Fondesan Elevate Program
From Designer to Decision-Maker
A 6-week leadership transition program for mid-career designers ready to move beyond execution and step into strategic influence, stakeholder trust, and AI-enabled decision-making.
For designers with 5–12 years of experience navigating scale, ambiguity, and leadership expectations.
Meet Your Instructor
Learn from someone who has walked the path
Kshitiz Anand
Design Leader & Strategist
Kshitiz Anand is a seasoned design leader with leadership stints at Paytm, 1mg and a French Design School. He has spent over two decades helping organizations leverage design as a strategic differentiator. His journey from individual contributor to executive leadership gives him unique insight into the challenges designers face when transitioning into leadership roles.
Having built and led design teams across multiple industries, Kshitiz understands the unspoken rules of organizational dynamics, stakeholder management, and the art of influencing without authority. He brings this lived experience to every cohort.
You're not stuck because you lack skill.
- You've done the work.
- You've shipped products.
- You know the tools, the frameworks, the language of design.
And yet:
This is not a skill gap.
It's a leadership transition gap.
Most designers are never taught how organizations make decisions, how power flows, or how design earns credibility at the table.
Fondesan Elevate exists to close that gap.
What Elevate Actually Does
Fondesan Elevate is not a design course.
It is a guided transition from:
Output
outcomes
delivery
ownership
craft
judgment
participation
influence
Over six intensive weeks, you will learn how to:
- Think and operate as a systems-level design leader
- Frame design decisions in business and strategic terms
- Build narratives that influence stakeholders
- Use AI as leverage, not distraction
- Develop the confidence and clarity expected of senior leaders
Program Structure
Live – Virtual Instructor Led Program (On Zoom)
2× per week, 2 hours each – Tuesday & Friday, 7 PM to 9 PM
Saturday Mornings – 90 min (45 min thought sharing + 45 min Q&A)
Week 1–2 Identity Shift
- Designer as Systems Thinker
- Designer as Business Translator
- Designer as Narrative Builder
Week 3–4 Influence & Leverage
- Stakeholder psychology & dynamics
- ROI of design
- Metrics, trade-offs, and decision framing
- Using AI as leverage, not replacement
Week 5–6 Leadership Readiness
- Leading without authority
- Managing ambiguity
- Owning outcomes, not artifacts
- Personal design leadership narrative
You won’t just learn concepts.
You'll change how you show up in rooms that matter.
"This is the career inflection point you have been waiting for."
Why Fondesan
Fondesan is a global innovation and design studio working at the intersection of design, strategy, technology, and social impact.
The Elevate Program is led by practitioners who have:
This program reflects lived experience, not theory.
What Designers Say About Kshitiz
Hear from designers who have worked with Kshitiz and experienced his unique approach to design leadership
"Kshitiz has this rare ability to see through the noise and help you understand what truly matters in design leadership. His mentorship transformed how I approach stakeholder conversations."
Priya Sharma
Design Director, Tech Startup
"Working with Kshitiz was a turning point in my career. He helped me understand that leadership isn't about having all the answers—it's about asking the right questions."
Rahul Mehta
Senior Product Designer, Fortune 500 Company
"His deep understanding of business dynamics combined with design expertise is unmatched. Kshitiz doesn't just teach design leadership—he embodies it."
Ananya Krishnan
Head of Design, SaaS Platform
"The frameworks Kshitiz shared helped me navigate complex organizational politics with confidence. I finally understood how to position design as a strategic function."
Vikram Singh
Design Lead, E-commerce Giant
This Program Is For You If:
You have 5–12 years of experience in design or adjacent roles
You're a Senior Designer, Lead, or early Design Manager
You feel ready for more responsibility, but lack a clear bridge
You want to be taken seriously in leadership conversations
You're navigating AI, complexity, and organizational politics
This Program Is Not If:
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about the program
This program is designed for mid-career designers with 5-12 years of experience who are ready to transition from individual contributor roles to leadership positions. It’s ideal for Senior Designers, Lead Designers, and Design Managers looking to amplify their strategic impact.
The program runs for 6 weeks with two 2-hour virtual sessions per week (Tuesdays and Fridays, 7 PM – 9 PM IST) plus 90-minute guest lectures on Saturday mornings. Expect to invest approximately 6-8 hours per week including assignments and reflection exercises.
You should have at least 5 years of design experience and be currently working in a design role. No formal leadership experience is required—that’s what we’re here to build. A growth mindset and commitment to the full 6-week journey are essential.
By the end of the program, you’ll have a clear leadership identity, a personal brand positioning, stakeholder influence frameworks, and a 90-day transition roadmap. Alumni have successfully moved into Design Lead, Head of Design, and VP of Design roles.
This is a live, virtual instructor-led program. All sessions are conducted in real-time with Kshitiz Anand, allowing for interactive discussions, live feedback, and peer learning. Recordings are available for sessions you might miss.
We understand that life happens. All sessions are recorded and shared within 24 hours. However, we strongly encourage live attendance as the peer discussions and real-time coaching are core to the experience.
Unlike generic leadership courses, this program is designed specifically for designers by a design leader. It addresses the unique challenges designers face—from communicating design value to building cross-functional influence—with frameworks tested in real design organizations.
Each cohort is limited to 20-25 participants to ensure personalized attention, meaningful peer connections, and quality discussions. This intimate setting allows for deeper learning and lasting professional relationships.