Creative Director & Design Mentor
Kia ora. I am Michael Kelly, an experienced Creative Director and design mentor based at Open Lab. With 17 years of experience in the creative industry, I have a strong reputation for my exceptional multidisciplinary view on brand experience and my ability to create engaging, on-brand content across various digital, print, social, and time-based touchpoints. After graduating with Honours from Massey University Toi Rauwhārangi College of Creative Arts, I have delivered design solutions for clients in the private and public sectors, NGOs, and charities.
With a background in client and project management, production and creative direction, I can effectively lead and inspire my team to produce exceptional, award-winning work. In addition, I am dedicated to mentoring the next generation of design thinkers and sharing my knowledge to help others reach their full potential.
Expertise in Service Design & Collaborative Design Thinking
My years in the design industry have given me a deep understanding of the role that service design, human-centred design, and collaborative design thinking play in successful design outcomes. I am now passing these skills and experiences on to Aotearoa's future creatives as a mentor and Creative Director at Open Lab.
Responsibilities as Creative Director
As Creative Director, I am responsible for coordinating and establishing the design scope and strategic intent of all projects at Open Lab. Working closely with the Studio Manager, I ensure accurate budgets and timelines are met for each project. Over the past seven years, I have played a key role in shaping Open Lab's identity and offering meaningful education opportunities for students, mentoring and supporting them as they grow their skills and capabilities as designers.
Award-winning designs
I have had the privilege of leading my teams to produce award-winning work. Our designs have been recognised for their exceptional quality and impact, and it has been rewarding to receive this recognition from industry peers.
Guest Speaker & Assistant Tutor
I have been a guest speaker at the National Freshwater Conference, where I presented a case study on LAWA, showcasing Open Lab's research-driven project which combined design thinking and science communication to benefit New Zealanders. Additionally, I have had roles as an Assistant Tutor at Massey University, Toi Rauwhārangi College of Creative Arts, teaching courses at both 100 and 300 levels.
Podcast Host & Co-Producer
I co-host and produce Open Lab, The Podcast, which interviews young New Zealand-based emergent design thinkers from Massey University, Toi Rauwhārangi College of Creative Arts. The podcast was created to fill a gap in the student experience and has been downloaded over 1.8k times.
Key Skills:
Creative Director
Design Mentor
Service Design
Human-Centred Design
Collaborative Design Thinking
Project and Client Management
Guest Speaker
Assistant Tutor
Podcast Host & Co-Producer
2021 Best Design Awards
Public Good Award – Finalist
A message from 2040
2019 Red Dot
Design Concept Award
Central Energy Trust Wildbase Recovery
2019 Best Design Awards
Nga Aho Award – Finalist
Central Energy Trust Wildbase Recovery
Public Good Award – Finalist
Central Energy Trust Wildbase Recovery
User Experience Award: Empowering – Finalist
Central Energy Trust Wildbase Recovery