About Us
At Stellar, we’re not your typical digital agency, and that’s by design.
Founded by a strategist and a data driven UX expert, Stellar was built to solve the marketing frustrations we saw everywhere: disconnected strategies, template based tactics, and teams that didn’t talk to each other. We set out to do better, with bold ideas, seamless execution, and a team of specialists who actually get it.
We don’t do fluff. We do function, form, and future-focused digital solutions that perform.
Our Difference? Strategy Meets Delivery.
Every member of our team brings deep expertise in their craft, across development, design, UX, paid media, SEO, and digital infrastructure. But what sets us apart is how those talents work together.
We’re marketers who understand code. Developers who understand customer journeys. Designers who design for conversion. And strategists who won’t let you invest in anything without a measurable return.
Whether you’re building from scratch, scaling what’s working, or finally fixing what isn’t. Stellar delivers digital solutions that are cohesive, custom, and conversion led.
What We Stand For
- Purpose-Led Strategy: No cookie-cutter campaigns. Every move is backed by data and aligned to your business goals.
- Seamless Execution: From UX and UI to code and copy, everything works together, because we do too.
- Performance Thinking: Visibility, traffic, leads, conversions. We build for results, not just deliverables.
- Straight-Talking Service: We say what we mean and do what we say. No bloated decks. No jargon. No wasting your time.
Digital, Done Differently
We believe digital marketing should be smart, sharp, and built around your business, not someone else’s blueprint. We combine strategic thinking with technical know-how to create digital ecosystems that attract, convert, and scale.
And we’re proud to be trusted by ambitious brands across New Zealand and Australia who want more from their marketing.
Brett – Director, Data Whisperer & UX Strategist
Brett is a calm, analytical force behind Stellar, turning data into direction and insight into impact. With over two decades in the digital space and a track record that includes scaling businesses globally, he brings depth, precision, and performance thinking to everything he touches.
Armed with a deep love for search visibility, UX strategy, and performance marketing, he’s the guy who turns tangled data into sharp direction, and complex digital challenges into clean solutions. He doesn’t just understand how users think, he maps it, tracks it, and builds systems that convert.
From boosting rankings and unravelling technical SEO issues to diving deep into analytics to uncover growth opportunities, Brett tackles every challenge with precision and purpose. Known as the Data Whisperer for good reason, he finds meaning in metrics and opportunity in the overlooked.
And when he’s not elbows-deep in digital strategy? You’ll find him on the water, often with Gary—fishing rod in hand, mind still ticking over.
Friendly, focused, and always a few steps ahead, Brett’s the kind of leader who turns obstacles into opportunities, and knows how to make digital work, work harder.
Lauren – Director, Strategist & Chief OCD Organiser
With nearly 20 years in the industry, Lauren is the engine room of Stellar, driving strategy, structure, and results in equal measure. Part business brain, part creative problem-solver, she’s built a career on helping brands cut through noise with marketing that’s smart, strategic, and refreshingly effective.
She’s worked agency and client side, in New Zealand and abroad, bringing a rare perspective that bridges ambition with execution. She’s been in digital since before it had a department, and before “transformation” was a buzzword.
Armed with a business degree, a postgrad in Strategic Branding and Communication, and a laser-sharp eye for both the big picture and bottlenecks, Lauren is a strategist, organiser, and momentum-builder. If there’s a better, faster, or smarter way to do something—she’s already colour-coded it.
Lovingly known as Chief OCD Organiser, she keeps the wheels turning and standards high—every project, every time. Whether it’s leading teams, refining processes, or building brands that convert, her thinking is methodical, bold, and always moving forward.
When she’s not in strategy mode at work, she’s still in her spare time—proudly supporting her kids’ sports teams and cheering from the sidelines. Strategy, it turns out, is just how she rolls.
Edwin – Lead Developer
Edwin is our resident code whisperer, a full-stack developer with deep seated PHP roots, a Zend Certified Engineer, and a certified Adobe Commerce wizard to name just a few. He’s been building digital experiences since the internet first sang its dial-up tune—and long before responsive design was even a concept.
From the days of Magento 1 to modern Adobe Commerce cloud deployments, Edwin has architected, debugged, and delivered it all. Beyond eCommerce, he’s also a seasoned software programmer, with experience designing and developing robust applications across a range of industries and tech stacks.
His superpowers? Rock-solid Object-Oriented Programming, scalable AWS infrastructure, and crafting high-performing digital platforms that don’t just function—they convert.
With a career forged in some of New Zealand’s top digital agencies, Edwin brings enterprise-level tech insight and sharp problem-solving instincts to Stellar. Whether it’s an impossible integration or a mission-critical performance issue, he’s the go to guy you call when the stakes are high.
