I Lead Design Teams
Product, Marketing, and Operations.
Hands-on when needed, Strategic when it counts.
About me
Design Leader | Product & Marketing Design | Design Operations
I build and scale design teams. At Kape Technologies, I led multidisciplinary teams across ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, PIA, Intego, and ZenMate, covering product, UX/UI, marketing, and brand design.
Some highlights: 51% faster designer onboarding, 83% less QA rework, a product redesign that lifted feature adoption by 32% and user satisfaction from 62% to 84%. On the marketing side, campaigns that improved CTR by 5.2% and homepage conversions by 4.7%.
I care about two things: helping designers do their best work, and making sure that work drives real results. I build the systems, stay hands-on when it matters, and get out of the way when it doesn't.
About me
Design Leader | Product & Marketing Design | Design Operations
I build and scale design teams. At Kape Technologies, I led multidisciplinary teams across ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, PIA, Intego, and ZenMate, covering product, UX/UI, marketing, and brand design.
Some highlights: 51% faster designer onboarding, 83% less QA rework, a product redesign that lifted feature adoption by 32% and user satisfaction from 62% to 84%. On the marketing side, campaigns that improved CTR by 5.2% and homepage conversions by 4.7%.
I care about two things: helping designers do their best work, and making sure that work drives real results. I build the systems, stay hands-on when it matters, and get out of the way when it doesn't.
About me
Design Leader | Product & Marketing Design | Design Operations
I build and scale design teams. At Kape Technologies, I led multidisciplinary teams across ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, PIA, Intego, and ZenMate, covering product, UX/UI, marketing, and brand design.
Some highlights: 51% faster designer onboarding, 83% less QA rework, a product redesign that lifted feature adoption by 32% and user satisfaction from 62% to 84%. On the marketing side, campaigns that improved CTR by 5.2% and homepage conversions by 4.7%.
I care about two things: helping designers do their best work, and making sure that work drives real results. I build the systems, stay hands-on when it matters, and get out of the way when it doesn't.
About me
Design Leader | Product & Marketing Design | Design Operations
I build and scale design teams. At Kape Technologies, I led multidisciplinary teams across ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, PIA, Intego, and ZenMate, covering product, UX/UI, marketing, and brand design.
Some highlights: 51% faster designer onboarding, 83% less QA rework, a product redesign that lifted feature adoption by 32% and user satisfaction from 62% to 84%. On the marketing side, campaigns that improved CTR by 5.2% and homepage conversions by 4.7%.
I care about two things: helping designers do their best work, and making sure that work drives real results. I build the systems, stay hands-on when it matters, and get out of the way when it doesn't.
What I Bring to the Table
Strategic leadership across product, marketing, and brand design
Design Ops expertise: Jira workflows, process automation, tooling optimization
Hands-on design skills paired with mentorship experience
Remote-native leadership across time zones and cultures
Track record of building teams with high retention and strong eNPS
What I Bring to the Table
Strategic leadership across product, marketing, and brand design
Design Ops expertise: Jira workflows, process automation, tooling optimization
Hands-on design skills paired with mentorship experience
Remote-native leadership across time zones and cultures
Track record of building teams with high retention and strong eNPS
What I Bring to the Table
Strategic leadership across product, marketing, and brand design
Design Ops expertise: Jira workflows, process automation, tooling optimization
Hands-on design skills paired with mentorship experience
Remote-native leadership across time zones and cultures
Track record of building teams with high retention and strong eNPS
What I Bring to the Table
Strategic leadership across product, marketing, and brand design
Design Ops expertise: Jira workflows, process automation, tooling optimization
Hands-on design skills paired with mentorship experience
Remote-native leadership across time zones and cultures
Track record of building teams with high retention and strong eNPS
What Colleagues Say
"Working alongside Alex has been a privilege. He has this educator-like way of giving feedback that makes you want to do better. He's patient, genuinely cares about each person on the team, and creates an environment where people feel safe to share ideas."
Candice A.
Senior Design Manager, Express VPN
"Alex is easy to collaborate with and always pushes for better outcomes. He led an initiative to analyze landing pages for conversion improvements, which got design and content working together in a way we hadn't before. Thoughtful, creative, and genuinely pleasant to work with."
Shira S.
Head of Content, CyberGhost & PIA VPN
"Under Alex's leadership, the design team consistently delivered quality work on time, even under heavy demand. I especially appreciated his communication style. He was always upfront about workload and timelines, which made planning across teams much smoother. He also drove real improvements in workflow efficiency, always looking for ways to do things better."
Ron M.
VP Growth, Kape Technologies
"Working alongside Alex has been a privilege. He has this educator-like way of giving feedback that makes you want to do better. He's patient, genuinely cares about each person on the team, and creates an environment where people feel safe to share ideas."
Candice A.
