Our Whānau
Fresh Concept’s team canvas extensive local and international experience across diverse cultural landscapes. We engage a network of specialists from cultural, creative and community backgrounds to bring a multidisciplinary approach to each diverse project.
John Sutton
M A N A G I N G D I R E C T O R
john@freshconcept.co.nz
As Managing Director of Fresh Concept, John manages key stakeholder relationships while ensuring bespoke outcomes are delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest level.
Fresh Concept, under John’s leadership, has delivered some of the most acclaimed and loved public places in New Zealand. John leads a strategic and creative team to implement new ways of growing successful vibrant places, connecting people into genuine communities and delivering tangible and measurable value for clients.
Simon van Praag
F O U N D E R / D I R E C T O R
simon@freshconcept.co.nz
Simon has refined an interpersonal skill-set interfacing with stakeholders, iwi, partners, clients and collaborators to align diverse positions toward delivering both outstanding community outcomes and commercial successes alike.
With 21 years owning and operating SME’s, Simon has a clear understanding of the commercial, social and cultural imperatives and bottom-line impacts that underwrite place-based projects.
Isabel Rust
S E N I O R D E S I G N E R
isabel@freshconcept.co.nz
Isabel has over 10 years international design experience, accrediting her a broad design skillset which spans from working with major brands to small scale, independent projects. She has worked with clients from both public and non-profit sectors, producing work for print, digital and spacial mediums and is highly experienced in taking projects from inception to completion.
Isabel enjoys finding creative solutions which engage and excite target audiences, while also meeting desired client outcomes. She excels in designing bespoke solutions which translate across various mediums, addressing form and function and offering intuitive, clear outcomes, which play to the strengths of each media. Her interest in art has also led Isabel to develop a strong illustrative practice, which she often utilises to create engaging and accessible outcomes.
Sam Nicoll
P R O G R A M M A N A G E R
sam@freshconcept.co.nz
Sam is a qualified Ecologist, Urban Designer, and Urban Planner with many years of experience in the public, private, and academic sectors.
Sam understands the complex needs of communities and clients, and combines his experience with his interests in community development, placemaking, and urbanism to design, develop, and deliver programs to connect people to places, and to each other.
His skill set includes project management, resource management, co-design, procurement, and communication, and he brings to the table a real-world understanding of the design and development process.
Neill Gaddes
S T R A T E G Y
neill@freshconcept.co.nz
Neill is a place-led strategist and designer focused on enhancing contemporary urban life by improving a place's UX (user-experience).
Working across social, cultural, and commercial contexts; Neill helps clients ideate solutions and mitigate risks, amplifying value for them, their stakeholders and their communities.
Over the past 12 years, he has helped drive innovation within China's urban revitalisation space, creating precincts that connect with the city through the depth and authenticity of their experience.
Tim Boyd
P R O D U C T I O N
tim@freshconcept.co.nz
The founder of a community wood workshop and with a background in the construction industry, Tim has a broad skill set that encompasses; creative problem solving, community building, strong communication and a ton of hands-on practical skills delivered to the highest quality.
Tim’s role is to assist the team with the on-ground logistics of our public spaces; maintain, monitor and ensure all facilities are looking their best for public engagement.
John Heaslip
C O M P A N Y
A C C O U N T A N T
accounts@freshconcept.co.nz
John is a qualified accountant with 35 years of international experience in both SME’s and Public Practice.
John has a strong business acumen with extensive hands-on experience in finance and accounting. He also possesses skills in marketing and sales, having set up and operated his own SME’s.
With this he applies his expertise to work with Fresh Concept’s management and the team.