Shruti
Bhave.
12+ years turning consumer insight into physical products that scale. From R&D labs to retail shelves — bridging design thinking, commercial rigour, and human factors to build what people actually want.
Selected Work
Portfolio
Consumer NPD from insight to shelf, design strategy and CMF, and ventures built from scratch.
Heatables: Microwave safe food containers
$40M NPD lead — research through launch-ready SKUs on ANZ shelves, with full rollout across ANZ, NA, and EMEA by June 2026. Co-inventor of a patent-pending lever mechanism solving a critical usability-performance trade-off.
NPD Innovation
Front-end innovation across Ceramics, Kids Bento, and Steel Hydration — white space to stage-gate-ready briefs, concept portfolios, and IP. Co-developed MicroBento as a launched product in parallel.
CMF Strategy & Visualisation
Design authority across three concurrent projects — colour and material direction, specs for a 1,500+ consumer validation study, and advancing a new IML capability into a $20M cross-brand initiative.
ID Craft
Mixer grinder redesign for Orient Electric — modern design language applied to a category that had prioritised function over form. Full ID process: research, teardown, ideation, CMF, and technical specification.
What I bring
Capabilities
Product Strategy & NPD
End-to-end new product development — from opportunity framing and concept generation through industrial design, tooling, and retail launch. Comfortable owning full portfolio roadmaps.
Consumer Research & Insight
Qual and quant research across multiple markets — ethnographic observation, focus groups, clinic testing, and concept validation. Translating messy data into design decisions.
Cross-Functional Leadership
Aligning R&D, marketing, supply chain, and commercial teams behind a product vision. Managing agency relationships, supplier negotiations, and board-level presentations.
Design Thinking & Human Factors
M.Des foundation in ergonomics, user-centred design, and physical product usability. Applying human factors methodology to product specs and validation — not just aesthetics.
Commercial & Business Acumen
P&L ownership, costing, pricing strategy, and ROI modelling for new product investment decisions. Experience managing multi-million dollar product budgets across global markets.
Career history
Experience
R&D Product Designer, Front End Innovation — NPD
Sep 2020 — PresentNewell Brands · Sistema · Auckland, NZ
- Led NPD concept and pipeline for Sistema's global food storage portfolio — consumer products in the kitchen category; contributed to $50M+ revenue across AU/NZ and international retail channels.
- Managed full stage-gate process development — consumer research, concept development, industrial design direction, packaging, and go-to-market.
- Achieved 90%+ concept validation rates through consumer testing and qual research programmes.
- Co-invented and filed patents for product innovations developed during this tenure.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams: R&D, marketing, supply chain, and third-party design agencies on NPD project management.
Principal Industrial Designer
Apr 2020 — Sep 2020GDP (Global Design and Production) · Auckland, New Zealand
- Independently led all industrial design output for the consultancy — sole designer owning projects end-to-end from brief to final specification.
- Delivered product concepts and design validation across power tools, porta housing, healthcare, and consumer products.
- Conducted 3D printing prototyping for improved client testing and concept sign-off.
Senior Industrial Designer
Aug 2016 — Aug 2019Futuring Design Ltd · Pune
- Led product design teams and collaborated on innovation strategy for clients across appliances, home security, and exhibition design.
- Conducted ethnographic research and translated insights into commercially viable product concepts.
- Won the Beyond Design Young Achiever Award (2016) during this tenure.
Product Designer
Jul 2013 — Aug 2016Titan Company · Bengaluru
- Designed consumer accessories and lifestyle products across Titan's diversified portfolio — including watches, bags, and eyewear.
- Applied M.Des human factors training to ergonomic product design and user validation.
- Received the Agnihotri Award (2013) in recognition of academic excellence and early career contributions.
Beyond the brief
Independent Ventures
Three businesses built from scratch — each starting with an unmet need, a user insight, and full ownership from zero. Building your own venture teaches you to move without a safety net: you set the brief, validate the idea, make the call, and live with the outcome. That entrepreneurial instinct — spotting a gap, committing to a direction, and driving it through — is what I bring into every product role.
Sproing Things
Founded 2020 — Present
Children's book publishing. 7 books illustrated, 2 written, illustrated and self-published — original stories for diverse young readers spanning narrative design, character creation, and independent publishing.
sproingthings.com
Taal Tribe
Founded 2025 — Present
Bollywood dance studio in Auckland. Built from community insight — brand identity, class programme, and launch strategy for South Asian culture in NZ. Currently for kids 4–11 years, expanding to other age groups soon.
@the_taal_tribe
The MumSocial NZ
Founded 2026 — Present
Creativity-focused events for networking, connection, and a brand built on women supporting women. 2 sold-out events completed to date.
@themumsocial_nzLet's connect
Senior NPD Lead.
Open for the right role.
Open to Senior PM, Head of Product, NPD leadership, and Senior Industrial Design roles — particularly in consumer goods, health, and physical product. Based in Auckland, NZ.
Shruti Bhave
Front-End Innovation Lead · R&D Designer · Patent Co-inventor