Senior Design Manager, Express VPN
"Alex is easy to collaborate with and always pushes for better outcomes. He led an initiative to analyze landing pages for conversion improvements, which got design and content working together in a way we hadn't before. Thoughtful, creative, and genuinely pleasant to work with."
Shira S.
Head of Content, CyberGhost & PIA VPN
"Under Alex's leadership, the design team consistently delivered quality work on time, even under heavy demand. I especially appreciated his communication style. He was always upfront about workload and timelines, which made planning across teams much smoother. He also drove real improvements in workflow efficiency, always looking for ways to do things better."
Ron M.
VP Growth, Kape Technologies
"Working alongside Alex has been a privilege. He has this educator-like way of giving feedback that makes you want to do better. He's patient, genuinely cares about each person on the team, and creates an environment where people feel safe to share ideas."
Candice A.
Senior Design Manager, Express VPN
"Alex is easy to collaborate with and always pushes for better outcomes. He led an initiative to analyze landing pages for conversion improvements, which got design and content working together in a way we hadn't before. Thoughtful, creative, and genuinely pleasant to work with."
Shira S.
Head of Content, CyberGhost & PIA VPN
"Under Alex's leadership, the design team consistently delivered quality work on time, even under heavy demand. I especially appreciated his communication style. He was always upfront about workload and timelines, which made planning across teams much smoother. He also drove real improvements in workflow efficiency, always looking for ways to do things better."
Ron M.
VP Growth, Kape Technologies
"Working alongside Alex has been a privilege. He has this educator-like way of giving feedback that makes you want to do better. He's patient, genuinely cares about each person on the team, and creates an environment where people feel safe to share ideas."
Candice A.
Senior Design Manager, Express VPN
"Alex is easy to collaborate with and always pushes for better outcomes. He led an initiative to analyze landing pages for conversion improvements, which got design and content working together in a way we hadn't before. Thoughtful, creative, and genuinely pleasant to work with."
Shira S.
Head of Content, CyberGhost & PIA VPN
"Under Alex's leadership, the design team consistently delivered quality work on time, even under heavy demand. I especially appreciated his communication style. He was always upfront about workload and timelines, which made planning across teams much smoother. He also drove real improvements in workflow efficiency, always looking for ways to do things better."
Ron M.
VP Growth, Kape Technologies
CASE STUDIES
CASE STUDIES
CASE STUDIES
CASE STUDIES
Featured Design Work and Case Studies
product design
b2c
Redesigning the PIA VPN App
Project goal: Redesign the PIA VPN app to fix usability issues, meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards, and align with the 2021 brand.
My role: Design lead. Managed team of senior and lead designers, owned research and design direction, hands-on contributor to UI redesign and component library.
product design
b2c
Redesigning the PIA VPN App
Project goal: Redesign the PIA VPN app to fix usability issues, meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards, and align with the 2021 brand.
My role: Design lead. Managed team of senior and lead designers, owned research and design direction, hands-on contributor to UI redesign and component library.
product design
b2c
Redesigning the PIA VPN App
Project goal: Redesign the PIA VPN app to fix usability issues, meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards, and align with the 2021 brand.
My role: Design lead. Managed team of senior and lead designers, owned research and design direction, hands-on contributor to UI redesign and component library.
product design
b2c
Redesigning the PIA VPN App
Project goal: Redesign the PIA VPN app to fix usability issues, meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards, and align with the 2021 brand.
My role: Design lead. Managed team of senior and lead designers, owned research and design direction, hands-on contributor to UI redesign and component library.
Product design
Enterprise tool
Optimizing Affiliates Management app
Project goal: Redesign the Affiliates Management App to reduce workflow friction, improve usability across multiple brands, and comply with new cybersecurity requirements.
My role: UX/UI lead. Conducted user research, redesigned login and dashboard experience, unified visual system.
Product design
Enterprise tool
Optimizing Affiliates Management app
Project goal: Redesign the Affiliates Management App to reduce workflow friction, improve usability across multiple brands, and comply with new cybersecurity requirements.
My role: UX/UI lead. Conducted user research, redesigned login and dashboard experience, unified visual system.
Product design
Enterprise tool
Optimizing Affiliates Management app
Project goal: Redesign the Affiliates Management App to reduce workflow friction, improve usability across multiple brands, and comply with new cybersecurity requirements.
My role: UX/UI lead. Conducted user research, redesigned login and dashboard experience, unified visual system.
Product design
Enterprise tool
Optimizing Affiliates Management app
Project goal: Redesign the Affiliates Management App to reduce workflow friction, improve usability across multiple brands, and comply with new cybersecurity requirements.
My role: UX/UI lead. Conducted user research, redesigned login and dashboard experience, unified visual system.
