Emeka Nwachukwu
CDO · Nigerian scale-up
Nigeria
Who it's for
You can design. Now you want to lead.
You are already senior.
Your next responsibility is increasingly people, decisions and outcomes, not execution alone.
You have started leading.
The title came before the commercial language, management systems and operating framework.
You own more than your craft.
You are becoming responsible for how a design team works, not only what it produces.
The curriculum
Five days, five practical foundations you leave with.
DAY 01
Leadership fundamentals
What design leadership actually is, the CDO mandate, and where design sits in a company's decisions.
DAY 02
The business of design
How design connects to revenue, retention and velocity, and how to speak to a CEO in their language.
DAY 03
Performance metrics
Making design visible on the P&L: the metrics that matter and how to present return on design investment.
DAY 04
Leading people & culture
Building the quality bar, growth pathways and the culture that keeps great designers from leaving.
DAY 05
Systems & leadership plan
Design operations, standards and rituals, applied to your own team in a capstone you take back to work.
Taught by practitionersSee full faculty
Amaka Obi
Head of Design · Health tech
Nigeria
Amara Sow
Former CPO · Payments
Senegal
Ayo Cole
Workshop Lead · Research
Nigeria
What you leave with
The credential
A Foundation certificate and badge issued against the programme completion standard.
Applied tools
Frameworks for commercial framing, team leadership and design operations that can be applied immediately.
The pathway
Foundation graduates can progress into the Executive Programme and the wider Design Lever professional ecosystem.
“I knew how to deliver strong work, but not how to lead a team. I left with clearer standards and a practical operating rhythm.”
04
Leadership systems adopted
12
Weeks to promotion
01
Function operating plan
Damilola Akinwale
Head of Design · Kora Systems
Two cohorts a year. Twenty places each.
Apply for the next Foundation intake, or ask us anything before you do.
FAQs
Foundation, answered.
Is the programme online or in person?+
Foundation runs live and cohort-based over one full-time week, delivered in Lagos with select sessions available to remote participants. The live format is deliberate, peer interaction is a core part of the product.
What are the entry requirements?+
At least five years of design experience across any discipline. You don't need a management title, you need to be serious about moving into leadership. Applications are reviewed individually.
Can my company sponsor my seat?+
Yes. Your company can sponsor your place. We can provide the programme information and invoice needed for internal approval, and speak with your manager or people team if they need more context.
What certificate do I receive?+
On completion you become a Design Lever Certified Design Leader at Foundation level, a credential whose value compounds as certified practitioners prove themselves in the market.
How is it different from the Executive Programme?+
Foundation gives you the language and systems to lead a function.Executiveis a four-week deep dive into design operations, fractional practice and research methodology for the most senior roles.