Oscar Ibars
Over 12 years of experience leading digital product teams at enterprises like ADP, MasterCard, Optum, Kaiser Permanente, Spirit Airlines, and Charles Schwab.
About Me
A seasoned product management leader with a passion for digital transformation, mobile strategy and AI integration.
With over 12 years of experience leading product technology teams across various industries, I specialize in transforming business challenges into innovative digital solutions. My expertise spans enterprise environments like Charles Schwab, Kaiser Permanente, and Spirit Airlines, as well as consulting engagements where I've helped organizations navigate their digital transformation journeys.
I'm particularly passionate about mobile strategy, AI integration, and marketplace dynamics. My approach combines technical knowledge with business acumen to deliver products that drive measurable results and exceptional user experiences. I also founded Product Leader Academy, where I mentor the next generation of product managers and contribute to the broader product community.
Led product technology teams at ADP, MasterCard, Optum, Kaiser Permanente, Spirit Airlines, and Charles Schwab, delivering innovative solutions at scale.
Consulted various small and mid-size companies on digital transformation and adoption, particularly with mobile strategy and AI integration.
Specialized in mobile apps, matching algorithms, marketplace platform dynamics, and incorporating AI into user experiences to drive engagement and business outcomes.
Professional Experience
A track record of success across enterprise and consulting environments.
Product Leader Academy
Founder & Lead Instructor
2024 - Present
Founded an execution-first product management training platform helping aspiring and mid-career PMs land roles through real-world projects and expert mentorship. Built curriculum, led live coaching sessions, and scaled a global community to 1,000+ members with measurable outcomes in hiring and promotions.
OKO Labs
Principal Product Manager
2015 - Present
Led client engagements across healthcare, travel, and financial services. For UHG-Optum, served as strategic advisor for the Mobile Center of Excellence, championing mobile quality and innovation across business units. Led enterprise-wide migration to a single flagship Optum mobile app, consolidating over 12 standalone apps. At Kaiser Permanente, led patient experience innovation on the mobile platform, focusing on seamless in-app messaging between patients and medical teams with HIPAA-compliant integration. At Spirit Airlines, drove engagement and monetization growth by launching MyTrips (+12% retention, +7% ARPU) and implementing a mobile defect scoring framework that reduced production defects by 90%.
Truckstop
Director, Mobile Platform
2023 - 2025
Designed and launched an AI-powered load matching system that improved recommendation accuracy by 35%, leading to a 22% increase in user engagement, 15% reduction in churn, and 18% decrease in empty miles; drove 12% growth in active carrier users within six months. Led international product expansion into the Spanish-speaking market, managing end-to-end localization, go-to-market strategy, outbound sales campaigns, and customer experience support.
PwC
Sr. Mobile Product Manager
2021 - 2023
Led mobile healthcare platform innovation for Kaiser Permanente, designing and launching HIPAA-compliant in-app messaging that streamlined physician-patient communication, reducing response times by 40% and significantly improving patient engagement. Developed AI-driven triage capabilities collaborating with clinicians and data scientists to improve care coordination by 20%, reduce unnecessary visits by 15%, and decrease average wait times by 30%. Redesigned UI/UX for a high-scale consumer healthcare app with 3M+ monthly active users, implementing ADA-compliant patterns that delivered a 15% lift in engagement.
ADP
Sr. Product Manager
2018 - 2021
Led AWS SaaS platform build for ADP's $3.2B health benefits business, integrating 32 healthcare carriers and 2 brokers. Revolutionized benefits selection with AI-powered personalization tools, achieving 30% increase in enrollment completion and 40% faster decision-making. Developed vision AI and RPA solutions for data auditing, supporting $50M in projected product value.
Open English
Agile Product Owner
2015 - 2018
Led B2B segment for language learning SaaS platform, growing annual revenue to $3M+ through enterprise solutions. Achieved 86% course completion rate with 14% retention improvement. Spearheaded Salesforce Cloud transformation with DocuSign API integration, delivering 17% revenue growth and enhanced customer experience through intelligent automation.
Mastercard
Program Manager
2010 - 2015
Developed revenue forecasting and Tableau analytics across 44 countries in LATAM, enhancing financial decision-making. Implemented Quality Improvement Framework and PM SaaS platform, boosting project delivery speed by 43% while enabling contactless payment innovations and advanced security features.