Glitches fear him. Complex builds respect him. And frankly, there’s nothing he can’t crack.
Gary – Head of Design & UX Mastermind
Master of Design (literally—he’s got the degree to prove it) and user experience wizard, Gary is the creative mind behind Stellar’s most elegant, intuitive, and high-performing digital work. With a meticulous eye for detail and a deep understanding of human behaviour, Gary transforms ideas into purposeful, seamless experiences that don’t just look good, they work.
His design philosophy is grounded in strategy and empathy. Every pixel has a purpose, every interaction is intentional. From UX flows that guide users effortlessly to interfaces that drive conversions, Gary blends form and function with the finesse of a true craftsman. Whether it’s building out a complex user journey or shaping a brand’s entire digital identity, he brings a rare mix of precision, creativity, and commercial thinking to the table.
With a background spanning agency work, product design, and digital innovation, Gary’s toolkit goes far beyond visual design, he’s fluent in design systems, prototyping, usability testing, and accessibility standards. And he’s constantly levelling up his skills—not because he has to, but because “good enough” doesn’t belong in his world.
When he’s not designing smooth digital flows, you’ll likely find him out on the water, fishing rod in hand, patiently waiting for the perfect catch. Much like his approach to UX: intentional, focused, and always landing results worth reeling in.
Grant – Head of Tech
Tech guru by day, cyclist by dawn, and a former 24 Hours of Le Mans racer by… well, legend…. Grant is the powerhouse behind Stellar’s technical operations. With decades of experience and an encyclopaedic grasp of all things digital, he doesn’t just lead the tech charge, he defines it.
From enterprise infrastructure planning to high-level system architecture and DevOps implementation, Grant has a knack for solving problems before anyone else even realises they exist. He’s the one quietly optimising your backend, future-proofing your platform, and ensuring every build is stable, secure, and scalable.
His deep technical expertise spans cloud environments, CI/CD pipelines, API architecture, and complex systems integration. But beyond the code, it’s his leadership that elevates everything around him. Grant doesn’t just know the answers, he guides the team with calm clarity, smart solutions, and just the right amount of dry humour to keep things running smoothly (and with a smile).
Whether he’s streamlining workflows, squashing critical bugs, or cycling up a mountain most wouldn’t walk, Grant does it all with quiet confidence and relentless curiosity. Reliable, resourceful, and borderline omniscient when it comes to tech, he ensures our digital solutions aren’t just built right, but built to last.
Mark Torrington – Solutions Consultant & Professional Problem Untangler
Mark is Stellar’s Solutions Consultant, but you could also call him our human filter, client translator, and all-round clarity creator. He’s the first point of contact for many of our clients, and the guy who makes sure we’re delivering the right solution… Not just any solution.
With decades of experience in business development, marketing tech, and digital systems, Mark’s superpower is listening deeply, asking the right questions, and connecting the dots. He helps businesses get clear on their needs, ensures they’re a strong fit for Stellar (and Stellar for them), and maps out the path to results, before anyone writes a single line of code.
When he’s not solving problems, Mark’s probably running 56km for “fun,” paddling 250km on open water, or hiking a mountain just to see what’s on the other side. A veteran of 17 Two Oceans Ultras, 28 Berg River Marathons, 7 Surfski Challenges, and a 2:48 standard marathon PB, he brings the same grit, stamina, and calm focus to his work that he brings to the starting line.
Mark knows that real solutions start with understanding, and that the best marketing partnerships are built on fit, not fluff. With him in your corner, you’ll know exactly where you stand, and where you’re headed.
Max – Head of Paid Media
Max didn’t just grow into paid media, he’s been brilliant at it from day one. With a mind for strategy and a sharp instinct for performance, he’s delivered outstanding results across every major channel. He doesn’t just know how to run ads, he knows how to make them work.
His journey through the digital world includes time at some of the industry’s most respected agencies, where he managed high-stakes, high-budget campaigns for iconic global brands and ambitious scale-ups alike. Max knows how to navigate the complexity of performance media, balancing precision targeting, smart optimisation, and creative execution to generate measurable business growth.
A true digital nomad, honing his craft from all over the world, working in the Netherlands, Spain, Australia, and beyond. That global perspective has shaped his ability to adapt quickly, identify opportunities, and develop paid strategies that transcend borders and outperform benchmarks.
Now (mostly) grounded, Max leads Stellar’s paid media offering with a laser focus on ROI, blending data, psychology, and performance creative to build campaigns that convert, scale, and evolve. Whether it’s full-funnel lead gen or scaling an eCommerce brand to the next level, Max turns data into dollars—making every ad spend work smarter, harder, and better.
Looking for a partner who actually gets the whole picture from code to conversion?
Let’s make digital actually work for your business. Get in touch and let’s go!