Updraft
Project Overview
Updraft set out to tackle one of consumer finance’s toughest challenges: high-interest revolving credit. As Chief Design & Product Officer, I shaped the product vision, built and scaled a trusted financial platform, and created a design-led culture that balances speed, creativity, and FCA compliance.
- Grew Updraft from concept to a platform helping over 1M users escape high-interest debt.
- Built a modular design system to ensure scalability and rapid feature delivery.
- Led product strategy, research, and data-driven optimisation, improving conversion and user retention.
- Established a high-performing design and product team, fostering innovation within strict regulatory frameworks.
- Positioned Updraft competitively, winning market share from banks and neobanks.
1M+
# of users
4.8
Rating on Trustpilot
£500M+
In customer lending
Sam's ability to really tap in to the user and business's needs give us a competitive advantage we'd get nowhere else. His confidence in building the right product years ahead of our nearest competitors is supernatural, he can read the landscape before most of us realise there's a shift. That's the ability and product vision Sam brings to the table.
