Salem Abi-Hanna
Senior UI/UX Designer
Dubai, UAE | salemabihanna@gmail.com

EXPERIENCE

Senior UX Designer & Planner
Rakuten Rewards – San Francisco, CA & Tokyo, Japan
Dec 2015 – Jun 2024

• Managed a team of 5 designers in Tokyo, responsible for both UI/UX and creative design for promotions and advertising.

• Led UX efforts across mobile platforms for major Japanese and international brands such as Uniqlo and Apple.

• Spearheaded cross-continental initiatives between Tokyo and San Francisco.

• Supported large-scale promotional campaigns reaching 2.3 million users.

• By strategically enhancing the user experience, contributed to increased repeat purchases and supported member acquisition—achieving year-over-year growth of up to +239% in Gross Merchant Sales, +198% in First Time Buyers, and +202% in Returning Buyers.

• Improved internal design operations and cross-functional workflows, streamlining hand-offs and collaboration across teams. These enhancements significantly boosted efficiency, reducing turnaround time for key tasks from 3 days to just a few hours.

UI/UX Designer
Starmaker Interactive – San Francisco, CA
Feb 2015 – Nov 2015

• Redesigned core product for talent discovery and music sharing.

• Delivered end-to-end assets including email templates, promotional materials, and in-app UI.

• Created scalable design systems and collaborated closely with developers.

Co-Founder & Design Lead
The Catch Inc. – San Francisco, CA
Feb 2014 – Sep 2016

• Built the company's visual identity and core product experience from the ground up.

• Conducted user testing, created wireframes, UI guidelines, and led creative strategy.

UI/UX Designer
Mufumbo Labs Inc. – Mountain View, CA
Oct 2012 – May 2013

• Designed a multi-platform recipe application spanning web, Nokia OS, iOS, Android (mobile and tablet), and Android TV.

• Adapted UI for various platform guidelines while maintaining consistent user experience.

• Enhanced brand identity and introduced social features to increase user engagement.

Game Designer
Idle Games – San Francisco, CA
Nov 2010 – Sep 2012

• Designed gameplay systems, tutorials, and monetization features.

• Developed branded merchandise and collaborated with content and 3D teams.

3D Modeling Intern
Red Giant Studios, LLC – San Francisco, CA
Mar 2010 – Jun 2010

• Modeled and cleaned up 3D assets for animated short films.

EDUCATION

Academy of Art University, San Francisco
B.A. in 3D Modeling
Fall 2006 – Spring 2010

LANGUAGES
English (Fluent) | Arabic (Fluent) | French (Fluent) | Japanese (Conversational)