Karim Muhtar
Product design manager & UI/UX design lead
I design and lead web and mobile apps that are simple to use and built to ship, for startups and enterprises in Beirut, Dubai and remotely, in English and Arabic.
- 20+ years in business and tech
- 17+ in design
- 8+ leading teams
- 6+ startups co-founded
Some companies and brands I’ve worked with
- stc Bahrain
- Omnicom Media Group
- AD Sports
- Arcadous
- RAY Labs
- and more…
Selected work
UI design and UX case studies for web and mobile apps in telecom, fintech, proptech,
e-sports and AI.
Some projects are shown in part because of NDAs. Ask me for a private walkthrough.
How I can help
Hire me for a project, a fixed monthly role, or advice on where to start. See all services
Product and UI/UX design
Web and mobile apps designed from research to polished screens, ready for developers.
- UX research and user flows
- Wireframes, prototypes and UI design
- Design systems
- Arabic and RTL interfaces
Product management and leadership
A hands-on product or design lead for your team, part time or for a set period.
- Fractional head of product or design
- Roadmaps and feature priorities
- Leading designers and developers
- Startup and digital consulting
SEO and AI search (GEO)
Get found on Google and in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Perplexity.
- SEO audits and fixes
- GEO for AI search answers
- Content and site structure
- Local SEO in Lebanon and the UAE
How I work
I adapt Design Thinking, the Double Diamond, Google’s UX process, Lean UX and OOUX to each project’s needs, resources and timeline.
Discover
Talk to users and stakeholders, research the market and set clear business goals.
Define
Turn research into personas, user stories and a clear problem statement, then set priorities.
Develop
Explore ideas, map user flows, then design and prototype possible solutions.
Deliver
Test with real users, refine the design, then work with developers through launch and keep improving.
What people say
Karim is one of the best UX/UI designers you can work with, my experience with him was smooth, professional and creative from the requirements gathering till the end to end product execution… highly recommended.
His understanding of product, UI/UX combined with his hard work and dedication makes him a great asset to any company or project. Karim has the capabilities to successfully lead any project from A to Z even with limited resources.
Always delivering as promised. Great work, great guy!
He’s definitely reliable, organized, and creative. He is also a good team player and great leader. Whenever there’s a challenge, he leads brainstorming sessions to come up with solutions, and always provides support to the team.
I had the pleasure of working with Karim at Devloot, and he consistently stood out as one of the most positive, collaborative, and genuine people on the team. His creativity, dedication, and supportive nature made every project better.
Karim is hard working and conscientious. He was also very supportive and understanding when we needed to extend the project timeline.
Karim helped me a lot in developing both my technical editing abilities and the way I approach a project as a whole… He paid attention to the details without ever making things stressful.
I recommend Karim for any related project.
Design lead, product manager, founder
I’m Karim Muhtar, a product design manager and UI/UX design lead with 20+ years across design, product, technology and business: 17+ in design and 8+ leading design and product teams.
I’ve co-founded 6+ startups and designed products in fintech, telecom, proptech, e-commerce, e-sports, events and AI, for teams in Lebanon, the UAE and internationally, in English and Arabic.
Whether you need a UI/UX designer for one app, a product design manager for your team, or help getting found on Google and AI search, I’m happy to talk. More about me
Frequently asked questions
Who is Karim Muhtar?
Karim Muhtar is a product design manager, UI/UX design lead and digital product manager based in Beirut, Lebanon, with 20+ years in business and tech, 17+ of them in design. He designs and leads web and mobile apps for startups and enterprises in Lebanon, the UAE and internationally, in English and Arabic. He runs Productra and created the Shootsolo app.
What services do you offer?
Product and UI/UX design (research, user flows, wireframes, prototypes, UI and design systems), product management and design leadership (including fractional head of product or design), and SEO and AI search (GEO).
Do you work with clients in Dubai and outside Lebanon?
Yes. I’m based in Beirut and have lived and worked in Dubai. I work with teams in Lebanon, the UAE and internationally, remotely or on-site when needed.
Do you design Arabic and right-to-left (RTL) apps?
Yes. I design bilingual English and Arabic interfaces, including right-to-left layouts that feel native rather than mirrored.
Can you join our team as a fractional or full-time lead?
Yes. I work as a fractional or interim head of product or design, and I’m open to full-time product design manager and design lead roles.
Do you also handle SEO and AI search (GEO)?
Yes. I help businesses get found on Google and in AI assistants like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and Perplexity, with SEO audits, GEO, content and site structure, and local SEO in Lebanon and the UAE.
What’s your design process?
It depends on each project’s needs, resources and timeline. I draw on Design Thinking, the Double Diamond, Google’s UX design process, Lean UX and OOUX (object-oriented UX): a full research-to-testing process when there’s time, or quick build-measure-learn cycles when speed matters. Either way, the work moves through four stages: Discover, Define, Develop and Deliver.
How do we start working together?
Send me a message through the contact page, on WhatsApp, or by email at [email protected], telling me what you’re building. I’ll reply within a day with how I can help and the next steps.
Work with Karim Muhtar
Got a project or a role in mind?
Tell me what you’re building. I’ll reply within a day with how I can help.