I design complex software so it feels easy to use – especially where people rely on data to make fast, high-impact decisions.

For the past 8 years at Rakuten Advertising, I've worked on large-scale internal platforms used by thousands of advertisers, publishers, and account teams. Since these systems are built around large datasets, detailed reporting, and multi-step workflows, they can easily become slow, confusing, or overly technical – adding friction where users need to make vital decisions.

It's my role to remove this friction.

I take tools that require expertise and redesign them so users can understand what they're seeing, find the information they need quickly, and act with confidence – without any second-guessing.

In practical terms, this includes:

  • Simplifying dashboards and reporting tools
  • Designing search experiences that don't require technical knowledge
  • Making complex concepts (like marketing attribution) clear and usable
  • Reducing reliance on support teams by improving usability

If you're building products, services, or workflows for people who know exactly what they want (and won't tolerate anything that slows them down), that's the kind of project where I thrive – and what I want to work on next.

Tom Spencer

What I do outside of work

Travelling

I love arriving somewhere new and diving straight in. I get genuinely excited by unfamiliar food, different ways of living, and finding the spots that locals actually go to, trying my hardest to avoid the well trodden tourist trails where I can.

Hiking & running

Being outdoors gives me real headspace. It's where I slow down, reflect, and come back feeling balanced. Good for the mind as much as anything else. I enjoy taking note of the small things, whether it's sitting watching a squirrel or admiring how a tree has grown in an odd way.

Outside of work
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