Citro
Transforming a fragmented fintech product
Citro began as a card-based cashback product without a clearly articulated value proposition. The brand identity was dated, the experience fragmented, and customers were unclear on what the product was or how it worked.
Over two years, I led the evolution of Citro’s brand and product experience — redefining its purpose, modernising its identity, unifying product surfaces across web, app and desktop, and establishing a scalable design system to support growth.
Operating as a hybrid Design Lead across brand, product and growth, I shaped creative direction, led major campaign work, expanded Citro’s editorial ecosystem, mentored designers, and partnered cross-functionally to elevate design from execution to strategic function.
ROLE
Design Lead
SCOPE
Product
UX/UI
Brand
Research
Design systems
Strategy
Creative Direction
Transforming a fragmented fintech product
Citro began as a card-based cashback product without a clearly articulated value proposition. The brand identity was dated, the experience fragmented, and customers were unclear on what the product was or how it worked.
Over two years, I led the evolution of Citro’s brand and product experience — redefining its purpose, modernising its identity, unifying product surfaces across web, app and desktop, and establishing a scalable design system to support growth.
Operating as a hybrid Design Lead across brand, product and growth, I shaped creative direction, led major campaign work, expanded Citro’s editorial ecosystem, mentored designers, and partnered cross-functionally to elevate design from execution to strategic function.
ROLE
Design Lead
SCOPE
Product
UX/UI
Brand
Research
Design systems
Strategy
Creative Direction
Challenge
Citro was evolving rapidly – building its brand and product foundation in parallel within a lean team environment. The value proposition was unclear, the identity dated, and product surfaces across web, app and desktop operated inconsistently. A basic style guide existed, but there was no cohesive system capable of supporting scale.
As the business pivoted from a card-issued fintech model to a BYO card-linked offering, the experience and messaging required fundamental redefinition – without eroding user trust.
The challenge was both structural and operational. While modernising the brand and unifying fragmented touchpoints, I continued to support ongoing product releases, lifecycle communications and marketing campaigns. This required operating at two levels simultaneously: shaping the long-term system and platform vision, while maintaining clarity and momentum across the present experience.
OBJECTIVES
Define and articulate a clear value proposition
Modernise the brand to reflect a credible fintech offering
Unify web, app and desktop surfaces into a cohesive experience
Build scalable systems to support future growth
Support a strategic pivot from card-issued to card-linked
Improve engagement and transaction activity through UX optimisation
Elevate design from execution to strategic function
Challenge
Citro was evolving rapidly – building its brand and product foundation in parallel within a lean team environment. The value proposition was unclear, the identity dated, and product surfaces across web, app and desktop operated inconsistently. A basic style guide existed, but there was no cohesive system capable of supporting scale.
As the business pivoted from a card-issued fintech model to a BYO card-linked offering, the experience and messaging required fundamental redefinition – without eroding user trust.
The challenge was both structural and operational. While modernising the brand and unifying fragmented touchpoints, I continued to support ongoing product releases, lifecycle communications and marketing campaigns. This required operating at two levels simultaneously: shaping the long-term system and platform vision, while maintaining clarity and momentum across the present experience.
OBJECTIVES
Define and articulate a clear value proposition
Modernise the brand to reflect a credible fintech offering
Unify web, app and desktop surfaces into a cohesive experience
Build scalable systems to support future growth
Support a strategic pivot from card-issued to card-linked
Improve engagement and transaction activity through UX optimisation
Elevate design from execution to strategic function
Process
To manage both long-term transformation and business-as-usual delivery, I introduced a structured sprint-based approach aligned to product priorities and growth objectives. This created space for larger initiatives — including the product pivot and Offers redesign – to progress without disrupting ongoing releases and campaign work.
Alongside this operating rhythm, I strengthened Citro’s design foundations. I audited touchpoints, redefined guiding principles, and expanded the existing style guide into a scalable design system capable of supporting cross-surface consistency and faster iteration.
Each sprint combined discovery, collaborative alignment, prototyping and iterative refinement. I worked closely with Product, Engineering and Growth to translate behavioural insights into actionable design direction, while mentoring and reviewing work from an offshore designer to ensure quality and cohesion.
By embedding design thinking into planning rituals and cross-functional discussions, design evolved from a reactive output function into a strategic driver and reliable delivery partner within the organisation.
Sprints
Sprint-based operating model aligned to growth priorities
System expansion and cross-surface unification
Research translation into product direction
Creative direction across campaigns and lifecycle
Design mentorship and quality governance
Process
To manage both long-term transformation and business-as-usual delivery, I introduced a structured sprint-based approach aligned to product priorities and growth objectives. This created space for larger initiatives — including the product pivot and Offers redesign – to progress without disrupting ongoing releases and campaign work.
Alongside this operating rhythm, I strengthened Citro’s design foundations. I audited touchpoints, redefined guiding principles, and expanded the existing style guide into a scalable design system capable of supporting cross-surface consistency and faster iteration.
Each sprint combined discovery, collaborative alignment, prototyping and iterative refinement. I worked closely with Product, Engineering and Growth to translate behavioural insights into actionable design direction, while mentoring and reviewing work from an offshore designer to ensure quality and cohesion.
