Shivaram Kotari

Transformational Design Executive with 20+ years of experience defining product vision, scaling design organisations, and driving customer-centric innovation across global digital ecosystems. Recognised for building strategic UX capabilities that connect business growth, emerging technology, and human-centred design into measurable market impact. Expertise spans OTT platforms, Enterprise Products, AI-driven personalisation, and multi-device experiences across TV, mobile, and web.

Known for leading organisational design maturity, influencing executive decision-making, and establishing scalable design systems that accelerate innovation at enterprise scale. A forward-thinking leader who combines strategic vision, operational excellence, and creative direction to shape next-generation product experiences adopted across 70+ international deployments and used by more than 100 million consumers worldwide.

Senior Manager, Product Experience Design at Synamedia (2018-10 – Present)

Driving strategic UX transformation for next-generation OTT and interactive video platforms across global markets, shaping how millions of users discover and engage with content experiences.

• Championed a multi-platform experience strategy across TV, mobile, and web, ensuring a unified brand experience while respecting platform-native interactions.
• Defined long-term experience vision and product design strategy across multi-device ecosystems including Smart TVs, mobile, web, and operator platforms.
• Led AI-driven personalisation and content discovery initiatives that strengthened user engagement, improved subscriber retention, and enhanced platform differentiation.
• Influenced executive product direction by positioning UX as a strategic business capability tied to growth, customer loyalty, and market expansion.
• Built scalable design operations and enterprise design systems that accelerated product delivery, increased consistency, and improved cross-functional execution efficiency.
• Partnered with product, engineering, data, and business leaders to align customer experience strategy with commercial objectives and platform innovation.
• Championed the evolution from feature-centric delivery to product-led experience thinking, embedding design into strategic planning and organisational decision-making.
• Directed UX initiatives across 10+ international deployments, balancing global platform consistency with local market expectations.

Manager, User Experience Design at Cisco (2012-04 – 2018-10)

Led global UX initiatives focused on large-scale consumer and operator-facing video ecosystems across North America, Europe, and APAC.

• Scaled global design capabilities by establishing unified quality standards and fostering a culture of mentorship and cross-regional collaboration.
• Established strategic design governance frameworks that unified product quality, usability standards, and customer experience consistency across regions.
• Integrated user research, analytics, and behavioural insights into product strategy to drive evidence-based design decisions.
• Led culturally adaptive experience strategies that balanced global product vision with regional user expectations and operational realities.
• Strengthened alignment between business priorities, technical feasibility, and customer needs within complex enterprise environments.

Design Manager at NDS India (2008-10 – 2012-10)

Built and scaled the organisation's centralised design function during a critical growth and transformation phase.

• Architected the "Product Evolution" framework, establishing a scalable UX foundation adopted across 30+ global client platforms.
• Directed experience strategy for 70+ deployments impacting over 100 million users worldwide.
• Established foundational hiring, mentoring, and design governance practices that shaped the organisation's long-term UX maturity.
• Defined reusable experience patterns and operational standards that improved scalability, reduced fragmentation, and accelerated execution across global teams.
• Positioned design as a strategic enabler for both product innovation and customer experience consistency.

Assistant Manager, Creative Services at SumTotal Systems (2003-10 – 2008-10)

Spearheaded the creation and launch of the new brand identity for SumTotal Systems during the merger of Click2learn and Docent, partnering with US-based brand consultants and global marketing teams to establish a unified and scalable enterprise brand presence.

• Led global corporate branding and creative strategy across advertising, product promotions, digital and print campaigns, enterprise storytelling, and integrated marketing initiatives, ensuring consistent brand communication across regions and platforms.
• Managed and mentored multidisciplinary creative teams through ideation, design reviews, and production processes, delivering high-impact creative solutions aligned with business goals, brand standards, and marketing objectives.
• Directed the design and execution of customer-facing digital experiences, including corporate websites, microsites, landing pages, customer conference platforms, email campaigns, and PPC initiatives focused on engagement, lead conversion, and ROI optimisation.
• Collaborated closely with cross-functional stakeholders across Marketing, Product, and regional teams in the US, Europe, EMEA, and APAC, while contributing to UI/UX reviews, product packaging, and visual design strategies for flagship enterprise product suites.
• Conceptualised and delivered large-scale integrated marketing campaigns, including 100+ magazine advertisements, online campaigns, exhibition branding, corporate presentations, outdoor media, and recruitment advertising for both domestic and international markets.

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Visual Communication UCD, Brand Management – University College of Fine Arts, Davanagere

Diploma In Graphic Design in Graphic Design – PACE Computers Academy (1999)

CUA Course in User-centred Analysis and Conceptual Design, Practical Usability Testing, The Science and Art of Effective Web and Application Design & Putting Research into Practice – Human Factors International (HFI) (2012)

HCI (Human Computer Interaction) Coursera Online in Human Computer Interaction – Stanford University (2012)