Product design
b2b2c
Reviewing EqualWeb Accessibility Widget
Project goal: Widget usability and clarity improvement My role: UX/UI consultant, Design Lead
Product design
b2b2c
Reviewing EqualWeb Accessibility Widget
Project goal: Widget usability and clarity improvement My role: UX/UI consultant, Design Lead
Product design
b2b2c
Reviewing EqualWeb Accessibility Widget
Project goal: Widget usability and clarity improvement My role: UX/UI consultant, Design Lead
Product design
b2b2c
Reviewing EqualWeb Accessibility Widget
Project goal: Widget usability and clarity improvement My role: UX/UI consultant, Design Lead
UX/UI
CRO
Revamping VPNMentor PPC Pages
Project goal: Redesign PPC comparison pages to improve engagement, clarity, and conversion performance.
My role: UX/UI lead. Conducted CRO audit, redesigned page layout and vendor cards, created unified branding kit.
UX/UI
CRO
Revamping VPNMentor PPC Pages
Project goal: Redesign PPC comparison pages to improve engagement, clarity, and conversion performance.
My role: UX/UI lead. Conducted CRO audit, redesigned page layout and vendor cards, created unified branding kit.
UX/UI
CRO
Revamping VPNMentor PPC Pages
Project goal: Redesign PPC comparison pages to improve engagement, clarity, and conversion performance.
My role: UX/UI lead. Conducted CRO audit, redesigned page layout and vendor cards, created unified branding kit.
UX/UI
CRO
Revamping VPNMentor PPC Pages
Project goal: Redesign PPC comparison pages to improve engagement, clarity, and conversion performance.
My role: UX/UI lead. Conducted CRO audit, redesigned page layout and vendor cards, created unified branding kit.
Brand Design
Corporate identity
Refreshing Kape Technologies Visual Identity
Project goal: Visual identity refresh to improve brand clarity, consistency, and professionalism across Kape's assets
My role: Audit Lead, concept development
Brand Design
Corporate identity
Refreshing Kape Technologies Visual Identity
Project goal: Visual identity refresh to improve brand clarity, consistency, and professionalism across Kape's assets
My role: Audit Lead, concept development
Brand Design
Corporate identity
Refreshing Kape Technologies Visual Identity
Project goal: Visual identity refresh to improve brand clarity, consistency, and professionalism across Kape's assets
My role: Audit Lead, concept development
Brand Design
Corporate identity
Refreshing Kape Technologies Visual Identity
Project goal: Visual identity refresh to improve brand clarity, consistency, and professionalism across Kape's assets
My role: Audit Lead, concept development
ABOUT ALEX
ABOUT ALEX
Reimagining CyberGhost’s Illustration style
Project goal: Mascot redesign for versatility, emotional resonance, and scalable brand storytelling.
My role: Mascot redesign lead, systemization, and internal rollout strategy
ABOUT ALEX
ABOUT ALEX
Reimagining CyberGhost’s Illustration style
Project goal: Mascot redesign for versatility, emotional resonance, and scalable brand storytelling.
My role: Mascot redesign lead, systemization, and internal rollout strategy
ABOUT ALEX
ABOUT ALEX
Reimagining CyberGhost’s Illustration style
Project goal: Mascot redesign for versatility, emotional resonance, and scalable brand storytelling.
My role: Mascot redesign lead, systemization, and internal rollout strategy
ABOUT ALEX
ABOUT ALEX
Reimagining CyberGhost’s Illustration style
Project goal: Mascot redesign for versatility, emotional resonance, and scalable brand storytelling.
My role: Mascot redesign lead, systemization, and internal rollout strategy
my experience
my experience
my experience
my experience
History & Background
I started in education, teaching design fundamentals and building curriculum. That foundation shaped how I lead today: clear explanations, structured feedback, and a focus on helping people grow.
From there, I moved into agency work, then product companies. At Kape Technologies, I progressed from Lead Designer to Senior Design Manager, leading teams across ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, PIA, Intego, and ZenMate. I also provided mentorship and design guidance to the content marketing branch's design team outside my core responsibilities.
Career timeline:
Senior Design Manager | Kape Technologies | 2021 - 2025
Lead UX/UI Designer | Kape Technologies | 2020 - 2021
UX/UI Designer and Accessibility Specialist | Equalweb ltd. | 2017-2020
Senior Web and Brand Designer | Interdeal Development ltd. | 2009 - 2020
Senior Design Instructor | E.P.S College | 2004 - 2009
Alex Dihel | Design Leader | Product & Marketing Design | Design Operations www.alexdihel.com ©
Alex Dihel | Design Leader | Product & Marketing Design | Design Operations www.alexdihel.com ©
Alex Dihel | Design Leader | Product & Marketing Design | Design Operations www.alexdihel.com ©
Alex Dihel | Design Leader | Product & Marketing Design | Design Operations www.alexdihel.com ©