About

Dr Fiona Maciver

Brand & Experience Strategy Advisory

Helping businesses shape brands people remember

I work independently helping founders and brand leaders develop more distinctive business propositions and experiences, by noticing what competitors overlook.

My perspective draws from two decades across design, marketing, research and innovation at Meta, Accenture Song, Apple and the European Commission, grounded by a PhD in Design Strategy.

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The shape of perspective

Three cities. Three disciplines. One unorthodox point of view.

My perspective was first shaped by the places I've lived and worked, and then by criss-crossing careers in academia, tech and consulting.

Glasgow

Grit, honesty, substance

Paris

Aesthetic sensitivity

London

Commercial, creative ambition

Together, these cities shaped how I think and work: direct about what matters, attentive to what others miss, and always connecting creative ambition to commercial value.

At Apple, based in Paris, I saw how care, quality and detail transform how people experience products. I then worked across research, design strategy, innovation and emerging technology at Meta, Fjord and the European Commission.

In parallel, I developed a PhD in Design Strategy, exploring how successful products emerge from a tight relationship between creative leadership and commercial ambition.

Over two decades, I came to see that the relationship between insight, creative process and strategic judgement makes, or breaks, a proposition. That became the foundation of my Notice-Differentiate Method.

Credentials

Two decades across design, research and strategy

I bring an unusual blend of academic depth, in-house experience at the world's most demanding product companies, and hands-on consulting practice.

Industry Leadership

Former UX Research Lead, Meta Reality Labs; Design strategy at Accenture Song

Consulting CLients

Meta, Ford, HSBC, Lululemon, E.ON

Academic Depth

Guest lecturer at Central Saint Martins; Former lecturer in Design Management, Technological Institute Dublin; Developing emerging creative leaders

Teaching and Capability-building

PhD in Design Strategy; Published in peer-reviewed design and innovation journals (Google Scholar)

Now I help founders and leaders uncover what others overlook, and turn it into distinctive brands, experiences and commercial opportunities.

As an independent consultant, I love getting to know the personalities making up businesses, and helping them develop commercially astute propositions. I also guide emerging talent at Central Saint Martins in London.

Values

These convictions shape every engagement

  • I’ve long believed that design & business must go hand in hand. I’ve seen how the most successful brands care about managing creativity with outstanding commercial results

  • In a world that’s all about ‘more’ and ‘faster’, I believe that critical thinking, awareness, and questioning assumptions is key to proactive, intelligent choices - both in business and individually. That’s part of the Notice-Differentiate unorthodoxy

  • My driving belief is that design & aesthetics is the biggest under-explored determinant of business success. Ultimately, these factors shape people’s mindset, behaviour and response to a brand, and they must deliver deeper meaning

  • An open, learning mindset helps leaders anticipate what's next. I believe that to be original, businesses must embracing analytical and intuitive forms of learning. Both are critical to continually evolve as a brand

work with me

Ways to work with me

The Intensive

A strategy intensive that uncovers where your brand is losing its edge, and where opportunity lies

When you need clarity on gaps - from your customer's perspective

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When you need fresh thinking for a growth or repositioning phase

Advisory

An advisory partnership that keeps your business distinctive, and continually in motion

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When you're in need of more original thinking (and less AI)

Labs

Bespoke in-company labs teaching the skills to develop unique propositions

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When you need to provoke and develop your team

Speaking

Expert talks that help you strengthen the capabilities that give your business an edge

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Get in touch

Shape a brand people remember

If you need to develop a distinctive point of view and an enduring commercial edge for your business, I’d like to hear from you

Email Fiona →
Book a call →

Trusted by creative leaders

  • "Fiona Maciver is an outstanding professional who embodies the perfect balance of creativity, curiosity, and analytical rigor. Her ability to navigate complex concepts, identify patterns, and craft compelling narratives makes her an invaluable asset in creative strategy and beyond."

    — Dan Moller, Head of Creative Shop Northern Europe, Meta

  • "Fiona has a keen eye on the bigger picture and the forces of change that affect our lives. Balancing structure and the organic, she adapts the needs of the brief, bringing unique authentic value to any project. To work with Fiona means a journey that evolves and inspires to deliver fresh answers"

    — Hugh Miller, Partner, Pentagram

  • "Fiona brings the rigour of expert research planning and execution; a highly strategic perspective to how these translate into design; and the flexibility to collaborate to brilliant effect with creatives and business folks alike"

    — Ed White, Design Director, IDEO

  • "Fiona brings a rare ability to translate complex customer insight into clear, compelling strategic direction. She played a key role in shaping our thinking around customer behaviour in the transition to sustainable energy, helping us better understand current mindsets and how to shift them."

    — Fernanda Reyes, Head of Customer Experience and Insights, E.ON Growth Studio

  • “Fiona's contributions to the team were very impressive across multiple levels including innovative deliverables that set the agenda for future of AR”

    — Ivan Landabaso, Partner, JME Ventures

  • "Fiona’s exceptional strategic thinking and her keen ability to uncover actionable insights played a pivotal role in shaping the overall direction of our work streams. Fiona is a true collaborator, bringing clarity and vision to complex challenges, and her work continues to have a meaningful and lasting impact in the XR space"

    — Petra Zhivkova, Product Design Lead, Meta Reality Labs

  • "I highly recommend Fiona to anyone seeking exceptional creative leadership. She is a rare force of brilliance and inspiration; any organization would be fortunate to have her at the helm of their creative journey."

    — Sunil Sharma, AI Strategist, Technologist, Stealth Entrepreneur

  • "Fiona took time to have in depth product conversations that helped to drive strategy and execution forward. During the time we worked together, we shipped a number of key features that helped our team to exceed their goals and to deliver significant user value"

    — Kwad Kissiedu, Product Manager, Meta

  • "I cannot recommend Fiona Maciver highly enough for any business looking to raise its game on innovation. Fiona has a unique way of thinking - blending creativity with a sharp understanding of what shapes an industry. She helps you work from design through to customer, and tackles tough challenges with fresh, inspired solutions."

    – Lloyd Wigglesworth, Partner, The Alexander Partnership