Global enterprise digital transformation

Context

A global biotech organisation with operations across the UK, US, China, Japan, Singapore and Europe, launched an 18-month digital transformation as a core strategic pillar:

To become the leading digital business in its industry

The business operated within complex B2B and B2B2C purchasing environments, large product catalogues (up to 30,000 SKUs per category), global distributor networks and fragmented legacy systems that limited scalability.

My Role

Head of UX & Product Design

  • Reporting to VP of Product

  • 10 direct reports

  • Owned UX & Product Design budget

  • Developed business cases and secured executive sign-off

  • Accountable for commercial OKRs (conversion, search performance, CSAT)

I scaled the team into a multidisciplinary function (UX, UXR, IA and copy) embedded across nine product squads covering search, browse, e-commerce, customer accounts, CRM and regional platforms.

Product & experience strategy

Search was redesigned around a “Right product, first time” principle.

Rather than maximising result volume, the strategy prioritised precision and behavioural insight. Researchers were encouraged to provide additional attributes in exchange for fewer, more relevant results, a model we termed “positive friction.”

A separate case study details the measurable outcomes, including significant improvements in engagement, search success and customer satisfaction.

Browse, content & SEO

CMS architecture was restructured using Information Architecture inputs to:

  • Strengthen customer mental models

  • Migrate legacy content with least disruption

  • Improve performance and SEO structure

A new DAM capability was introduced, supporting Brand and Marketing teams, optimising image handling and rendering speeds.

Improved technical SEO forecast reduced PPC dependency while maintaining organic visibility.

E-commerce & customer experience

Onboarding and account management were modernised to support global B2B/B2B2C workflows:

  • OTP authentication replacing legacy processes

  • Integration of existing customer data to reduce re-entry friction

  • Order history dashboards and multi-address management

  • Loyalty-linked product reviews

  • AI-assisted support

The commerce experience balanced regulatory needs, security and purchasing efficiency.

CRM distributor portal

An internally developed portal consolidated multiple legacy systems into a unified UI for customer service teams.

  • Simplified legacy order processing into one integrated platform spanning ERP and fulfilment

  • 30% reduction in offline order handling and time to fulfilment

  • Real-time global stock visibility across distribution centres

  • Intelligent fulfilment routing based on availability and location

  • Accurate distributor pricing at point of interaction

This improved operational efficiency while increasing data reliability for organisational purchasing.

Research & governance

A global UX research strategy embedded insight directly into prioritisation through shared roadmaps, quantitative and qualitative methods, and capacity planning.

The transformation also coincided with a full company rebrand, where UX & Product Design partnered with Brand and an external agency to implement across customer journeys. As a result, Biota 3.0 was launched, a unified global design system aligning visual language, accessibility and interaction standards.

Monthly global demos and open Q&A sessions ensured transparency and cross-functional alignment.

Transformation architecture

The programme modernised both front-end and data infrastructure.

Core stack:

  • Headless CMS via Adobe Experience Manager

  • React front-end

  • Custom search logic

  • Pimcore Data Hub

  • Freshworks AI chat

  • Adobe Target for experimentation

This reduced reliance on legacy systems and established a scalable foundation.

Key outcomes of the architectural shift:

  • Improved query speed and data accuracy

  • One trusted source of product data across global systems

  • Embedded data governance

  • Real-time stock sync across Japan, Netherlands and US distribution centres

The transformation moved digital from a fragmented support channel to a structured, governed platform.

Outcomes

By 95% programme completion:

  • +30% in Search → PDP engagement resulted in +2.8M additional PDP sessions annually

  • Customer satisfaction improved from 3.2 to 4.3 / 5

  • Zero-result searches reduced by 7%

  • Filter dependency remained below 4%, validating precision-first strategy

  • Offline order handling reduced by 30%

  • Legacy systems largely decommissioned or consolidated

The organisation transitioned from a legacy-supported digital channel to a scalable, commercially accountable digital platform.

The business was acquired before final rollout, with digital capability positioned as a strengthened enterprise asset and contributor to enterprise value.