Team
Leadership
Dan McElrea – CEO
Dan studied economics and marketing to Masters level and since his thesis on R&D/Marketing Interactions in the New Zealand Dairy Board has always had an interest in the point where technology and marketing meet. Dan has extensive experience in business and IT consulting to a range of industries both in New Zealand and Europe, more recently in ICT.
Dan was attracted to Puku as a company with a wealth of great ideas already patented, and a business model that allowed for continued New Zealand ownership regardless of scale.
Simon Moore – Founder & CTO
Simon co-founded Puku Ltd in 2003, with his wife Fiona Brown, to commercialise a unique golf putter design. Whilst the initial focus was a golf product the design and patent side of the business became the focus of the company.
Simon’s training is an eclectic mix of professional optometry, black-smithing, prototyping, business development, entrepreneurship, patent filing, and CAD design. His approach to design and solving problems is to address each challenge with “observant ignorance“, and he is not afraid to ask the “silly” questions. A couple of phrases guide him in the creative process: “simple does it” and “the solution will be obvious”
Pete Bull – Design Engineer
Pete studied Science and later IT/Business to undergraduate level – but engineering has always been his passion. He has completed a number of mechanical and electronic engineering developments for start-up companies since returning to his engineering ‘roots’ fi ve years ago. The highlights have included prototype development and manufacturing optimizations for several small aircraft (Australia & NZ), predictive actuator control and management systems (India) and 3G video security electronics (China). Pete is relishing the environment of like minded creative thinkers Puku affords.”
Debra Drinkwater – Office Manager
Holding a Bachelor of Science Debra has a background in Human Resources and Technical Sales. With an
interest in design and innovation Debra provides account and patent administration support to Puku’s team.
Board
Simon Arnold – Chairman
Professional/Technical Qualifications: BA (Hons), Advanced Management Programme Graduate School of Management, Melbourne University. Simon is a founding director of Puku. He has extensive experience in assisting technology companies, is a past president of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce, and currently a consultant to Industrial Research Ltd and other technology-focused companies.
Chris Boyce – Director
Chris Professional/Technical Qualifications: Engineering degree (USA) and consultant professional engineer. Chris’s career has been in the senior management of major construction projects around the world including the Channel Tunnel in Europe, and the West Rail project in Hong Kong.
George Hill – Director
Professional Qualifications: Maths, physics, and agricultural economics education, previously has worked in an international bank in London and Sydney, providing cash management advisory services to multi-national companies.
George is an experienced entrepreneur, and his company Weffan identifies new technologies, and works with people to develop these into successful new ventures.
Over the years, George has learned that new ideas or technologies are only part of what is required. Success depends just as much on careful nurturing of the bright people who have these ideas or who are developing the technologies. It also requires deep insight into potential markets, insight which often takes time and experimentation to acquire.
Simon Moore – Director
See above
