Personnel

 
 

Oceania Audio

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James MacKenzie: GM Audio

Over a decade with Oceania, James has proved extremely successful working with clients and operating a wide range of shows, from Rock ’n’ Roll to Corporate events – and everything in between.

James originally demonstrated a talent for exceeding customer expectations and attention to detail when, in less than four years, he grew our Corporate Audio business from very little into what has now become a very important part of what Oceania does. 

He now has overall responsibility for the Oceania Audio business, bringing to all our audio clients an unmatched level of enthusiasm, commitment, and experience which ensures your next job not only meets, but exceeds, your expectations.

 jamesmackenzie@oceania-audio.co.nz

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Greg Peacocke: Founder

The one that started all this, Greg has been at the helm of the good ship Oceania for almost thirty years, folks!

In previous lives he was a professional photographer, chef, film-industry grip/clapper-loader/camera operator and now he carries heavy things for a living (workmates mainly).

Can do most things in the live-sound world but is generally better at talking about it, as opposed to actually doing it. On the rarest of rare occasions, has been known to get his white T-shirt dirty. This usually requires a quick trip home for a clean one. "Dad" to one and all.

gregp@oceania-audio.co.nz

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Paul Jeffrey: Founder 

A respected musician and singer, Paul was an accomplished church organist and pianist as a child in his hometown of Wellington. He's one of the few people in New Zealand that went to university. A quick learner, he never had the "Could have done better" report card we all grew up with. You don’t become all-time Scrabble Champion of New Zealand for nothing.

Paul was dragged from well-known band "Schtung" by Greg, who locked him in a room with a soldering iron. Paul is the creator of the various Oceania-manufactured products such as our amp racks, the Ocean 1 hi-fi amp, our curvaceous new wedges and the Oceania motor controller.

He leaves the lab regularly to take up his other occupation as one of the better monitor engineers available anywhere (just ask Neil Finn). His hobbies are Oceania.

paulj@oceania-audio.co.nz

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Neil Heathcote: Operations Manager

Before coming to Oceania, Neil clocked up seven years freelancing around the British Isles, doing everything from exhibitions to stadium tours. Then a two-year stint with a “well-known Birmingham-based reggae act” took him to exotic, faraway places and his first taste of New Zealand.

In October 2006, he dragged his family (including the cat) to the Southern Hemisphere and after a strict period of quarantine (due to years of making tea with teabags) found himself a full-time feature at Oceania. He has singlehandedly transformed our warehouse into a finely tuned, um, warehouse.

neil@oceania-audio.co.nz

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Adrian Watts: GM Wellington

Aged 21 and fresh from the UK, Adrian enjoyed a successful 1994 with Oceania. A period followed of extensive worldwide touring until 1998, when he settled in Wellington. A continued relationship with Oceania Auckland eventually led to his current position, running the southern-most addition to the Empire, Oceania Wellington.

A Theatre and Corporate Audio specialist, Adrian has extensive experience in all Wellington venues.

adrian@oceania-audio.co.nz

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Francis Nolier: DIY Hire Audio

Our resident Frenchman has made DIY Hire his own. Francis goes the extra mile to meet – or exceed – his customers’ requests.

His gear is always immaculately presented. An extensive knowledge of equipment means Francis ensures you make the right choice every time.

francis@oceania-audio.co.nz

 

Oceania Lighting

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Simon Garrett: GM Lighting

With a theatre background and industry experience of over 24 years, Simon has been with Oceania for more than a decade.

He has taken our Lighting business from very humble beginnings to what it is today: one of New Zealand’s premium providers of professional Lighting design and systems – and he’s not finished yet. Equally at home with conventional and moving-light technology, Simon has strong design and programming skills.

Personal interests are motorcycles, motor racing, performance, art and music.

simong@oceania-audio.co.nz

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Micah Hetrick: Lighting Director

Micah joined the Lighting industry in the early ’90s, working with Simon Garrett at Selecon NZ, where they taught themselves how to use the first Hog console in the country. That unit, the venerable Hog600 – which, incidentally, Oceania purchased in ’97 – is still used on gigs to this day.

With a great personal manner and sense of humour, Micah is a relaxed problem-solver for whom nothing is too much trouble. A good eye for a look makes him a natural programmer and operator.

micah@oceania-audio.co.nz

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Dan Bullock: Operations Manager

Always beware of the quiet ones! Dan’s dry and razor-sharp wit has surprised us all on occasion. Born 1979 and with a family history in Production, he’s been in this industry since 2000 and with Oceania Lighting since 2002. A team player, he never makes a fuss, is always punctual and prepared to do the hard yards. Dan has grown into an accomplished Lighting rigger and operator in his time at Oceania.

Traditional good guy whose off-site interests include DJing ’80s music and, unlike the rest of us, driving safely!

dan@oceania-audio.co.nz

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Nick Able: Lighting Installations Manager

A graduate of the Unitec Diploma of Performance Technology course, Nick is at home with both Lighting and Sound systems, and is particularly interested in making them perform well. Doomed to a life in the performance arts from an early age, he made his start by helping teachers in various school theatres.

Nick is currently in the process of building Oceania’s Lighting Sales and Installation business.

nick@oceania-audio.co.nz

 

Oceania Sales

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Nigel Russell: GM Sales 

Really, Sales is only a hobby for Nigel. His real love is fossicking (the modern version of hunting and gathering) for discarded technology, especially old microphones and anything with a tube (valve) in it.

nigel@oceania-audio.co.nz

 

Accounting

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Ken Owens: Financial Controller

Previously an apprentice vicar, now with Oceania – my how things have changed!

Ken brings a dogged discipline rarely seen to the task of getting Oceania’s accounts out on time and in the right shape. Occasionally cursed and often thanked, Ken makes sure we all know where we’ve been and where we’re going.

keno@oceania-audio.co.nz

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Ryan Spooner: Assistant Accountant

Forced back to New Zealand from London by the global credit crunch, Ryan has made the auspicious move from the finance capital of the world to ... the suburb of Avondale.

General accounting whiz kid (he reckons he's even got a degree), Ryan makes sure our staff and suppliers get paid and our customers pay us. 

ryan@oceania-audio.co.nz

 

The Buck stops here

     

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Matt Jones: CEO

If you’ve made it this far you really must have a problem – or a proposal.

Rarely (never?) seen at a load-out, Matt prefers to sit in his office, take questionable long lunches with “the bank” and think about what we’ll be up to in five years’ time.

Commonly heard barking complaints about business plans, requests for new gear or late reports, Matt sees to it that we’re all headed in the same (and right) direction.

Here little more than a year, he’s already taken the palm trees off our website, sold us to Norwest and moved us to Avondale… What next!

mattj@oceania-audio.co.nz 

Oceania News

L'Acoustics products now in stock!

Kudo, Arcs, V-Dosc & dV-Dosc now available.Read More >

We're clearing ex-hire stock!

We have some great systems and gear - priced to sell!Read More >