Chris Houlding
About Chris Houlding
Chris Houlding is a Senior Product Design Manager at Nationwide Building Society, where he has worked since 2020. He has extensive experience in design management and team leadership, having previously held positions at various companies including Mubaloo Limited and TRW Digital.
Work at Nationwide Building Society
Chris Houlding has been serving as the Senior Product Design Manager at Nationwide Building Society since 2020. In this role, he is responsible for leading a team of 19 Interaction and Product designers. He plays a significant part in a Design Operations team, where he defines and implements design strategies across various delivery streams. Previously, he held the position of Product Design Manager/Lead at Nationwide from 2016 to 2020, further contributing to the organization's design capabilities.
Previous Experience in Design Roles
Before his current role, Chris Houlding worked at Mubaloo Limited as the Head of Website Design for a brief period in 2016. He also served as a Senior Web Designer at TRW Digital from 2013 to 2015 and as the Head of Design at the same company from 2015 to 2016. Additionally, he worked as a Senior Digital Designer at Oakwood Agency from 2007 to 2013 and as a Graphic Designer at asabell limited from 2004 to 2007.
Education and Expertise
Chris Houlding studied at the University of South Wales, where he earned a BA (Hons) in Graphic Communication from 2001 to 2004. His educational background provides a strong foundation for his career in design, focusing on graphic communications. He employs User-Centered Design (UCD) methodologies and frameworks such as Design Thinking and Lean UX to enable designers in creating solutions that meet customer needs.
Leadership and Team Development
In his role at Nationwide Building Society, Chris Houlding is accountable for the growth and development of a team of 19 designers. He co-leads a multi-disciplinary team of over 90 professionals, including UX, Service, and Content designers. His leadership emphasizes the creation and implementation of a scalable design system across multiple platforms and emerging technologies, ensuring that design practices align with organizational goals.