Svetlin Nikolaev

CEO

Sofia, Sofia City, Bulgaria21 yrs 4 mos experience

Most Likely To SwitchHighly Stable

Key Highlights

20+ years of experience in product and design leadership.
Proven ability to launch products from zero to one.
Expertise in emerging technologies and user-centered design.

Stackforce AI infers this person is a SaaS product and design leader with a strong focus on user experience and innovation.

Contact

Skills

Core Skills

User ExperienceProduct Development

Other Skills

Innovation StrategyEmerging TechnologiesUser Experience DesignProduct StrategyInteraction DesignWeb DesignCSSInformation ArchitectureWeb ApplicationsUsabilityGraphicsFlashGraphic DesignIllustratorUser-centered Design

About

I am a seasoned product and design leader with 20+ years of experience driving innovation, user-centered product strategy, and business growth across enterprise software. With a proven ability to lead cross-functional teams of 40+ PMs, designers and engineers, launch new product lines from zero to one, and bridge the gap between UX vision and commercial outcomes. I have deep expertise in emerging technologies (AI workflows, agentic systems), practitioners and developer tools, and SaaS platform ecosystems. Track record of building innovation labs, managing product P&L, and delivering data-driven experiences that drive customer satisfaction and revenue growth. Specialties: Product Development, Innovation Strategy and Emerging Products Business Development, Design Management, Human-centric User Experience and Product Design.

Experience

21 yrs 4 mos

Total Experience

7 yrs 1 mo

Average Tenure

11 yrs 8 mos

Current Experience

Progress

5 roles

Sr. Director, UX & Emerging Products at Progress

Promoted

Jun 2024 – Present · 2 yrs

As the Senior Director of UX & Emerging Products at Progress, I lead a talented team of PMs, UX Product designers and engineers, dedicated to crafting user experiences that resonate and building innovative products. My role combines vision and execution, steering the design and implementation of solutions that captivate users and propel business success. By embracing emerging technologies and championing user-first design, I collaborate across disciplines to deliver products that stay ahead of customer needs and industry trends.
In this capacity, I drive the evolution of flagship products like DevTools Kendo UI, Telerik UI developer tooling, and the Sitefinity Digital Experience Platform. These tools empower developers to build exceptional experiences with ease and provide businesses with powerful content management capabilities. Fueled by a passion for pushing boundaries and a relentless pursuit of quality, I ensure that our offerings redefine standards and make a lasting impact.

User ExperienceProduct DevelopmentInnovation StrategyEmerging Technologies

Director, Innovation & UX at Progress

Promoted

May 2021 – Jun 2024 · 3 yrs 1 mo

As the Director of Innovation and UX at Progress, I lead a dynamic team (40+ team members) dedicated to driving user-centered design and innovative solutions across our product portfolio. During my tenure, I have successfully launched several key products - ThemeBuilder, as a centerpiece of DevTools Design Story and Fiddler Everywhere, that have significantly improved user experience and contributed to the company's growth. My efforts have been instrumental in positioning Progress as a leader in the industry, known for its commitment to innovation and excellence in UX.

User ExperienceProduct DevelopmentInnovation Strategy

Director, User Experience

Promoted

Feb 2019 – May 2021 · 2 yrs 3 mos

In my role as Director of UX at DevTools, I lead a talented team focused on creating exceptional user experiences for our suite of developer tools. Focused on developing and execution of UX strategies that align with our product vision and business goals. Enabled smooth collaboration with product managers, engineers, and business stakeholders to ensure a user-centered approach throughout the product development lifecycle. My efforts have been instrumental in establishing DevTools as a leader in the developer tools market, known for its commitment to delivering great user experiences.

User ExperienceProduct Development