About us

Jon has been in the graphic design industry since 2003 after completing his Bachelor of Arts and a Diploma in Graphic Design. Firstly working in print and advertising design for ACP Media he then joined Activate as a designer in 2006. A few years later he somehow managed to wrestle the controls off his boss to take management of the company.

Jon's our creative director overseeing the design aspects of our projects. He is also our branding guy and handles all the branding and logo design work. He lives, breathes and eats logos. When he is not doing that he also likes riding his motorbike, boxing and playing video games on our arcade machine.

Matt often arrives at work with coffees, and that's all we really care about. But for you, Matt is the guy to tell you all about websites, apps and all things digital. Matt has a substantial background in web project management for over 800 successful websites.

He will develop and plan digital projects, keep tasks on schedule and manage hosting support for clients. He knows all the latest techniques and is adept in keeping down costs for the client as he has a personal vendetta towards companies over-charging.

Matt is pretty much happy if he is talking about websites. He can, and does, talk about websites all day. Matt also has a young family to manage in his spare time - he probably talks to them about websites as well.

Robert is our website programmer. He is a 30-something white man with an irrelevant degree in Chemistry and a slightly relevant Diploma in e-Business support.

He drives a Prius. Rob works with the standard array of PHP, HTML, CSS, Javascript and MySQL. He hasn't touched Flash in a long time and intends it to stay that way. In his spare time Rob enjoys playing TRPGs (Tabletop Roleplaying Games with real dice, paper, people and imagination). So it turns out that programmers do have an imagination!

Chris is our digital marketing guru. Once the websites are built, Chris is the go-to guy for getting your site swamped with high-quality traffic.

Chris specialises in SEO, Google AdWords and overall digital marketing strategy and has worked with many leading New Zealand and international brands.

If you want to discuss Search Engine Optimisation, Google Ad campaigns and ways to boost your online sales and enquiries. Book a free consultation call with Chris today.

Some trivia - Chris loves cats... However his girlfriend is as terrified of them as she is allergic to them... Therefore Chris no longer has cats. This makes him sad, but so long as he can bury his head in the latest digital marketing news, he'll be ok.

Meet our Hosting and Tech Support Guru, Andi! Formerly a user experience tester for a music company, their passion for design and the web industry shines through. Starting with minimal background, they've embraced self-motivated learning and growth at Activate.

Andi brings a unique blend of creativity and problem-solving to the team. Dedicated to ensuring a smooth experience for those navigating web and tech processes, they're quick to respond with solutions.

Outside the tech realm, Andi enjoys all things creative, including painting, music, fashion, and more. Andi also has a delightful squish-faced cat, occasionally making a cameo as a placeholder image during website testing—rest assured, Andi's cat is meant to look like that! Feel free to reach out to Andi anytime you need assistance. They'll provide a friendly and positive attitude to guide you through the web world!

Saphi is our import from Germany, brings a positive attitude and a love of coding in PHP and Java. Our team has spent considerable time introducing her to the kiwi love of sarcastic humour and when to know we're joking (we're always joking).

Saphi is the outdoor type and loves anything to do with climbing and running (so far we've managed to avoid challenges with office-furniture-stack climbing and enthusiastic sprint laps of the staffroom), and even though she's a dedicated plant-based food enthusiast she won't work for peanuts (we tried).

Meet Frank; a top-performing employee who consistently exceeds expectations. With his exceptional attention to detail and unparalleled organizational skills, he is the epitome of efficiency and effectiveness. Frank consistently demonstrates a can-do attitude and a willingness to take on new challenges, making him a valuable member of any team. His positive and approachable demeanor makes him a joy to work with, and his unwavering dedication to his job inspires those around him.

Frank's creativity and innovative thinking often result in new, improved processes and procedures, making him an invaluable asset to the company. He truly embodies the characteristics of a great employee, making him a valuable and beloved member of the team. Frank isn't so good at talking about himself though, this was all written by the artificial intelligence chatbot; ChatGPT.

Dan has a Bachelors Degree in Graphic Design and we reluctantly admit that he designs very smart, modern looking websites that we don’t want him getting a big head about.

He has worked for award winning web design companies around the world, none of which we know about so we’ll believe it when we have the evidence. He has created well over 1,500 websites in his 18 years of experience and several have won the iBest (Oscar of the Brazilian Internet), which sounds like bikini-clad brazilian beauties handing out mock awards but is actually quite legit. Dans creative talent certainly doesn't stop at websites, he is also an amazing sculptor, illustrator, and painter... and he would like to draw you, wearing that.

Laura is our seasoned social media strategist and digital marketer, with a background in design and a brain wired for storytelling. She brings over a decade of experience spanning agencies, in-house teams, and her own content studio—blending creative flair with strategic thinking to help brands show up online with clarity and confidence.

Laura has worked with clients of all kinds, delivering digital campaigns, crafting scroll-stopping content, and executing effective brand strategies. Social media is one of the most powerful advertising and communication platforms available to your business — but it’s more complex than just likes and shares. Laura can help you cut through the noise and maximise your social media reach.

If you'd like to explore social media advertising or need help managing your channels day-to-day with a compelling content plan: Book a free consultation call with Laura today.