Mathias Wendlinger
18 years building AI-powered experiences, growing globally distributed design teams, and driving measurable business outcomes for products serving 50 million users.
Born in the south of France, I grew up in Africa and Asia. This multicultural background shaped my perspective on building inclusive digital experiences and leading teams across cultures, continents, and time zones. Today I lead a team of 12 designers across India, Greece, and the United States, building the foundational experiences behind Microsoft's low-code and AI-first strategy for over 50 million users.
I build teams and grow people. Over the past eight years as a manager, I've hired and developed designers across three continents, coached ICs into leadership roles, and invested heavily in team culture. I drive measurable business outcomes and bridge design and engineering in ways that change how teams deliver.
“Brings a rare level of patience, clarity, and steadiness to what is likely the most challenging design leadership role on the team. One of the very first design leaders to lean into AI and learn in public.”Samantha Neufeld, Principal Research Manager at Microsoft
How I Work
I don't just manage designers. I build systems that let teams, AI agents, and enterprise customers collaborate at scale, from the first customer conversation to the production PR.
Research & Strategy
Partner with enterprise customers (John Deere, Chevron, Blackrock) to validate problems and co-design solutions
Design & Prototype
Rapid prototyping with AI-powered tools. From concept to interactive prototype in hours, not weeks
Ship to Production
Author PRs directly into engineering repos. Fix craftsmanship bugs. Publish Storybook components. Edit content strings
Measure & Iterate
Hypothesis-driven experimentation. Three A/B tests graduated to 100% of users. Data shapes every design decision
Featured Projects
RPA AI Recorder
Re-imagined the Power Automate Desktop recorder using GPT-V to combine UI automation with voice instructions, creating a more intuitive and accessible desktop flow creation experience
RPA Self-healing with Copilot
Designed a self-healing system for Power Automate Desktop that automatically repairs broken UI selectors during runtime using Copilot, enabling reliable automation even when application interfaces change
RPA Natural Language to Workflow
Designed a natural language interface that generates flows for Power Automate, empowering users to automate tasks without needing technical skills
AI Builder
Empowering business users to create and use AI models without code
Fraud Protection
Designed the Fraud Protection experience for Dynamics 365
Microsoft Books
Transforming Microsoft Edge into a powerful digital reading platform
Your Groove
Developed personalized music discovery feature using machine learning algorithms.
Music Taste Profile
Enhancing the onboarding experience for Groove Music to make it more personal and engaging
Xbox Music
Build the Xbox Music web experience, focusing on seamless playback and content discovery.
Xbox Support
Revamped the Xbox support experience, improving user satisfaction and reducing support costs.
What People Say
“Mathias brings a rare level of patience, clarity, and steadiness to what is likely the most challenging design leadership role on the team. He navigates all of it with compassion and wisdom — keeping the system moving without losing sight of the humans doing the work. He gives credit generously, acts inclusively, and creates the kind of environment where colleagues feel truly appreciated. Mathias was also one of the very first design leaders to lean into AI and learn in public. His early demos were inspiring and helped our studio become the most AI-forward in the org. It's been a privilege to partner with him.”
“What stands out about Mathias is how hands-on he is with the product — he doesn't hesitate to roll up his sleeves and check in code himself. He's a true role model for the design team. He brings clarity and direction without being heavy-handed, and the team responds well to it. Mathias is calm, proactive about understanding where things stand, and keeps momentum going by asking the right questions at the right time. He genuinely cares about the quality of what ships but never lets perfect be the enemy of done. It's rare to find someone who combines that level of craft with such strong collaboration.”
“Working with Mathias has been a pleasure. He excels as a design leader and is an incredible colleague. Mathias has a strong design and product sense, caring deeply about our customers' success and pushing the product team towards redefining RPA in the Age of AI. His structured approach ensures every artifact he produces is well-organized and clear, setting the bar for excellence. Additionally, Mathias is a role model and coach, helping his team grow and improve in their craft. They are fortunate to have him as their manager.”
