About Me

For over 15 years, I’ve helped ambitious organizations scale with clarity—launching platforms that reach millions, building lean marketplaces, and modernizing tech infrastructure across five continents.

As a global product and design leader, I brings deep international experience across diverse industries. I’ve led and scaled product and innovation teams in Qatar, Turkey, and Iraq, and since returning to Minnesota in 2021, have worked as a consultant supporting new startup ventures. My multidisciplinary background spans product management, design, marketing, and engineering, allowing me to bring structure and vision to early-stage companies.

Outside of technology, I run a small leather goods workshop in Istanbul, where I design and handcraft artisanal bags and accessories for modern professionals.

  • "Derrick has a lot of insight to offer and grasped how media could work effectively in voice much earlier than most others."

    — Bret Kinsella, Editor, Voicebot.ai

  • “The attendees really loved the workshop, and are eager to put into practice what they've learned from you.”

    — Valer Kot, MDIF, Czech Republic

  • "It was a real pleasure to be at your workshop and to learn something new. It definitely helps me to understand the whole product we create."

    — Andy Samofalov, Liga.net, Ukraine

  • "I had the opportunity to listen to your presentations at Agora on Monday and Tuesday. They were impressive - huge amount of knowledge and practice put in very structured way."

    — Tomasz Bienias, Agora, Poland

  • "I've worked for Derrick on a couple of projects on enabling citizen journalism platforms in Kenya and Ghana. He is really visionary on how to expand the way news channels can get new sources of information from the field."

    — Stephane Boyera, World Wide Web Foundation

Accolades and Media Coverage