Google Designer Dan Makoski to Join Capital One

Dan Makoski understands if people don’t really get why he is leaving Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects Team to take a post at Capital One, the bank known for its in-your-face credit card pitches.

“I don’t blame you if you’re like a few of my colleagues who think I’m a bit insane to leave one of the world’s most admired tech companies for a bank,” Makoski said in a blog post. But, he said, “there are few spaces as ripe for technology and human-inspired reimagination as how people relate to their money.”

Makoski, who had been head of design for the Project Ara modular smartphone effort, starts the new gig as VP of design for Capital One later this week.

“I’ll be working out of the SF studio, building a money team, focused on bold, breakthrough transformations that will help people connect with their finances in meaningful and delightful ways,” he said. “That’s about all I can say at the moment.”

Makoski also sounded a positive note about the work being done on Ara: “The ‘consumer’ electronics world is barely aware of what’s about to hit them,” he said.

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

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