We’re very pleased to announce that Rory Jones is joining Resonance as our new Engineering and R&D Partner. This is our next step in becoming a complete outsourced innovation partner for New Zealand businesses, helping them to win on the world stage.

Rory brings extensive experience in: product design, product design strategy, user research, efficient manufacturing and deep commercial knowledge as the head of two unique New Zealand businesses. 

Highlights of his career include:

• Establishing his own successful global export business La Plastecnica from New Zealand. Founded 16 years ago, La Plastecnica products are found the world over--from Europe, to North America, South America, South East Asia and throughout Australasia.‍
• Co-founding Symulus, a surgical simulator manufacturer, which he started three years ago alongside three high-profile New Zealand surgeons and a bio-physicist. Rory has been guiding that business through its start-up phase into a growth phase.
• A stint as a Research Fellow at Queen’s University Belfast in the internationally-recognised Polymer Processing Research Centre.
• Working for ITR srl in Italy as a Research and Development Engineer, assisting them in the development of material options and process improvements. 
• Working as Production Engineer at RX Plastics in New Zealand, helping them develop a greenfields processing facility. 

His qualifications include:

• A Masters of Engineering (Mechanical) from the University of Auckland.
• A Masters in Engineering Management from Canterbury University.

Rory has expertise in:

• Product design: improving both product form and function. Rory believes in "taking products that might look 'agricultural' and helping businesses to up their game, bringing improved functionality, style and finesse."
• Product design strategy: overseeing the planning of business-level product strategy and specific product design projects. 
• Product manufacture: achieving reliable and efficient manufacturing at scale.
• User research: developing deep understanding of the user’s seen and unseen needs.
• Go-to-market strategy: devising the best business models and identifying the best channels to get a product into a client’s hands.
• CAD software use: practical skills that allow him to bring products to life himself for organisations with limited internal R&D teams.

Rory worked with our Managing Director, Scott Pilkington, when he first founded La Plastecnica, and he’s experienced Resonance as a client with Symulus. Rory says, “I’ve seen the difference that Resonance’s unique end-to-end approach makes. The team’s ability to go from strategy, to research, to branding, and marketing creates a wide range of options and insights”. For Rory, “the opportunity to help make New Zealand businesses successful and working alongside a talented and diverse team of experts,” were both big draws to joining Resonance. 

We’re excited to be able to help our clients not only bring to life the branding and marketing side of our strategies but also the product side of their offering. Not to mention that we relish the addition of one of life’s true characters to the team! 

We believe that Rory’s skillset and experience will be of particular assistance to any business that:

• makes physical objects; 
• designs user interfaces; 
• wants to enhance their service or user experience. 

Rory and the Resonance team can also assist industry associations who would like to accelerate industry or individual company growth. 

Please join us in welcoming Rory to the Resonance whānau.

Scott Pilkington

Founder and Managing Director, Resonance