Team Bio's

Meet the Transformers

  • Nigel Smith

    Creative Director

    A product of that great global design factory, the UK, our leader Nigel emigrated to these fair shores after 10 years learning his craft, and established Transformer shortly thereafter in 2002. His CV includes a stint as Senior Art Designer for Orbis Publishing (where he led a team of 12), and as Art Director for The Artwork Company where he designed the original Tencel brand identity which subsequently launched across five European countries. Of his many achievements, Nigel is proudest of still being as lit up by great design today as he was when he first entered the industry (or, in his words, of not becoming "a fat, Porsche-driving bean counter" - we apologise right now to anyone who is a) overweight; b) drives a Porsche or any other German sports car; or c) is an accountant). Nigel holds a National Diploma in Graphic Design from Loughborough College of Art and Design UK (1985) and a Higher National Diploma in Graphic Design, Newham College, UK, 1988 (equivalent to degree level). As you might expect, he's also fanatical about soccer and thinks it should be every country's national sport. Oh well, no one's perfect.

    Adrian Neal

    Designer

    After gaining his Bachelor of Graphic Design from AUT in 2001, Adrian, brave man, moved to the South Pole (Dunedin, to be precise, but let's not quibble) to work for Fisher & Paykel. In 2005, he came to his senses and returned to equatorial Auckland and joined Transformer, where he heads our design team. A proud multitasker who enjoys client service and project management almost as much as design, Adrian is one of those people who consistently delivers more than the client expected.

    He's also a bit of a design nut - whether it's film, architecture, cars or photography, Adrian will gladly talk about it until the cows come home.

    Luke Siemon

    Designer

    Luke is the Sherlock Holmes of our design team, such is his eye for detail (he even noticed once that a few molecules had gone missing from his keyboard. Fortunately, he found them under his mousepad). A Bachelor of Visual Arts graduate from Auckland University, Luke spent two years developing his craft with a small design firm, OBD, before joining our happy team in 2006. It's just possible that design saved Luke from a lifetime of nerdism - his extracurricular hobbies include computers, robots, computer games and Lego. Did we also mention that he's also a killer designer?

  • Jennifer Smitheram

    Senior Account Manager

    Jen's indulgent days at university while doing her BA and diploma in marketing, qualified Jen well to start a career in the wine industry. She joined the design industry after this to satisfy a passion in creative thinking and anything arty.

    Jen has 10 years experience in the industry in either Account Management or Production and has worked with a broad range of clients and industries as well as different mediums. She revels in the success of her clients business and in being part of a team producing beautiful design or an excellent campaign. Jen is still known to enjoy music, fine wine and having an adventure or two.

    Cheri Jolliffe

    Account Manager

    After 15 years in the Graphic Design, Advertising and Direct Marketing worlds, Cheri has developed an exceptional ability to organise projects and people. An English and Journalism graduate from Rhodes University, South Africa, she's worked on pretty much every big account you can think of, at almost every big design or advertising agency - Air New Zealand, BNZ, NZ Beef and Lamb, Mercury Energy, Bluebird Food, Cadbury, at Dave Clark Design, DDB, Aim Proximity, Campaign Palace and Rapp Collins. Phew! She's also an experienced print production manager; a most useful skill in our world. When she's not busy overachieving in her career, Cheri's the proud mum of a young son and a demon cake decorator.

    Anita Smith

    Business Manager

    Anita is the supreme multitasker. Her roles include ensuring our service delivery standards are top class, developing our business, and managing legal and compliance issues. On that last score, her background ain't half handy, guv - she's a former criminal defence lawyer from London (and she also holds a Master of Commerce degree, the clever thing). Much as she loved the challenges of her work, however, the novelty of regular 3am trips down to the local nick eventually wore off, and she emigrated to New Zealand with her husband and young son. London's loss was our gain. Innit?

    Carla Thurlow

    Accounts

    Carla's 15 year accounting career kicked off 15 years ago, when she studied part time while holding down full time employment. The intrepid graduate then took off for a couple of years to the UK and Europe before returning to New Zealand to start a family. She claims that working at Transformer gives her some "sane time" away from her two delightful children, which begs the question of whether she's really paying attention to what work here is really like. Her one vice is an undying passion for Coro St. But given that her Dad's from Manchester, we think it'd be bad manners for her not to be a fan - so go, Carla!