Director, Russell Ness Associates Limited T/A Ness Consulting
(Est. April 1997 and current role)
Management and business performance improvement consultants
Established in 1997 by Shareholder Director Russell Ness, Ness Consulting has provided management consulting services for a wide range of Central and Local Government agencies, Corporates, not for profits and other entities. While most engagements are led by Russell, Ness Consulting has access to a wide range of specialist partners.
Russell Ness: Driving High-Performance and Organisational Transformation
Russell Ness is a highly accomplished executive and management consultant with a 30+ year track record of developing highly effective individuals, teams, and dynamic organisational environments. Blending his experience as a long-term consultant with deep, first-hand executive leadership roles in commercial, NGO, and not-for-profit sectors, Russell offers a uniquely practical and empathetic perspective on performance improvement.
What Russell Does
Russell partners with leaders to rapidly elevate organisational effectiveness. Known for his open, facilitative style and ability to cut through complexity, he focuses on:
Performance Diagnostics: Quickly identifying and advising on critical people and organisational performance issues.
Strategic Resolution: Isolating priority actions and working side-by-side with leadership to implement lasting improvements.
Leadership Development: Equipping executives and teams with the tools and mindsets necessary to thrive in evolving environments.
A Career Defined by Impact and Innovation
Russell’s career demonstrates a powerful capacity for both entrepreneurial creation and strategic corporate leadership:
Executive & Entrepreneurial Success: He successfully founded and ran Correda Limited, developing and launching the “Kit” management toolkit product, which he sold as a highly profitable going concern in 2014.
Internal Consulting Pioneer: Earlier, he led the Telecom NZ national training function and subsequently formed the company’s Individual and Group Performance arm, essentially an internal consulting group focused on strategic national projects.
High-Stakes Leadership: As the leader of Human Capital Services for Arthur Andersen New Zealand, he took on the critical role of business managing the Louis Vuitton America’s Cup Challenge Association during the intense 1999/2000 America’s Cup Challenge.
Sustained Practice: He established his independent management consulting practice in 1997, which continues to deliver performance improvement and organisational effectiveness services to clients today.
Academic and Community Engagement
Russell’s commitment extends to developing the next generation of leaders and serving his community:
Academic Leadership: Over many years, he has contributed significantly to the Auckland University of Technology (AUT) and Auckland Institute of Studies MBA programs. His roles include serving as an Executive in Residence and developing and leading the AUT MBA Entrepreneurship program, Quality Management and the Future of Work paper. Most recently, he serves as Course Coordinator for the Master of Management Business Communications, Applied Research and Consulting section (2022 – Present).
Community Stewardship: Russell has always been involved in the community and voluntary sectors, having served as Acting General Manager and Director of The Wilson Home Trust for over seven years. He is a current Business Mentor for Business Mentors New Zealand and has held founding and board member roles with entities like Awataha Marae, Volunteering Auckland and Volunteering NZ.
Creative Foundation: Trained originally in graphic design, Russell is an inherently innovative thinker whose work has included illustrating technical and children’s books, notably Guardian of the Bridge, re-published in 2009 to commemorate the Auckland Harbour Bridge’s 50th anniversary.
(Est. April 1997 and current role)
Management and business performance improvement consultants
Management and business performance mentoring
To lead development and delivery of the MBA Entrepreneurship Programme (Led and lectured on the programme until 2013)
To lead a multi-million dollar enterprise dedicated to children with disabilities
MBA Programme
To lead delivery of the MBA Project Management paper
MBA Programme
To lead delivery of the MBA Quality Management paper
To provide an online management toolkit, communication system and intranet/extranet product “KIT”
Leader of new service line initiative in an alliance between Arthur Andersen and Russell Ness Associates Limited
To create and lead a service line devoted to advising on and implementing strategies that maximise the value of people and their contribution
Reports to: General Manager Human Resources Telecom
Budget: $1.8m
Staff: Maximum 27
Reports to: Manager Human Resources Development
Budget: $3.5m
Staff: Maximum 75
Restructure of Telecom NZ training function to support governance principles and management accountability
Reports to: Manager Human Resources Development
Budget: $3.0m
Staff: Maximum 35
Key Achievements:
Leadership of the design, development and delivery of consistent training and development for 1,200 customer service representatives to support Telecom’s Customer Service Strategy within the project timeframe, within budget and to the required specification.
Reports to: Manager Human Resources Development
Budget: $ 750,000
Staff: Maximum 7
Key Achievements:
Targeted performance improvement initiatives for Telecom NZ and its subsidiaries. For example:
To design and manage the consistently high visual image, brand strength and retail concept of the stores through visual displays, store promotions, advertising and brand enhancement.