By embedding design thinking into planning rituals and cross-functional discussions, design evolved from a reactive output function into a strategic driver and reliable delivery partner within the organisation.
Sprints
Sprint-based operating model aligned to growth priorities
System expansion and cross-surface unification
Research translation into product direction
Creative direction across campaigns and lifecycle
Design mentorship and quality governance
Solutions
Across Citro’s evolution, I led multiple interconnected initiatives spanning brand creation, product pivot, optimisation and systemisation. Rather than isolated redesigns, the work focused on progressively strengthening cohesion, usability and scalability across the ecosystem.
The value proposition was clarified and embedded consistently across web, app and desktop. A modernised brand identity repositioned Citro as a credible fintech platform, supported by a scalable design system that replaced a fragmented style guide.
The transition from a card-issued model to a BYO card-linked offering was executed with restructured user flows and clear messaging, preserving trust during a significant commercial shift.
Editorial platforms (including CitroLife, CitroHealth and CitroTravel) expanded the brand beyond transactions, building community and long-term engagement, while campaign creative direction ensured consistency across every customer touchpoint.
Key solutions
Brand Foundations
BYO Model Pivot
Redesigned the product experience to support the transition from card-based fintech to a BYO card model, reframing core journeys while maintaining user trust.
Offers Experience Redesign
Cross-Surface Unification
Led ongoing efforts to align app and web experiences under consistent interaction patterns, visual language, and layout systems.
Design System Evolution
Built reusable components and scalable patterns to support faster iteration and cross-team consistency.
Ecosystem Extension
Directed design across email, website, campaigns, and printed thought leadership while mentoring an offshore designer.
Solutions
Across Citro’s evolution, I led multiple interconnected initiatives spanning brand creation, product pivot, optimisation and systemisation. Rather than isolated redesigns, the work focused on progressively strengthening cohesion, usability and scalability across the ecosystem.
The value proposition was clarified and embedded consistently across web, app and desktop. A modernised brand identity repositioned Citro as a credible fintech platform, supported by a scalable design system that replaced a fragmented style guide.
The transition from a card-issued model to a BYO card-linked offering was executed with restructured user flows and clear messaging, preserving trust during a significant commercial shift.
Editorial platforms (including CitroLife, CitroHealth and CitroTravel) expanded the brand beyond transactions, building community and long-term engagement, while campaign creative direction ensured consistency across every customer touchpoint.
Key solutions
Brand Foundations
BYO Model Pivot
Redesigned the product experience to support the transition from card-based fintech to a BYO card model, reframing core journeys while maintaining user trust.
Offers Experience Redesign
Cross-Surface Unification
Led ongoing efforts to align app and web experiences under consistent interaction patterns, visual language, and layout systems.
Design System Evolution
Built reusable components and scalable patterns to support faster iteration and cross-team consistency.
Ecosystem Extension
Directed design across email, website, campaigns, and printed thought leadership while mentoring an offshore designer.
Outcome
My work strengthened cohesion across product, brand and marketing surfaces while delivering measurable impact in core user journeys. The Offers redesign contributed to a 37% increase in transactions and a 55% lift in total transaction value, alongside a significant reduction in paid acquisition spend.
Beyond individual initiatives, I established a scalable design system and progressively unified app and web experiences, enabling faster iteration, stronger cross-team collaboration and a more consistent platform as Citro evolved.
Design matured from executional support to a strategic driver embedded within product and growth decision-making.
KEY OUTCOMES
Delivered measurable uplift in transactions and total value through UX optimisation
37% increase in transactions (Offers redesign)
55% lift in total transaction value (Offers redesign)
Unified brand and product experience across surfaces
Scalable design system supporting faster iteration
Design elevated to a strategic business function
Outcome
My work strengthened cohesion across product, brand and marketing surfaces while delivering measurable impact in core user journeys. The Offers redesign contributed to a 37% increase in transactions and a 55% lift in total transaction value, alongside a significant reduction in paid acquisition spend.
Beyond individual initiatives, I established a scalable design system and progressively unified app and web experiences, enabling faster iteration, stronger cross-team collaboration and a more consistent platform as Citro evolved.
Design matured from executional support to a strategic driver embedded within product and growth decision-making.
KEY OUTCOMES
Delivered measurable uplift in transactions and total value through UX optimisation
37% increase in transactions (Offers redesign)
55% lift in total transaction value (Offers redesign)
Unified brand and product experience across surfaces
Scalable design system supporting faster iteration
Design elevated to a strategic business function
Interested in working together or learning more about my work?
Mara cheshire
Brand, Product & UX Design Lead.
Living and working on Wallumettagal land. I pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging.
Mara Cheshire ©2026
Interested in working together or learning more about my work?
Mara cheshire
Brand, Product & UX Design Lead.
Living and working on Wallumettagal land. I pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging.
Mara Cheshire ©2026
Interested in working together or learning more about my work?
Mara cheshire
Brand, Product & UX Design Lead.
Living and working on Wallumettagal land. I pay my respects to elders past, present and emerging.
Mara Cheshire ©2026