I bring clarity, craft & calm to complex products at scale.
I work at the intersection of emerging technology, systems, and craft.
For the past eight years I have led multidisciplinary design teams at Meta, across the developer platform, immersive experiences, and next-generation creator tools. My work brings clarity to complex systems, aligning design, engineering, and art into products that scale.
With over two decades of experience, I have built and guided teams through ambiguity, from exploration to execution. I set direction at the org level and keep the bar high by staying close to the craft.
Recent: Product Design Leadership at Meta
Former: VP of Design at Wanderu & Design Director at EF
Recent scope & impact
Experience leading a 40+ person design org spanning product designers, prototypers, and artists within a 500+ person platform organization
Rebuilt Meta's developer platform experience through the FTC consent order era, helping the company pass every assessment and avoid a potential $5B fine
Cut App Review cycle time 90%, from a 36-day median to under 4
Shipped flagship Horizon MR/VR experiences that exceeded MAU targets by 20%, and defined the AI interaction model for prompt-based world creation
Steered the org through five major reorgs without missing delivery
Principles
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Great products don’t emerge from silos. They are shaped through tight collaboration across design, engineering, and product built in rhythm, not in sequence.
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Clarity on what we’re solving, for whom, and how we measure success is what separates motion from progress.
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Thoughtful design creates clarity. The work is in refining complexity into something that feels natural and effortless.
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Great teams are built intentionally. Trust, support, candid feedback, and thoughtful challenge create the foundation for exceptional work.
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I hold my teams to outcomes the business can feel, and I judge my own work by the designers who grew into leaders along the way.
“Ani closes critical gaps, aligns teams through creative operational excellence, and leads with the kind of clarity and resilience that elevates everyone around her.”
— Jason Rubin, VP of Design • Meta
Personal Projects
I have always made things, and I never stopped. Art, upcycled jewelry, small identity projects. Making keeps my eye sharp and my judgment close to the work. It is also where I find calm and balance, which is no small thing in our fast paced world.
I post regularly @aniavanian
