Ed Key

Product designer, leader and founder.

I help teams decide what to build. Currently CEO of Waxly.

About

I've spent close to a decade working in technology. First selling it, then designing it, and now owning it. I started my product design journey at HeadBox, working with the product team to improve our listing process. I loved the work so much that I decided to take the plunge and train formally at General Assembly. From there I spent 8 months doing an internship at Ford working on environmental courier solutions. I then went deep into fintech, first at Cultivo, then at Blackbullion and finally at Caxton, where I led the product function through a transformation programme.

Approaching my 30s, I decided it was time to take the plunge even further and try my hand running a business I had long thought about. In 2025 I founded Waxly, a vinyl marketplace built around discovery. I designed everything from the ground up, pitched to raise money, set the roadmap, and now run a team of four. The project is ongoing, but with the product refined to a good level myself and our CTO are transitioning to work part time on Waxly.

At University, I studied History of Art at Leeds Uni, which has helped to inform my approach to design. I'm particularly interested in Aesthetic philosophy, and I learnt to always ask why and dig deeper, which is a useful skill when analysing research and data.

I'm based in Walthamstow, London. Outside of work, I'm a vinyl record collector, DJ and radio host. I unwind by going camping, windsurfing, reading and watching movies.

Other experience

  • Cultivo2020 – 2021
  • Ford Motor Company2020
  • General Assembly2019
  • HeadBox2018 – 2019