ❤️
I stumbled into design through PowerPoint, got immersed in Photoshop while in college, which sparked a design career I'm still building two decades later. Started as a programmer who could design, evolved into a designer who could program, and now focus on being a design enabler who knows tech.
How I work
I help teams make sense of messy situations. I may not always give answers right away, but I'll ask the kind of questions that bring clarity. If you're stuck in ambiguity, we'll untangle it together.
I ask questions not to challenge, but to understand. Curiosity is how I lead, learn, and connect. I care about good design, but even more about why it works.
I assume positive intent and trust that people are doing their best. If something feels off, I bring it up directly, because that's how we build trust.
On decision-making: Design has the final say on user experience, visual design, and interaction patterns. For product strategy and technical implementation, I see design as a key voice at the table.
My North Star:
Be a great team that builds great products by being great partners.
Want more detail? See my full "How to Work With Me" guide
My personal values
Life taught me these are the beliefs I return to. They guide how I show up, lead, listen and navigate life.
career snapshot
I’ve been fortunate to work at reputed companies of varying sizes. This visualization maps my career progression, showcasing evolving strengths and the diverse hats 🎩 I've worn over time.
beyond design
When I'm not working or chauffeuring my son around, satiating my curiosity is what I love most—learning something new by listening, reading, building, creating, or giving back.
Topics of interest keep changing, but storytelling, psychology, and neuroscience always stay on top.
My curiosity has led me to study Data Visualization with Edward Tufte, Storytelling with Nancy Duarte, and leadership and entrepreneurship at Stanford. I also completed Product Management at Berkeley Haas.
I teach Information Architecture at UC Berkeley Extension and advise startups through Berkeley SkyDeck.
On and off, whenever I get an opportunity, I share what I've learned through talks, podcasts, interviews, and writing.
work history
Over the years, I've designed across diverse industries and roles, building a versatile toolkit that balances strategic thinking with practical execution. From navigating startup chaos to untangling enterprise complexity, each chapter has sharpened my ability to simplify ambiguity, align teams, and ship meaningful experiences that work.
Agentic Experiences
Enterprise
B2B SaaS
Sales
Security & Trust
Developer tools
Commerce
Infrastructure mgmt
Employee exp.
GTM & PLG
