IBM iX

Scaling design across enterprise transformation

At IBM iX, I led the Benelux design studios through a period of rapid growth and reinvention. The goal was bold: help some of the world’s largest companies rethink how they connect with people in a digital-first world.

When I joined, IBM iX was known for its scale but lacked cohesion. The work was good, the talent was strong, but the story needed focus. My role was to bring that focus—to unite designers, strategists, and engineers around a shared vision of what great design could do inside a global consulting organization.

We built momentum by aligning craft and business. Service design met strategy, brand met product, and delivery met culture. Studio utilization grew from 64% to 92%, the team doubled in size, and IBM iX Benelux evolved into a trusted design partner for enterprise transformation.

The work spanned everything from reimagining customer experiences for Fortune 500 brands to launching digital products used by millions. We introduced new design systems, omnichannel journeys, and collaboration models that bridged the gap between IBM and client teams. The impact was measurable: faster delivery, stronger outcomes, and higher confidence in design as a driver of business growth.

Beyond delivery, we looked ahead. We explored AI-driven interfaces, IoT experiences, and voice design—prototyping ideas that would later influence real client work. It was design as R&D, a space to test what might come next.

Leading more than forty designers, researchers, and strategists, I focused on building culture as much as capability. We defined clear standards, shared rituals, and a sense of creative ownership that held across teams and time zones.

In the end, IBM iX Benelux became more than a studio—it became a case study in how design at scale can move organizations forward. It showed that even inside one of the world’s largest networks, creativity still thrives when you make space for people, purpose, and possibility.