Skip to content

About

I'm Adrien. I fix the messy middle of growing companies.

I'm a South African-British product and operations executive with more than 20 years at senior level, across financial services, gaming, telecoms, healthcare and media.

I'm often the trusted number two, and sometimes the number one in all but title. I build product and operations functions from scratch, steer teams toward measurable results, and take the operational weight off founders so they can focus on what only they can do.

I speak English, Afrikaans and Portuguese.

Adrien Padayachee

Recent work

Earlier, I led product and consulting work for Mars, Samsung, Telefónica UK and Funding Circle. Read the case studies.

Fractional CPO, The Joy App (NHS, London)

Set up product management, QA and support from scratch, and steered AI integration across five NHS products serving 19.2 million patients.

Fractional CPO and COO, CarePoint365 (London)

Direct report to the founder. Accountable for product, engineering, customer success and operations on a five-module platform for UK care homes.

Director of Product and Innovation, A Bola (Lisbon)

Led the mobile app strategy and launch for Portugal's largest sports media company, in time for UEFA Euro 2024. More than 100,000 downloads during the tournament, mobile traffic up 20% and time spent up 12%.

Senior Product Manager, FRVR (Lisbon)

Led the mobile transformation of Krunker.io through more than 20 A/B tests. Day-1 retention rose 30%, 30-day retention 25% and engagement 45%.

What people I've worked with say

Eric TruterSoftware Engineering | AI | IntegrationMarch 11, 2026, Eric worked with Adrien on the same team

Adrien arrived with a wealth of process knowledge and immediately set about driving our product delivery forward. His forward-thinking, analytical approach to scale-up building delivered real, tangible change in a remarkably short period of time — the kind of impact that is usually felt over years, not months.

His foresight and structured thinking elevated our entire product function, and the results spoke for themselves almost immediately.

I cannot recommend Adrien strongly enough. Should the opportunity to work together arise again, I would not hesitate for a second. An absolute pleasure.

Anoushka FaroukFounder of Aventurine Therapies | Thrive Together Workshops | Pattern Interruption TherapyOctober 20, 2025, Anoushka worked with Adrien on the same team

I’ve had the absolute pleasure of working with Adrien, and I can confidently say he is one of the most meticulous and visionary people I’ve had the chance to collaborate with. His strength lies not only in his ability to build clear, thoughtful processes and strategies, but also in his knack for turning big ideas into actionable, inspiring projects.

Adrien has a true “can-do” attitude. He's always positive, proactive, and ready to tackle challenges head-on. I’ve genuinely enjoyed our many conversations about strategy, innovation, and big goals; his perspective consistently brings clarity and excitement to any discussion.

Working alongside Adrien has been a rewarding experience, both professionally and personally. I’ve learned so much from him - his leadership, creativity, and collaborative spirit set a high bar for any team. Whoever gets to work with him next will be incredibly lucky to have him. A true leader in every sense.

Gopi KistasamiCustomer Success Lead at CarePoint365October 20, 2025, Gopi worked with Adrien on the same team

I have known Adrien since 2010 and have worked closely with him for the past 8 months. He is a man of character and pushes himself to be the best. He does not shy away from a challenge and does not hesitate to ask questions, especially if something does not seem right. His knowledge on Jira is amazing and i have learnt so much from him about it, he has a knack of teaching as he is creating and makes sure you understand what he is doing. His project management skills combined with his product management skills makes him a valuable asset to anyone. I have seen him take nothing and build a process driven agile development team. I highly recommend Adrien and any company that takes him on will highly benefit from his great experience.

Mo Quadri FCIPD, MHRM, LL.MStrategic People & Culture Leader | Executive HR Leadership | Organisational Development | Adult Social Care | Chartered FCIPDOctober 20, 2025, Mo was Adrien’s client

I had the pleasure of working with Adrien who was the Project Manager on our HRIS implementation, and I can’t recommend him highly enough. From the outset, he demonstrated exceptional professionalism and a clear understanding of our organisational needs.

Adrien quickly got to grips with what we needed, captured our requirements clearly, and translated them into practical solutions that worked for our organisation. Throughout the project, he kept everything moving forward ie managing timelines, keeping us focused, and making sure nothing slipped through the cracks.

If you’re looking for someone who combines strong technical know-how with great people skills and a calm, methodical approach, I’d highly recommend Adrien.

Kaloyan BotevProgrammatic DevelopmentNovember 19, 2024, Kaloyan worked with Adrien on the same team

I had the pleasure of working with Adrien during a particularly demanding phase of A Bola's digital transformation. He faced numerous challenges with a strong blend of product management expertise, exceptional problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and remarkable resilience. Adrien consistently rose to the occasion, demonstrating flexibility and adaptation upon delivering results that exceeded expectations.

