Edinburgh-headquartered product and software engineering agency xDesign has appointed its first Chief Product and Technology Officer to lead its Leeds office.
Jeff Watkins will join the company in the new role, where he will be based at xDesign’s Leeds office to lead and help to evolve the firm’s technology and engineering capabilities.
Prior to joining the company, he held the role of Chief for Technology at AND Digital.
The company opened a new office in Leeds last July and works with clients including FanDuel, Heineken, NHS 24 and MoneySuperMarket.
Euan Andrews (pictured, right), CEO of xDesign, said: “Jeff’s appointment marks the next phase of xDesign’s evolution as we continue to scale at pace. Our people remain a key focus and we invest in the team’s learning, development and wellbeing as a priority.
“Jeff brings a wealth of experience that will provide valuable support to our product and engineering teams as we work to achieve ambitious growth plans. It’s clear that technology is in Jeff’s DNA and he will be applying his vast knowledge across our teams, but he also has the enviable capability to inspire people and to help achieve commercial growth. With these attributes, he will be a vital addition to our team.”
Jeff Watkins (pictured, left), chief product and technology officer at xDesign added: “I am passionate about technology being a great leveller that benefits the human experience. We have seen how the pandemic has driven more people to use technology and apps, and it is the responsibility of organisations like xDesign to create a compelling and engaging experience for users. The potential for xDesign to lead in this area is huge and being part of that journey is something I can’t wait to get my teeth into.”
