Tell us about your role.

I’ve been at TrueLayer for almost three years, and I’m currently a Senior Brand Designer based in our Milan office. Together with the rest of the brand team, we manage something both simple and incredibly complex: how TrueLayer is perceived.

People often think a brand is just a logo or a colour palette, but that’s only what’s on the surface. A brand is the feeling someone gets when they think of a company. It’s about memory, emotion and meaning. Our job is to shape those feelings and make sure people understand what TrueLayer stands for, in a way that’s both clear and emotionally engaging.

We mostly work through visuals, but a brand can live in sound, rituals, and shared experiences, it’s about designing how people feel, not just what they see. To do that, you need vision, alignment, and strategy. But just as important is creating an environment where people enjoy the process. Because when a team works with energy and purpose, the outcome isn’t just effective, it’s memorable, and it resonates. And people will feel that energy.

What brought you to TrueLayer?

What attracted me to TrueLayer from the very beginning was its strong European and international DNA.

Even though it’s a UK company, it was founded by two Italians, and we often call it a “Britalian” culture. I love that mix. But it goes beyond that. TrueLayer is full of people from different countries, backgrounds and experiences. Most of my colleagues have lived and worked abroad, and they bring an open mindset and rich perspectives.

That multicultural spirit is a big part of who we are. Even our mission (changing the way the world pays) reflects this global ambition. It’s about building something that goes beyond national borders. And that’s a vision I’m proud to help shape.

What are you most excited about over the next year at TrueLayer?

Over the next year, I’m most excited to keep evolving our brand, not just visually but strategically. We have the opportunity to build something bold and distinctive, especially as more people discover and adopt Pay by Bank.

Working on our consumer brand has been one of the highlights of my time here. It wasn’t just about designing a visual identity. It was about introducing a new way of paying, something still unfamiliar to many. We had to shape new meanings, shift mental models, and rethink how people engage with payments.

What motivates me most as a designer is not just supporting the brand but helping lead it into new territories. Not just to make it recognisable, but to make it meaningful and memorable. I believe great design doesn’t  follow, it leads.

And my ambition is to help make TrueLayer the brand that leads the industry, not only in how we build products but also in how we tell our story to the world.

What’s a typical day at TrueLayer for you?

I jump on my bike and head to the Milan office. My colleague, Elisa, is usually already there (she’s our early bird!) and once the whole team arrives, we grab a coffee all together which sets the tone for the day.

Mornings are for inspiration and alignment. We often kick off with creative reviews, looking at amazing work from across the industry, dissecting trends, and refreshing our creative brains. Then come syncs and planning meetings. Afternoons are more execution-focused, I usually dive into design tasks and push projects forward. And when the weather is good, we sometimes end the day with a beer on the terrace. It’s one of the small things that make working in Milan special.

What advice would you give to someone on their first day at TrueLayer?

Give it your all, and you’ll get a lot in return. TrueLayer is not a place where hierarchy stops good ideas. Whether you joined yesterday or three years ago, your perspective matters.

Fresh eyes can bring new insights, and when people speak up, we all benefit. So be curious, ask questions, and don’t wait to contribute. Your impact can start on day one.

How have you changed since you joined TrueLayer?

I’ve grown more confident in my creative voice. TrueLayer gave me the space to trust my ideas and see their impact, not just on our brand but across the business.

Coming from design consultancy, I was used to focusing on concepts and aesthetics. But here I’ve learned to connect creativity with performance, to ask not only “Is this cool?” but “Does this work and move the needle?” That shift has made me a more strategic and accountable designer.

I now think more like an owner, not just a contributor. And that mindset changed everything.

It also pushed me to share what I’ve learned beyond the company. I currently have the opportunity to support the Corporate Identity course at Politecnico di Milano as a teaching assistant, where I help students connect brand thinking with design challenges. It’s a privilege to work with the next generation of designers, and to reflect on how branding keeps evolving.

Strangest job you’ve ever had?

While studying, I worked for three years as a sports journalist at Politecnico di Milano. I ran a mini newsroom for the university’s sports office, writing content, interviewing players, and covering tournaments. I loved it, but once I started working full time, I had to let it go. That said, my content creator streak never really stopped.

If you weren’t doing what you’re doing, what might you have done?

According to my parents, I was meant to be a doctor. I even passed the entrance exam for med school, but in the end, I chose to follow a path that felt more aligned with who I am. Another direction I sometimes think about is theatre. During high school, I loved performing as an actor. I spent a lot of time on stage, and it gave me confidence and a sense of freedom that I still remember. But when university started, I set it aside to focus on my studies. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I had continued.

When you’re not at work, where might we find you?

Right now? Organising Pride in my hometown. I’m one of the organisers of Molise Pride, the official Pride march of our region, dedicated to increasing visibility for the LGBTQIA+ community. It’s an itinerant event that takes place in a different town in Molise each year. This year, it will be held in Termoli, the town where I grew up.

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I’m incredibly proud that TrueLayer is sponsoring Molise Pride as part of the Prouder Together campaign. It means a lot to me, not just personally but symbolically.

Molise is a tiny region in the south of Italy, often the subject of jokes. Some even say it does not exist. And yet, here we are, organising a Pride event with the support of a global fintech company. That sends a powerful message. No community is too small. No story is too remote. This is what it means to truly leave no one behind.

Words to live by

1. “Design is not decoration, it’s direction.” Good design isn’t just about how things look, it’s about how they work, how they’re understood, and how they move people. Too often, design is treated as the final layer, something to “make it look nice” at the end. But real design starts earlier. It shapes decisions, aligns teams, and brings strategy to life. Because when design leads, it creates clarity, and clarity creates impact.

2. “A small fish in a small tank stays small. A small fish in a big tank grows big.” This quote reminds me to never stay too comfortable. I’m always looking for new challenges, even ones that feel bigger than me. I believe that stepping into unfamiliar or ambitious spaces is how you grow, by expanding your context and stretching your limits, one bold step at a time.

Any books, podcasts or films you’d recommend?

One classic that deeply shaped how I think about branding is The Brand Gap by Marty Neumeier. What it makes clear is that a brand isn’t a logo or a set of visuals, it’s a person’s gut feeling about a product, service, or company. It’s shaped through strategic alignment, creative collaboration, and emotional consistency. The book taught me how to connect design with business impact, and how to build brands that live in people’s minds, not just in guidelines.

Another book that really stayed with me is Atomic Habits by James Clear. What resonated most was the idea that lasting change starts with identity. It’s not “I want to run” but “I’m a runner” that truly drives transformation. Then, small and consistent actions become proof of who we are and who we can become. As a brand designer, working with identity every day, I found this concept especially powerful.

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In the end, that’s what great branding and great growth are really about: turning vision into action, one habit, one choice, one bold step at a time.