In this episode of Productly Speaking, Karl Abbott chats with Adil Hussain, a product manager at the Financial Times, about his unconventional path into product management, the lessons he's learned from working across public and private sectors, and his passion for mentoring aspiring PMs. They explore how AI is reshaping the role, the importance of community and real-world learning, and how the UK’s Government Digital Service (GDS) offers a global model for accessible, user-centered design.

Topics Covered

• Adil’s Journey into Product Management
• Public vs. Private Sector Product Work
• Mentorship and Community Building
• The Evolving Role of the Product Manager
• AI in Product Management

Resources Mentioned

• GOV.UK Design System
• UK Government Digital Service (GDS)
• GDS Service Standard
• GDS Product Management Capability Framework

Key Quotes

• “Product management for me is about solving those problems in the right way and also making sure that we're building really good user experiences.”
• “I come across people that I mentor, that I teach or just have normal conversations with who aspire to break into product… and don’t realize they’re already doing product-style thinking.”
• “Being able to tell good stories as a product manager and being able to tell a narrative… it’s very, very important.”

Connect with Adil

Interested in Adil’s bootcamp or mentorship?

Reach out to him on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adilh1/