Our People
Our
People
We believe in what you want to create, and we’ll do whatever we can to help you create it. People are at the heart of all we do, and we love nothing more than finding the solution that works best for your project. We’re passionate about the materials we work with – their purpose and repurpose – and thanks to our direct relationships with quarries and suppliers, we know the expansive possibilities of our products. We are collaborators, critical thinkers, problem-solvers and challenge-embracers. Here are some of the people you’re likely to meet in the process.
The Team
Ben Kerr – Founder
Ben is an inquisitive entrepreneur with a love for modern history and architecture. He is our master of materials. A restless innovator with a passion for finding natural materials and experimenting with colour, texture and concepts to create ground-breaking products. The rest of us just try to keep up.
Ross – Founder
Ross Eckersley is all about people. Our co-founder has worked in the design and building industry for a lifetime and comes from a long line of people who have done the same. His true love? Other humans, and the way we can come together, collaborate and craft something wonderful.
Tim - Sydney
Tim has a passion for the “why not?”; if it hasn’t been done before, even better. With a landscape construction background, Tim has been with Eco Outdoor for 12 years and was responsible for launching the US arm of the business. He loves the thrill of new products, new projects and new challenges.
Marta – Sydney
A meticulous and architecture-loving problem-solver, Marta comes from a long line of creatives and creators. Marta applies the logic and solutions focus of her law background to solving the pickles of our clients. She’s also Italian, so she’s well placed to speak to (and celebrate) the materials that originate in her home country.
Simon – Sydney
A horticulturalist by trade, with decades of experience in the landscape, design and construction industries, Simon is one of Eco Outdoor’s most experienced team members. And he knows his stuff – from natural stone to the surf, where you’ll find him when he’s not out on the road.
Amon – Melbourne
Landing at Eco Outdoor via careers in chemical engineering and hospitality, Amon has been part of the Victorian team for five years. She excels in her role because – simply put – she excels with people and the EO approach to provenance and hospitality comes naturally to her.
Rob – Melbourne
After 16 years with Eco Outdoor, Rob has seen it all. One of our most senior team members, Rob’s level of commitment, expertise and passion for collaboration are second to none. He’s also passionate about dogs and cooking; when he’s not going above and beyond for our clients, he can be found cooking lunch for the team in the office.
Vinnie – Melbourne
Vinnie loves a chat, and sharing stories on provenance, history and products specifically. Vinnie’s background in hospitality means he’s all about approachable service with a smile, and he brings the best of that world to the design industry. He’s also got a great eye for good design, which suits us down to a tee.
Christie – Los Angeles
Based in Los Angeles, Christie takes great joy in working closely with architects and designers to develop a vision – and make it a reality. She comes from the fashion industry and owned and operated her own store, so she knows building strong relationships is key to success. She applies this mentality to Eco Outdoor and our clients.
Sam – Los Angeles
Seeking something a bit more “down to earth” in the City of Angels, Sam joined Eco Outdoor after working in the entertainment industry. His role at Eco Outdoor means he’s still able to work with people every day (including interesting designers on exciting projects, as well as passionate colleagues), and plays an integral role in bringing unique natural materials into amazing spaces.
Sophie – Brisbane
Sophie is passionate about the honest provenance of beautiful natural materials. Having worked in the furniture industry, including antiques, for most of her career, Sophie celebrates environmentally responsive design. She loves the tactility of natural materials, the EO ethos, and the collaboration with inspiring clients.
Michael – Adelaide
With a background in nature-inspired painting and illustration, as well as experience as the owner of a retail business specialising in cultural artifacts and homewares, Michael understands all sides of the Eco Outdoor approach. He loves the creativity of the design industry, and applies his own creative and commercial acumen to client collaboration.