One standout instance was when our team faced intense pressure to meet an advertising budget target. Adrien maintained focus, guided the team through complex solutions, and implemented effective strategies that made a substantial impact on achieving our goals. His ability to stay calm under tight deadlines, inspire others, and his drive set him apart.

Adrien is not only a skilled professional but also a natural leader who thrives in high-pressure situations. I wholeheartedly recommend Adrien to any team seeking a reliable, resourceful, and driven member.

Frederico CostaProduct Manager | Digital | e-CommerceJune 20, 2024, Frederico reported to Adrien directly

Adrien has been an absolute compass in the development of the A Bola Product Team.

He has been innovating in both tecnology, feature development and process implementation.

Adrien is an asset to develop teams and processes, a VP Director of many hats, consistently developing stakeholders.

Naturally labelled as Product Evangelist in the company, I do not hesitate in recommending Adrien as the perfect fit to develop a product department from concept to implementation.

As for the product team and engineers, Adrien has set the pace to work 100% agile, reinforcing the methodology at A Bola.

Personally he has helped me in developing my skillset and in the fast forwarding 6 months after, his team achieved 3 feature development and implementations, 1 new app implementation, had the best performing ad unit, 6 rich media formats and SEO growth whereas in the industry this channel is overstacked.

Megan MatthysenFreelance Delivery Manager | Certified Agile PM, BA & PO | Driving Scalable Business Systems & Transformation Across Finance and Business OperationsMarch 11, 2024

I had the privilege of working with Adrien, who excels as both a brilliant product and project manager. Their strategic vision, meticulous planning, and adept execution consistently lead to successful outcomes. Adrien is a true asset to any team, seamlessly navigating complex projects with a keen understanding of both the product and project management realms. I highly recommend Adrien for their exceptional skills and the positive impact they bring to every endeavour.

Jakob VestnerProduct Manager @ Ringier Sports MediaFebruary 27, 2024, Jakob worked with Adrien but on different teams

Adrien really brings initiatives forward and follows a structured and focused approach in projects and daily business.

He is able to transfer his energy to other individuals and motivate them a lot. Also he takes time for other people both on professional and personal level.

His excellent communication skills among different parties in projects is extremely valuable and outstanding.

All in all It is a great pleasure to work with Adrien and I learn a lot from him.

Mike StoneExperienced start-up leaderAugust 22, 2022, Mike worked with Adrien but on different teams

Adrien is a Product Management ninja. Passionate, professional and reliable- you know that when he has the ball, he won't drop it. Thrown into the deep end at FRVR, Adrien has not only helped carve out a Product Management strategy within the business, but also drive and lead day to day initiatives forward at a critical time for the business. A great person (and fellow baked-bean enthusiast) to work alongside.

Ana de Melo SequeiraHead of Operations transformationApril 17, 2022, Ana worked with Adrien but on different teams

I worked with Adrien in Outsystems. We were both Senior Product Managers and in some cases, I worked as a Stakeholder as I need Adrien's help to deliver outcomes to my business units.

Adrien was always available to help, making sure that I got all the support from his team. It was hard times for Adrien, as he also decided to move to Portugal with his family. A new job, a new place to live, a new culture to learn. What an inspiration and bravery.

Ricardo SequeiraProduct Lead at OutSystems | AI & Agentic TransformationMarch 28, 2022, Ricardo worked with Adrien but on different teams

I worked with Adrien at OutSystems.

Man of many crafts, his curiosity is always present at work. He is always questioning the "why" in a continuously effort to improve processes and value delivery.

He also showed great ability to manage stakeholders and combine the business goals and needs to the technology most suited to maximize value creation.

Adrien was also able to perform in a complex, demanding and challenging agile environment due to the experience and knowledge he has as a product manager.

For sure he is a great addition to any team.

Mahbobeh SabetniaMember of the Executive Board – Technology & Retail at Otto GroupJune 17, 2021, Mahbobeh was senior to Adrien but didn’t manage Adrien directly

Adrien’s grasp of the what, how and why of building digital relationships with stakeholders is a huge asset for Mars. He has demonstrated great depth of knowledge in product management both from a strategic and tactical perspectives. He has an intricate understanding of the wider digital ecosystem and has an incredible ability to tailor global approaches with ease for both less and significantly more mature markets to drive deliverables to fruition.

He has a true understanding of scaling initiatives, continual stakeholder communication and product strategy; this is crucial in our work together in Mars. He is a trusted, valued, and productive member of the group and the go-to for all things Product Management.

Adrien is a strong Product Leader with a wealth of experience and will continue to be a huge asset for any organisation.

