UX Career Growth & UX Leadership Lessons: Fortune 500

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Breaking the UX Ceiling: UX Career Growth & UX Leadership Lessons from a Fortune 500 Design Executive

Wolfgang Bremer is a German-Canadian design leader with 20+ years of experience leading global design teams at Fortune 500s and high-growth startups. He creates user-centered products that simplify lives, inspire innovation, and reach millions of people worldwide.

Wolfgang steps onto the UX360 Virtual 2026 stage with other industry pioneers who are innovating the way we think about UX research and design.

**Wolfgang Bremer, Design Executive, Fortune 500s & Global Startups**

UX360: What motivates you to join the UX360 Virtual 2026, and what is the core message of your talk?

Wolfgang: I’m excited to join UX360 Virtual 2026 because it brings together a diverse community of UX professionals eager to explore new perspectives. In the panel session, “Career Progression and Leadership in UX: Beyond Traditional Pathways,” alongside other great leaders, we’ll examine how career growth in UX can break away from traditional limits. In my round table, “The Anti-UX Session: Thinking of Leaving UX – What Are Your Options?”, I’ll lead an open conversation about alternatives for those considering stepping outside the usual UX roles. Both sessions focus on expanding the conversation about what career success and leadership can truly look like in UX.

UX360: How has this impacted your own work and your organisation?

Wolfgang: Having led the topic of career progression and leadership development at several organizations – including Volkswagen Group Charging – and co-led similar efforts at SAP Analytics, I’ve seen firsthand how rethinking traditional career models can transform teams. A key part of this is recognizing and valuing the human beings behind the work, not just their roles or titles. This mindset creates environments where people feel truly seen and supported for their unique strengths and ambitions, which leads to higher engagement, motivation and retention. It’s about building cultures that support diverse career paths and recognize different forms of leadership.

UX360: How has User Research and Design as a practice evolved in the last couple of years, and how would you like to see it evolve in the next few?

Wolfgang: User Research and Design have evolved from largely isolated functions into core, cross-disciplinary practices deeply integrated into product and business strategies. There’s now a stronger emphasis on data-driven insights combined with qualitative understanding, helping teams make decisions that genuinely serve users. In the next few years, I’d like to see this evolve even further by fostering a mindset that balances advanced technology with deep empathy – making sure we continue to see the humans behind every data point and product design choice.

UX360: Given this evolution, what are two expected and two less obvious skills market researchers should possess, and why?

Wolfgang: Expected skills include strong analytical abilities to interpret increasingly complex datasets and clear communication skills to translate those insights across diverse teams. Less obvious but equally important are emotional intelligence, to navigate stakeholder relationships and really understand user contexts, and adaptability, because the tools and methods in UX research keep evolving fast. These skills help researchers stay relevant and truly impactful in guiding user-focused innovation.

UX360: Apart from work, what can delegates at the event talk to you about? Do you have any particular personal interests, hobbies or extracurricular activities and engagements?

Wolfgang: Outside of work, I’m passionate about connecting with people and hearing their unique stories. I enjoy engaging in conversations about what motivates others, their experiences in design and technology, and the trends shaping mobility, especially in electric vehicles. These moments of genuine connection and shared curiosity are always inspiring.

UX360: Last but not least, we are publishing “reading/listening guides” on our blog, can you share your favourite recommendations for inspiration, learning and leadership:

Wolfgang:

In your ears – Podcast:

Wolfgang: There are so many great podcasts out there, but I’m a big fan of the ‘Brave UX’ podcast with Brendan Jarvis, which unfortunately recently ended its successful multiyear run after 171 episodes.

Must read – Book/Blog:

Wolfgang: Again, too many great books to list them all, but I do enjoy and recommend ‘The Five Dysfunctions’ of a Team by Patrick Lencioni and ‘Creativity, Inc.’ by Amy Wallace and Edwin Catmull.

UX360: Thank you so much, Wolfgang! We look forward to hearing more from you at the event!

The UX landscape is evolving fast. Whether you’re stepping into your first research role or leading a global design organization, yesterday’s skills won’t be enough for what’s next.

At UX360 Virtual Summit (Feb 4–5, 2026), global UX research and design leaders will share how they’re evolving their practice to stay ahead — and deliver impact today. The agenda is grounded in real-world case studies and proven methods from teams behind. Approved speakers include: