DNA hires Chris Jackson in service design lead role + Marie Bowes in engagement director role

To meet the growing demand for customer experience design and service design across both corporate and public sectors DNA has made two new hires – Chris Jackson as service design lead based in Wellington and Marie Bowes as engagement director based in Auckland.

Jackson has over twelve years experience initiating and leading innovative, design-led projects in the UK and New Zealand. His background traverses public and private sector, academia and research, most recently he held a senior role in the service design team at the Ministry of Justice.

As service design lead at DNA, it’s Jackson’s job to orchestrate the best possible service experience for people, whether they be regarded as customers, users or citizens. He is committed to delivering value for clients, whilst exploring new ways to evolve the service design practice at DNA through adoption of lean approaches and improved client engagement with the process.

With a background in Industrial Design, Jackson is excited by the intersection of objects, services and technology in the form of connected products. His other interests include digital manufacturing, participatory design and all things “open” as well as user centred design methodology and research.

A true designophile, when not designing he can generally be found reading, writing, tweeting or talking about it.

Says Jackson: “It’s exciting to be part of an agency with the pedigree and history of DNA. Their customer-centred design approach is a culturally engrained and their business and technical knowledge is formidable. There is a diverse and talented team here and having the opportunity to help shape it for the future was one that I couldn’t pass up.”

Bowes has over 13 years in senior roles across advertising, digital and brand most recently completing a stint at Designworks. Prior to that Bowes had two years at Westpac leading their introduction to design thinking on both retail and customer projects.

As engagement director Bowe’s role is two fold. To lead DNA’s engagement and project management team and to work with them to continuously evolve DNA’s design thinking approach and improve the effectiveness of the work they are doing for clients.

Says Bowes: “In my view there is no agency in NZ that genuinely puts the customer first by embedding a customer-centred design approach the way DNA does it. It’s great to be part of something that is changing the way design is used to better effect – for our clients.”

Bowes and Jackson add to DNA’s current capability in Auckland and Wellington to deliver the experience and service design projects they are working on – and to assist as DNA continues to develop the way it delivers design value, customer insight and powerful business effect to clients.