Stefan's background in design, innovation and management began with early tech start-ups in the 1980’s, pivoting through consulting to start-ups of his own.
Today, he works with international clients in various industries, applying in-depth experience to ideation, innovation and commercialisation from a perspective of entrepreneur, designer and strategist.
His work has spanned public and private sectors; bridged the worlds of art and industry, and has been acknowledged internationally in several fields.
A lifelong fascination for creative-process has been the catalyst to acquiring substantial technical knowledge that includes manufacture, built environments and digital technologies amongst others.
His initiatives have resulted in joint ventures, and won research grants and industry awards. In a collaborative approach he is known for thought-leadership, design-thinking and human-centred solutions to products, technologies, environments and services.
He has held senior and leadership positions in high-level stakeholder engagements internationally, gaining experience in cross-cultural negotiation of trade and project delivery over many years.
His industry innovation and research initiatives have won public funding grants 19 times over 7 years; taking results beyond Australia to USA, Japan and Europe. He was advisor to a state economic department and a federal think tank on SME collaborative innovation.
As a designer his work has been acquired by the WA state gallery and exhibited in design festivals, galleries and Australian embassies internationally. He has designed for the Australian Prime Minister and other dignitaries and featured in publications over 25 years.
As project manager he directed large scale wayfinding programs for the 2000 Sydney Olympics, managing complex multi-party relationships. Then, with equally high stakes for an entire SE Asian administrative city, a federal Prime Ministerial initiative.
As an entrepreneur his start-up harnessed latent production capacity in Australia. Resulting in internationally awarded products, 150,000 items produced, exports of 90%, and sales in over 200 prestige retailers worldwide, including national museums.