Leonard Botezatu

Me in a few words

Passionate about what I do, I'm a big believer in innovative, user-centered digital products.

Over the past 20 years, I've used my experience and expertise to create digital products for companies like Mastercard, Vodafone, The Irish Times, Currys PC World, FBD and more. Today, I combine that foundation with AI tools to work smarter and faster, helping employers and clients reach their goals through creative thinking, commercial, business and technical awareness, and a world-class customer experience.

20+

Years of
experience

100s

Success
stories

What I ❤️ doing

Competitive Landscape

I enjoy figuring out what everyone else is doing and more importantly, what they're not doing. Mapping the competition helps me spot gaps where a product can actually stand out.

Service Design

I think about the whole journey, not just one screen. Connecting the dots between touchpoints so users don't hit dead ends or confusing handoffs—just smooth experiences from start to finish.

Innovation

I like playing with new tech and "what if" ideas to see what sticks. Not innovation for the sake of it, but finding clever ways to solve problems people didn't know they had.

User Research

I love understanding user behaviors, needs, and their motivations. It gives me the right canvas to build successful digital products on.

Digital Product Design

I believe the best design is invisible. When users flow through an experience so naturally they don't even notice the complexity beneath.

Data analytics

Data grounds my design decisions. I use metrics to uncover opportunities, validate directions, and build compelling cases for the solutions I propose.

Tools I ❤️ using

Work experience

March 2022 - Present (Mastercard)

Director of Product & Service Design | Identity

As a Director of Product design, I am responsible for creating innovative and user-friendly solutions that meet the needs of modern consumers. So my approach to product design is rooted in a user-centric mindset. I believe that understanding the needs, preferences, and pain points of end-users is crucial in creating products that are intuitive, accessible, and enjoyable to use.

Jan 2021 - Feb 2022 (Mastercard)

Senior Product Designer (UX/UI/CX)

I was brought on board Mastercard as a Senior Product Designer for the Digital Identity team, where I have been responsible for overseeing the User Experience (UX) aspects of an exciting new digital service that will play a pivotal role in Mastercard's digital strategy: Digital Identity. Being part of such a significant project has been incredibly rewarding, as I've had the opportunity to contribute to Mastercard's cutting-edge digital initiatives and help shape the future of digital identity management.

Jan 2020 - Jan 2021 (The Irish Times)

Digital Product Designer (UX/UI/CX)

I was part of the amazing design team at The Irish Times, Ireland's leading news publisher, where I played a key role in elevating the digital experience for over 500,000 monthly active users. I focused on both optimising existing products and pioneering new digital experiences balancing reader needs with business goals in a fast-paced news environment.

November 2016 - November 2019 (Vodafone)

Digital Product Designer (UX/UI)

I joined the Digital Operations Team as a Digital Product Designer to drive a critical digital transformation initiative, modernising legacy systems and workflows to improve operational efficiency and user experience across the product portfolio. This multi-year programme touched every aspect of how the business operated digitally, from internal tools to customer-facing platforms.

November 2007 - October 2016 (Currys PC World)

Digital Designer (UI/CX)

In Currys PC World / Carphone Warehouse group I have had the chance to work with Ireland's top telco operators as well as world's best smartphone manufacturers on both online products but in-store experiences as well.

Download my CV

Enough chit-chat

Here are some recent projects I've been working on

PRODUCT DESIGN / DESIGN SYSTEM

Prove you are you with ID by Mastercard

RESEARCH / USER-TESTING / UI / UX

Did you know that you can now listen to articles on The Irish Times website?

UI / UX / USER-TESTING

Vodafone digital product portfolio plans redesign

UI / UX

Revitalising native advertising at The Irish Times - COMING SOON

UI / UX / USER-TESTING

Say hello to Vodafone's new pay as you go plans for the youth segment - COMING SOON

More coming soon

Articles & Insights

Thoughts on digital products, AI, technology, and industry analysis

AI & FUTURE

The Hari Seldon protocol: is Ai the key to forecasting (and fixing) the future?

Inspired by Isaac Asimov's Foundation series, this article explores how AI could potentially predict societal trends and help us navigate complex futures.

March 15, 2025 8 min read