I’ve spent most of my life working out what makes people tick, figuring out what they want and why.

I’m a director of a number of companies public and private, a business adviser and an Adjunct Professor at Auckland University of Technology, teaching an online Innovation and Entrepreneurship programme. I’m a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and have a Master of Philosophy degree (with 1st Class Honours). My thesis was on the alchemy of innovation in New Zealand business.

After leaving school I enrolled at Law School but dropped out of after a couple of years through boredom and went into advertising. I gained the highest marks in Australia and New Zealand in the Advertising Institute Exams and went on to co-found agencies; Colenso BBDO, Hutcheson Knowles Marinkovich and Marcoa Direct. I culminated my advertising career in Auckland as Managing Director of Saatchi and Saatchi.

In between times I was a director of a family building company and set up Replica Homes with franchises throughout the country.

I co-founded Scarborough Fair, the country’s first Fair Trade/organic tea and coffee provider and planted a vineyard on Waiheke Island, setting up Lonely Cow Wines, with distribution into the U.S.

I’ve written four books, and have been a regular television guest and commentator. I’ve been a cartoonist and have written humour and innovation columns for newspapers and magazines. I was once Business Columnist of the Year – after bribing the judges.

I’ve served on a number of Charitable Trusts and Advisory Boards including; Vodafone Events Centre, Salvation Army, Spirit of Adventure Trust, Keystone Trust, Raye Blumenthal Freedman Trust, Covert Theatre Trust and The Graeme Dingle Foundation.

Mike has spent most of his life working out what makes people tick, figuring out what they want and why.

Nelson born and bred, Mike learned at school that ‘intelligence’ isn’t unique to those chasing traditional career avenues expected from Excellence students. 

After obtaining his Diploma of Fine Arts Preliminary, he moved on to study Law at Canterbury and Victoria Universities.

He didn’t finish his Law degree; he did, however, achieve a milestone when he broke the World Rocking Chair record.

Mike discovered advertising by accident and went on to win the Trenchard-Smith Trophy for highest marks in Australia and New Zealand in the Advertising Institute Examinations, and the Reader’s Digest Scholarship for New Zealand’s Outstanding Your Advertising man.

I’m a director of a number of companies public and private, a business adviser and an Adjunct Professor at Auckland University of Technology, teaching an online Innovation and Entrepreneurship programme.