“Mathias shows up as a true design partner across organizational boundaries — inclusive and supportive rather than territorial. He balances creativity with pragmatism, ensuring new experiences feel innovative while aligning with established patterns so they land coherently within the product. What I value most is his willingness to engage early in exploratory work, especially where ownership spans multiple product surfaces. He creates psychological safety for designers to experiment and push beyond incremental improvements. As our experiences continue to converge, his role in bridging platform patterns with emerging interaction models has been invaluable.”
“Mathias's dedication and leadership have been outstanding. His creative ideas and hard work, especially on the AI Copilot features, have significantly shaped the product. His ability to deliver on time and openness to feedback have kept projects on track and fostered continuous improvement. Mathias's technical depth and collaborative spirit have created a positive team environment and a smooth user experience. It's a privilege to work with him.”
“The team stands out for its ability to deliver important work that resonates with customers, despite geographical and time zone challenges. Mathias deserves full credit for this. He has a unique ability to hold people accountable without damaging their self-confidence or desire to improve. The team dynamic and the designers are fantastic, and being part of this team has been a joy. Full credit goes to Mathias for fostering such a positive and productive environment.”
“Over the last year, collaborating with Mathias has been incredibly rewarding. His expertise in design and product experiences has greatly benefited our team. Mathias consistently delivers impressive outcomes, even under pressure, and his ability to ask the right questions enhances our product development. In brainstorming sessions, he brings thought-provoking ideas, fostering exploration and innovation. His inclusive and growth mindset creates a collaborative team culture where all feedback is valued. I look forward to continuing our successful collaboration on future projects!”
“Mathias manages the most geo-diverse team in the studio with professionalism and inclusivity. He advocates for team members whose working hours fall outside key studio rhythms, which led to dedicated EU-IDC editions of studio programs with increased attendance and engagement. He proactively positioned the team for AI upskilling, organizing learning sessions so 100% of his direct reports were actively using AI coding tools by mid-February. He also created a wiki capturing all learnings as a shared, scalable resource. The Power Platform studio is more successful because of the trust, clarity, and consistency he brings to the partnership.”
“Working with Mathias over the past few months has been an absolute pleasure. He excels in taking ownership of features, delivering quality work and exceptional UI/UX experiences. Mathias is proactive, always thinking ahead and identifying potential issues early. His strong sense of the product's vision and strategy allows him to make valuable contributions. Additionally, he respects the diversity of the team, fostering a collaborative environment. I couldn't have asked for a better collaborator and look forward to more successful projects together!”
“I really appreciate how Mathias has helped me stay oriented with the design team. He's a great resource and source of institutional knowledge, always approachable with clear answers to my questions. Mathias does an excellent job of taking my input and advocating for the role of content design in the design and development process. His design leadership in the features we've developed together has led to tremendous impact and the successful shipping of great products.”
“I've really appreciated my partnership with Mathias so far. He embodies what it means to be a compassionate, thoughtful, and resourceful design leader. I admire the way he leads the design team and leverages research early in design planning. This proactive approach fosters a generative culture focused on product improvement. Mathias also takes time for his team, checks in on everyone, and embodies an empathetic mindset.”
“Mathias literally blew my mind as he was able to lead a design team across Paris and Redmond [...] He is the manager I've been waiting for ages, the perfect combination between talented, fair and supportive.”
“Mathias is passionate about building good experiences for our customers and building a strong design team. Mathias is extremely effective as a design lead and is an absolute joy to work with! He listens to everyone's opinions and makes people feel valued for their contributions.”
“I'm very impressed by how Mathias has managed to build out a very successful, talented, and capable design team in Paris. Working with Mathias has been incredibly easy and a pleasure, and I hope he's able to continue growing such a quality team.”
