Derek Elley

I'm Derek Elley and I thrive at the intersection of design (it feels great) and finance (it measures up). Code last : Design second : Market first.

Derek Elley assists people to create, produce, launch and market digital solutions that not only win awards, media attention and millions of visitors, but more importantly win customers and deliver the metrics that set a great product apart from a pretty one.He is currently a co-founding director at Ponoko (Wellington and San Francisco), the world's first place for you to both make and sell custom products online.As an entrepreneurial strategist, product and marketing manager at heart, he has successfully started, led and exit from a range of web related companies including an online marketing agency, an email branding software-as-a-service company and an angel investment firm.He thrives on working with customers, growth hackers, designers, engineers, financiers and lawyers to lead the creation, validation, production, launch and growth of new products.This has led him to working with companies like Google, Microsoft, Autodesk, NewsCorp, Saatchi & Saatchi, Fonterra, Telecom, Air New Zealand, Contact Energy, The Warehouse & Trademe.And he has gained exposure in these publications:USA: The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Times, Washington Post, CNN Money, Inc. Magazine (cover), Forbes, BusinessWeek, Wired, PC World, TechCrunch, Engadget, Boing Boing, Mashable, Gizmodo, Read Write Web, CNet, MIT Technology Review.New Zealand: TV1, TV3, Radio NZ, New Zealand Herald, Dominion Post, New Zealand Listener, Idealog, Computer World. England: BBC News, Financial Times, The Economist.Having taken 12 products to market so far he has learned a bit about how to bring winning digital solutions to market with less risk ... Code last : Design second : Market first.

Co-Founder & Director at Celsias

March 2006 - October 2008

* Global business guide about environmental sustainability. * Created initial business & marketing strategy. * Assisted board recruit CEO.

Product & Marketing Manager at iSERVE

May 2004 - November 2006

* New Zealand's most popular web hosting service. * Created, launched & managed new product. * Created New Zealand’s first online server hosting configurator and order system.

Product & Marketing Manager at MCM

May 2003 - April 2004

* New Zealand’s first multi-channel messaging software-as-a-service. * Created, launched & managed new product.

Co-Founder & CEO at Sparkbox

January 2001 - May 2003

* New Zealand's first angel investment company. * Created, launched & managed start up. * Invested in 4 companies. * Sold shares.

Founder & CEO at Calcium Software

January 2002 - December 2002

* New Zealand's first email branding software-as-a-service. * Created, launched & managed start up. * Recruited CEO. * Sold shares.

Co-Founder & CEO at First Rate

October 2000 - December 2002

* New Zealand's largest online marketing agency. * Created, launched & managed start up. * Recruited CEO. * Sold shares (First Rate was purchased by an Australian public company named Q).

Marketing Consultant at Advantage Group (Viatx division)

September 2000 - December 2000

* Content management software-as-a-service. * Created start up marketing strategy. * Launched beta customer programme.

Marketing Consultant at Advantage Group (EFTPOS division)

June 2000 - July 2000

* New Zealand's largest EFTPOS company. * Created annual marketing strategy. * Managed creation of new brand identity & TV advertising.

Co-Founder & General Manager at Long White Cloud

October 1995 - May 2000

* Intellectual property developer. * Created, launched & managed 5 new products. * This included a website ASP product that opened his eyes to the Internet.

Co-Founder & Strategist at Ponoko

January 2007

* World's first place for you to make & sell custom products online. * Created, launched & managed start up & growth. * Responsible for strategy, marketing, finance & legal.

Victoria University of Wellington

1990 – 1997

LLB

New Zealand Outdoor Instructors Association

1995 – 1995

NZOIA

Concentration: Guiding Certification

Victoria University of Wellington

1990 – 1994

BCA

Concentration: Marketing, Finance

Derek Elley enjoys to travel, go diving, climbing & skiing. He lives on top of a hill overlooking the southern seas and is often found tapping away on a machine that magically converts his thoughts into bits that whiz around the world at quite a fast pace.