Hedwig VollersAdvertising | Data Driven Marketing | Digital Transformation | MediaMay 8, 2021, Hedwig worked with Adrien on the same team

I worked with Adrien at Coty where he was a great partner to me and my team. So much so that I asked Adrien to join me at Mars when I moved companies and needed a strong technology business partner. Adrien has the unique skill to understand both technology and business and bring the two together. He's been a great partner for me in guiding the business through our tech innovations.

Curtis TiefenbrunnDirector Digital Product Organization - Royal Canin NA, a Division of Mars Inc.May 7, 2021, Curtis managed Adrien directly

I have enjoyed working with Adrien over the past few months. He brings great energy to the business and has a real passion for getting things done. He puts the stakeholder first and works tirelessly to ensure that their needs are met in the most efficient way. Adrien is comfortable working with Sr. leaders in the organization and does not shy away from the difficult conversations. I have been impressed with his ability to take complex technical challenges and break them down into digestible pieces for the business to understand. He is very strong business translator, understanding both the business and tech sides of the world. I have also been impressed with Adrien's learning agility and how quickly he has been able to adapt to a new organization. He has done a great job navigating the complexities of the organization and the finding ways to get things done. It has been a pleasure to lead Adrien these last few months.

Carl WoodbridgeSenior Talent LeaderMay 14, 2020, Carl worked with Adrien but on different teams

Adrien brought a friendly, approachable personality to the team whilst also bringing a wealth of professional experience and knowledge. Adrien was able to join his multi-geo team and add immediate value allowing targets to be made within their timeframe. With his experience I can say Adrien is a 'self starter' requiring minimal guidance other than learning our working ways and was able to hit the ground running. Communication is one of Adrien's strongest areas with a positively encouraging deminer. His desk is always open and always makes time for you if you need advice or just a friendly chat. Adrien is a natural leader offering guidance, experience and support with a recent example of finding the time to help mentor a junior team member throughout their initial steps into their product career path. I must add this was not part of Adrien's role, but something he chose to do without prompting. I would recommend Adrien to any organisation that crosses paths with him in the future whilst wishing him continued success.

Mike SpragueSenior Software Engineering Manager at GitHubFebruary 14, 2020, Mike worked with Adrien on the same team

I've had the pleasure of working with Adrien on the mobile product at Funding Circle. He is a very hard worker who focuses on working collaboratively to deliver the best product possible. He also cares deeply about the team and has done a lot to improve the ways of working for the team as a whole. I look forward to our paths crossing again in the future!

Daniel GostSenior Design Manager @ Skyscanner | Creating products used by 100M+ peopleAugust 21, 2019, Daniel worked with Adrien but on different teams

Adrien is an experienced Product Manager who offers a combination of technical, managerial and business gnosis. During his time at Beamly, he successfully led the product roadmap and delivery for one of the biggest projects of the company - a bespoke CMS for the digital beauty division of Coty, including the launch of the Max Factor website.

He is wonderful to work with, always with a friendly attitude and collaborative approach. I would highly recommend Adrien as a key asset to energise any team and build great products.

Mohanvir Singh SaranFuture Innovation Strategy Lead (SGN) | Passionate about future-proofing global organisations through tech, innovation and venturesAugust 16, 2019, Mohanvir worked with Adrien on the same team

Adrien brings energy, agility and know-how to the innovation environment and is a joy to work with and learn from. Having recently worked with Adrien, I can say that he adds huge amounts of value to projects in a very unique way that blends expertise and personality. In particular, Adrien is a master of bringing experience from his rich career history and applying it to new settings. This surfaces new ways of working, learnings from the wider business landscape and a depth in insight during innovation discovery. Highly recommended.

Natalia SolnicaHead of Product at Cervest (Product Innovation, AI, AR, SaaS, B2C, B2B, B2B2C)August 7, 2019, Natalia managed Adrien directly

Adrien is a very talented, charismatic, and self-driven product manager. He has a great hunger for delivering products in a way that would reflect balance between best product management practices and pragmatism. I’ve always appreciated his knowledge about CMS’s and tech in general, as well as a desire to self-improve as a product leader.

He has led product scope and approach to delivery of a great Coty investment for a web platform (a suite of responsive, accessible, and performant website components) in conjunction with a headless CMS. During this project, he has built strong relationships with all stallholders and delivered first launch for Max Factor successfully. I am truly looking forward to work with Adrien again in the future, as a professional but also as a colleague!

1 of 19

Qualifications

  • Microsoft AI Product Manager
  • Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner (A-CSPO), Scrum Alliance
  • Project Management Professional (PMP)
  • PRINCE2, QA Institute, London
  • Bachelor of Commerce, UNISA

I use Google Analytics to see which pages are useful. It only runs if you say yes. See the privacy policy.