“Mathias brings a rare level of patience, clarity, and steadiness to what is likely the most challenging design leadership role on the team. He navigates all of it with compassion and wisdom — keeping the system moving without losing sight of the humans doing the work. He gives credit generously, acts inclusively, and creates the kind of environment where colleagues feel truly appreciated. Mathias was also one of the very first design leaders to lean into AI and learn in public. His early demos were inspiring and helped our studio become the most AI-forward in the org. It's been a privilege to partner with him.”
“What stands out about Mathias is how hands-on he is with the product — he doesn't hesitate to roll up his sleeves and check in code himself. He's a true role model for the design team. He brings clarity and direction without being heavy-handed, and the team responds well to it. Mathias is calm, proactive about understanding where things stand, and keeps momentum going by asking the right questions at the right time. He genuinely cares about the quality of what ships but never lets perfect be the enemy of done. It's rare to find someone who combines that level of craft with such strong collaboration.”
“Working with Mathias has been a pleasure. He excels as a design leader and is an incredible colleague. Mathias has a strong design and product sense, caring deeply about our customers' success and pushing the product team towards redefining RPA in the Age of AI. His structured approach ensures every artifact he produces is well-organized and clear, setting the bar for excellence. Additionally, Mathias is a role model and coach, helping his team grow and improve in their craft. They are fortunate to have him as their manager.”
“Mathias shows up as a true design partner across organizational boundaries — inclusive and supportive rather than territorial. He balances creativity with pragmatism, ensuring new experiences feel innovative while aligning with established patterns so they land coherently within the product. What I value most is his willingness to engage early in exploratory work, especially where ownership spans multiple product surfaces. He creates psychological safety for designers to experiment and push beyond incremental improvements. As our experiences continue to converge, his role in bridging platform patterns with emerging interaction models has been invaluable.”
“Mathias's dedication and leadership have been outstanding. His creative ideas and hard work, especially on the AI Copilot features, have significantly shaped the product. His ability to deliver on time and openness to feedback have kept projects on track and fostered continuous improvement. Mathias's technical depth and collaborative spirit have created a positive team environment and a smooth user experience. It's a privilege to work with him.”
“The team stands out for its ability to deliver important work that resonates with customers, despite geographical and time zone challenges. Mathias deserves full credit for this. He has a unique ability to hold people accountable without damaging their self-confidence or desire to improve. The team dynamic and the designers are fantastic, and being part of this team has been a joy. Full credit goes to Mathias for fostering such a positive and productive environment.”
“Over the last year, collaborating with Mathias has been incredibly rewarding. His expertise in design and product experiences has greatly benefited our team. Mathias consistently delivers impressive outcomes, even under pressure, and his ability to ask the right questions enhances our product development. In brainstorming sessions, he brings thought-provoking ideas, fostering exploration and innovation. His inclusive and growth mindset creates a collaborative team culture where all feedback is valued. I look forward to continuing our successful collaboration on future projects!”
“Mathias manages the most geo-diverse team in the studio with professionalism and inclusivity. He advocates for team members whose working hours fall outside key studio rhythms, which led to dedicated EU-IDC editions of studio programs with increased attendance and engagement. He proactively positioned the team for AI upskilling, organizing learning sessions so 100% of his direct reports were actively using AI coding tools by mid-February. He also created a wiki capturing all learnings as a shared, scalable resource. The Power Platform studio is more successful because of the trust, clarity, and consistency he brings to the partnership.”
“Working with Mathias over the past few months has been an absolute pleasure. He excels in taking ownership of features, delivering quality work and exceptional UI/UX experiences. Mathias is proactive, always thinking ahead and identifying potential issues early. His strong sense of the product's vision and strategy allows him to make valuable contributions. Additionally, he respects the diversity of the team, fostering a collaborative environment. I couldn't have asked for a better collaborator and look forward to more successful projects together!”
