Mushroom Material

Shaun is on a mission to replace non-recyclable plastics with sustainable alternatives. Born in South Africa, raised in Dubai, and educated in New Zealand, he brings a global perspective to the team. With a background in mechanical engineering and product development, Shaun leads the team with a passion for innovation and sustainability, all while keeping things simple, scrappy, and structured ... with just the right amount of coffee-fueled chaos.

Jotinder has over a decade of experience in automation and scaling manufacturing. He’s worked across multiple industries, optimizing production lines, improving efficiency, and solving complex challenges in fast-growing startups. With a background in mechatronics engineering, Jotinder is driven by innovation and getting the best out of his team. When milestones are reached, he celebrates with his family chai recipe, secretly passed down through the generations.

Paul has over 20 years of experience in hardware design, automation, and scaling production. He’s worked at RocketLab, NextWindow, StretchSense, and FrameCAD, bringing technical brilliance and a passion for innovation to the team. Paul thrives on solving complex problems and pushing boundaries. He’s crucial to our tech efforts and loves spending investor money - the more you give him, the faster he solves!

Deane holds a Master’s degree in Product Design, where her thesis focused on additive manufacturing for creating mycelium-based materials. Passionate about turning agricultural waste into valuable resources, she has extensive experience working on the biocompatibility of fungi with low-grade by-products. At Mushroom Material, she’s already applying her expertise and loving every minute of it. When she’s not innovating, you’ll find her hiding in a quiet room, surrounded by fungi and research papers!

Maddy graduated from the University of Otago with a double major in Economics and Politics, focusing on sustainability and environmental policy. Driven by a strong commitment to ethical practices and sustainability, she ensures smooth operations and supports the leadership team. Maddy always has a good weekend story to tell at our Monday team meetings although she might keep the best ones to herself!

Mark Rosny brings 25 years of experience in engineering, product development, and scaling startups. He’s worked across Ireland, the UK, Japan, and New Zealand, leading production ramp-ups at Stretchsense, Navman, and Dotterel. Mark helps drive our growth with expertise in project management, safety, and operations. Outside of work, he’s crew for the NZ Coastguard, coaches basketball, and chases after his two daughters - if he had more time, he'd probably have hobbies!

Maxime holds a Master’s degree in Polymer Engineering from The University of Lille and specializes in developing biopolymers and biocomposites from renewable resources. Previously a polymer technologist, he led projects in sustainable product development. Maxime is passionate about transforming the packaging industry and always wears a smile while tackling challenges. When it comes to sustainable solutions, it’s Vive la révolution!

Gareth specializes in crafting smart marketing and product strategies that drive impact. He’s fluent in both tech and executive lingo, bridging C-suite goals with real-world results. Having managed global brands and multiple won awards, including the coveted TVNZ Transformational Marketing Award, Gareth is a problem-solver at heart. When he’s not collecting accolades, you’ll find him racing his son on Rainbow Road in Mario Kart!

James brings over a decade of experience in engineering and manufacturing, managing teams and scaling production, especially in South East Asia. Formerly Head of Driers at Fisher & Paykel Appliances, James is passionate about quality and innovation. With global experience in Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, and Asia, he has deep insight into customer needs. James may have worked on on driers, but outside of work, you’ll find him underwater as an avid free diver!

With a background as the Head of Strategy for the world’s leading IP advisory firm, Paul specializes in Intellectual Property strategy for startups.

Formerly a patent attorney for Deacons Hong Kong, Baldwins, and AJ Park, he is recognized as one of the IAM Top 300 IP Strategists. As a registered Patent Attorney, Paul brings exceptional expertise and strategic insight to our team.

As the Managing Director of JB HiFi NZ, Tim brings a wealth of experience in leadership and sales. Formerly the Chief Sales Officer for The Warehouse Group and the CEO of Noel Leeming and Torpedo7, he specializes in building early-stage teams capable of high growth.

Tim excels at turning around underperforming companies, demonstrating his strong commitment to driving success and achieving remarkable results.​