Elevating Design's role in OLX Europe's business
Executive Summary
The company
A Prosus’ company (AMS: PRX), OLX Motors Europe serves tens of millions of people buying and selling new and used cars every month. It holds #1 position in all its markets, growing 24% yoy, and bringing over $320M in ARR.
The problem
OLX Motors’ design chapter was in trouble: understaffed, demoralized, operating by ticket requests while serving dozens of squads, struggling with unstructured processes, and ultimately creating little to no impact.
My role
I transformed the design team's maturity through a management culture based on trust, empowerment, and commitment to business impact, taking the function from ticket-takers to strategic partners (2019-2025).
Impact
91% Engagement (vs. 54% company avg.)
100% Direct team engagement.
79% Retention over 5 years (vs. 42% avg.)
GREAT Cross-functional view of designers.
The problem
OLX Motors’ design chapter was in trouble: understaffed, demoralized, operating by ticket requests while serving dozens of squads, struggling with unstructured processes, and ultimately creating little to no impact. Within that context, leadership severely undervalued the role of Design in the business’ success.
As soon as I arrived in 2019, I ran a full assessment of the Design function within the organization, mapping with my team and cross-functional peers all challenges, issues, and respective changes we ambitioned to promote from that point on.
Approach
Aligned with OLX’s values and strategy, I pursued two main goals managing this team:
1. Build trust, morale, and confidence in designers to operate at their full hability and potential.
2. Show to the company, with concrete results, that embracing designers as real partners in product development yields greater business success.
Impact
Before undervalued, the Design team has become a strategic, high-performing force of 40+ people delivering substantial impact.
CultureAmp engagement of my 40+ people team (vs. 54% company avg.)
CultureAmp engagement of my direct team of 7 reports (Heads and Managers)
Talent retention rate over 5 years (vs. 42% company avg.)
Cross-functional evaluation of designer’s impact (vs. "terrible" in 2019)
Praise
I'm grateful and proud of the change I implemented over five years, yielding super positive feedback within my own organization and from cross-functional peers:
“Victor is one of the most capable and authentic design leaders I've seen. He motivates teams, raises the bar for excellence, and establishes solid processes which keep things running smoothly.”
Head of Product
“Victor has a rare ability to lead with transparency and integrity. His open and honest communication style fostered trust and collaboration, enabling us to tackle even the toughest challenges with confidence.”
Lead Design Ops Specialist
“With his empathy, listening skills, and operating on a deep understanding of the problem any situation got a structured look. He inspired not only me but the whole team to take ownership and accountability in their cross-functional teams, in result changing the whole design chapter.”
Staff Product Designer
“After 5 years under Victor's influence and vision, nothing could be the same. We've reached a much higher level of design maturity and culture in our organization, which makes me feel very grateful and privileged to be part of it.”
Product Designer
Credits
These accomplishments are shared with an amazing team of Design Leaders whom I had the privilege to manage and lead: Francisco Medina, Mafalda Sequeira, José Ferreira, Paulo Costa, Guilherme Lobo, Felipe Marra, Evgenyia Markova, Aleksandra Szapar, and Marta Costa.
