After nearly two decades in Australia, Marie-Claire (MC) has returned to the UK as VP of Product Design and Research at Trustpilot. With a PhD in Conversational AI and a career dedicated to shaping product strategies and scaling design teams, she is deeply invested in how AI can revolutionize the way we design and interact with technology.

Before joining Trustpilot, MC led UX for urban mobility on Google Maps, redefining how people navigate cities. Prior to that, she spent six years at Atlassian, evolving software products and building high-performing teams. Today, her passion lies in exploring generative AI’s potential to enhance creativity and decision-making.

Though MC misses her morning surfs at Manly Beach, she has embraced Scotland’s rugged landscapes - mountaineering in the Munros, wild swimming in lochs, and rediscovering Europe. A true nerd at heart, she finds joy in sci-fi books, drawing, and hanging out with pooches whenever possible.

At Design Matters 2025, MC will open the conversation on Slow Design, exploring how designers can embrace its principles- reflection, responsibility, and long-term value- amid the relentless pace of AI-driven tools and workflows. MC wrote her first prompt for a chatbot she built from scratch in 2004. Back then, GenAI was just an idea. Today, that spark has ignited into a transformative force- one that’s reshaping how we create, collaborate, and lead.

With a PhD in Conversational AI, MC couldn’t be more excited about the possibilities of Generative AI. Yet, as AI accelerates design processes and shortens the path to outcomes, the challenge is ensuring that speed doesn’t come at the expense of thoughtfulness, ethics, and long-term impact.

Reflecting the theme Steps Forward, this conversation will bridge timeless craftsmanship with today’s AI landscape. Through inspiring examples- such as an architect planting trees for future generations, a ceramicist crafting objects that reveal the human touch over time, or the artistry of Savile Row tailoring - MC will create a space for designers to explore how to craft meaningful, enduring experiences in the AI era.

By balancing AI’s speed with intentional design, this session will inspire designers to slow down, think deeply, and embrace a more holistic, collaborative approach to shaping the future.