I'm Subhankar Das (shu-bhaang-kar Das). I led the design systems function at PhonePe (phone-pay), India's leading fintech platform (a Walmart company), where I built the system behind consumer experiences for 600M+ users. Before PhonePe, I grew from designer to director over five years at Obvious, an award-winning product studio, working with clients like Google, Grab, Kotak Securities, and Wikimedia across India and Southeast Asia.
I'm now based in Düsseldorf, Germany, and looking for my next role. Remote-friendly across the EU, open to relocation within Germany.
I'm currently enjoying exploring what's possible to build with AI. My last project, Delta, was a Figma plugin built almost entirely this way. I have a background in computer science and a Masters in Human Centred Design.
When I'm not designing, you'll find me exploring new music, gaming, and seeking out obscure horror films.
Experience
PhonePe
Design Systems Lead
2024 - 2026
Owned PhonePe's central design systems function across its consumer, merchant, and enterprise platforms (600M+ users, $1.6T+ annual transactions). Built Mint, the system behind the consumer app's major revamp, and Enigma, the system for enterprise and internal tools. Drove end-to-end token adoption across design and engineering, and built the design systems team, hiring and growing two designers.
Obvious
Design Lead / Director
2019 - 2024
Led design at an award-winning product studio, taking work from research to shipped product for clients across India and Southeast Asia, including a nine-month embedded engagement leading design for a global tech giant's India payments app. Grew from designer to director over five years, mentoring designers and building the hiring and growth frameworks that scaled the studio's practice.
Notable clients: Google, Grab, Wikimedia, Kotak Securities, IDFC First Bank.
Education
Master of Design (M.Des), Human Centered Design
Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore
2016 – 2018
Bachelor of Science (B.Sc), Information Technology
Amity University, Noida
2011 – 2014