Case Studies
Explore some of my most impactful mobile app projects and their outcomes.
Mobile Maturity Model Implementation
Optum
Contributed to the Mobile Center of Excellence at Optum by developing Mobile Maturity Model standards and frameworks that established quality and experience baselines across the organization.
Challenge
Optum had dozens of separate mobile applications with inconsistent quality standards, user experiences, and development practices. Each business unit operated independently with different priorities.
Solution
Implemented best practices for A/B testing, feature flagging, accessibility, and localization. Led change management initiatives using tools like Branch.io, Launch Darkly, and Adobe Analytics to track and improve app lifecycle performance.
Results
- 52% increase in user engagement across key applications
- 35% improvement in development efficiency
- 40% reduction in quality issues
- 95% WCAG 2.1 AA compliance for accessibility
Freight Marketplace Platform
Truckstop
Developed a mobile marketplace platform connecting freight carriers with shippers, implementing sophisticated matching algorithms and location-based search functionality.
Challenge
The freight industry relied heavily on manual processes and phone calls to match carriers with available loads, creating inefficiencies and missed opportunities for both parties.
Solution
Created a mobile-first marketplace platform with real-time load matching, location-based search, and pricing transparency. Implemented features for saved locations, recent searches, and direct communication between carriers and shippers.
Results
- Reduced average load matching time from hours to minutes
- Increased carrier utilization by 27%
- Improved pricing transparency for both carriers and shippers
- 45% growth in platform adoption in the first year
Language Learning Platform
Open English
Led the development of a mobile language learning platform featuring live classes with native teachers, gamified learning paths, and personalized content.
Challenge
Traditional language learning apps lacked the human connection of live instruction, while in-person classes were inconvenient and inflexible for busy professionals.
Solution
Developed a hybrid platform combining on-demand lessons with scheduled live classes taught by native speakers. Implemented gamification elements like leagues, challenges, and achievement tracking to increase engagement and retention.
Results
- 200% increase in daily active users
- 65% improvement in user retention
- 4.8/5 average rating for live classes
- 32% higher completion rate compared to self-paced learning only
International Expansion & Vacation Bundling
Spirit Airlines
Led the revamp of Spirit Airlines' purchase experience for Spanish and international audiences, implementing localization efforts across the mobile app. Integrated the MyTrips experience with Expedia to enable bundled vacation purchases.
Challenge
Spirit Airlines needed to expand its international reach and increase revenue through vacation bundling, but their mobile app lacked proper localization and integration with third-party travel services.
Solution
Implemented comprehensive localization for Spanish-speaking markets and integrated with Expedia's API to enable bundled purchases of flights, hotels, car rentals, and destination excursions in a single transaction.
Results
- International bookings increased by 38%
- Generated $12M in vacation bundle revenue in the first year
- 92% satisfaction rating from Spanish-speaking users
- 25% increase in average order value through bundling
Areas of Expertise
Specialized knowledge and skills developed over 12+ years in the industry.
- Native & cross-platform development
- Mobile UX optimization
- App monetization strategies
- Mobile-first transformation
- Conversational AI & chatbots
- Predictive analytics implementation
- Machine learning for personalization
- AI-driven UX enhancements
- Two-sided marketplace design
- Matching algorithm development
- Supply & demand balancing
- Marketplace growth strategies
- Legacy system modernization
- Cloud migration strategies
- Digital process optimization
- Change management
- Market research & validation
- Product roadmap development
- Feature prioritization frameworks
- Go-to-market planning
- Agile & Scrum methodologies
- Cross-functional team management
- Stakeholder communication
- Mentorship & talent development
Let's Connect
Interested in working together? Reach out to discuss how I can help with your product and technology needs.
I'm always open to discussing product strategy, digital transformation opportunities, or potential collaborations. The best way to reach me is through LinkedIn, or alternatively via Twitter.
Areas I can help with:
Mobile Strategy
Native & cross-platform development, UX optimization, app monetization
Digital Transformation
Legacy system modernization, cloud migration, process optimization
AI Integration
Conversational AI, predictive analytics, ML for personalization
Marketplace Platforms
Two-sided marketplace design, matching algorithms, growth strategies