“I really appreciate how Mathias has helped me stay oriented with the design team. He's a great resource and source of institutional knowledge, always approachable with clear answers to my questions. Mathias does an excellent job of taking my input and advocating for the role of content design in the design and development process. His design leadership in the features we've developed together has led to tremendous impact and the successful shipping of great products.”
“I've really appreciated my partnership with Mathias so far. He embodies what it means to be a compassionate, thoughtful, and resourceful design leader. I admire the way he leads the design team and leverages research early in design planning. This proactive approach fosters a generative culture focused on product improvement. Mathias also takes time for his team, checks in on everyone, and embodies an empathetic mindset.”
“Mathias literally blew my mind as he was able to lead a design team across Paris and Redmond [...] He is the manager I've been waiting for ages, the perfect combination between talented, fair and supportive.”
“Mathias is passionate about building good experiences for our customers and building a strong design team. Mathias is extremely effective as a design lead and is an absolute joy to work with! He listens to everyone's opinions and makes people feel valued for their contributions.”
“I'm very impressed by how Mathias has managed to build out a very successful, talented, and capable design team in Paris. Working with Mathias has been incredibly easy and a pleasure, and I hope he's able to continue growing such a quality team.”
Experience
- Build and lead a distributed design team of 12 across India, Greece, and the US, owning the end-to-end experience for five products (Power Apps, Power Automate, Power Pages, Process Mining, Mobile) against a deliberately lean headcount
- Grew and strengthened the team, recruited and hired 1 designer, onboarded 5, and drove 3 promotions, developing senior talent across five time zones
- Pioneered the org's design-to-code practice, moving designers to daily production use of AI tooling (Figma Make, GitHub Copilot, Claude Code CLI). Designers now ship craft and content improvements as PRs directly in production repos
- Led design on a built-in AI assistant for Power Apps that lets people ask plain-language questions about their app's data and get instant answers
- Established a rapid A/B experimentation practice that grounds design decisions in funnel data, shifting the team from opinion-led to evidence-led
- Team of 4 across Paris and Greece supporting Power Automate Desktop, AI capabilities in Power Automate Web, and AI Builder
- Designed natural language to workflow automation, the first Copilot initiative in Power Platform, showcased to Satya Nadella at Ignite 2022. Shipped AI-powered recording for desktop automation, featured at Build 2024 and called "magic" by the CVP
- Designed AI Builder from scratch with a small founding team, a no-code platform that lets anyone bring AI into their apps and workflows. Defined the end-to-end experience across object detection, document processing, OCR, and prediction, from zero to general availability
- Team of 5 designers in Paris. Groove Music (Windows, Xbox, Web, iOS, Android) and Books reading experience in Microsoft Edge
- Shipped the EPUB and PDF reading experience in Microsoft Edge with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, including Fluent Design revamp, annotations, and cross-platform support (desktop, iOS, Android, Andromeda foldable device)
- Designed Groove Music Taste Profile and Your Groove personalization, evolving the Xbox Music web experience (Boombox) into a cross-platform music service
- Team of 2 designers in Paris. Xbox Music web (Boombox), Music OneStore, and Video OneStore
- Shipped the full Video OneStore (Movie/TV hub, detail pages, library, player). Design recognized as "on par with a professional agency" by stakeholders across Redmond
- Designed and shipped Boombox (July 2013), the Xbox Music web player serving as the sole designer in Paris with daily syncs to Redmond
- Led the Xbox Support website redesign in collaboration with Frog Design, redesigning the console repair experience and Contact Us flows
- Designed and dev'd a Windows Phone 7 companion app for Microsoft Mediaroom, the IPTV set-top box platform powering TV experiences for telecom providers worldwide. Self-taught Silverlight and XAML to ship production UI
- Designed music portal websites on desktop and mobile for European phone network providers including Orange, SFR, Vodafone, Verizon, and T-Mobile
- Created opening credits for several TF1 programs and 3D animated infographics for the news
- Documentary for Arte "Faut il avoir peur de Google?" — motion graphics, modeling, setup, skinning