James’ Story
James is an accomplished founder, CMO & CEO in the wellness space.
James is relentless in driving non-linear growth and ‘moving the needle’ for category disruptors and non-profits. His ability to equally do ‘strategy’ and ‘execution’ is stand-out. Kevin Roberts CNZM, former CEO and Chair of Saatchi & Saatchi, sums him up best: “What I admire about you is you’re creative in every way, but you’re also ops and execution – quite the package.”
James founded Logan Brooke Comms - New Zealand’s first end-to-end Customer Experience agency – building and managing the brands of some of New Zealand’s most loved companies.
James co-founded Ao Skincare - Ao started a new wave of ‘Skin Fitness’ – delivering on the sweet spot of clinically validated meets clean non-toxic skincare, to optimize skin function.
Launched and managed many brands for others – including Qantas, BNZ, NAB, Helloworld, You Travel and Rinnai.
Moved the needle on not-for-profits – including being part of a team that helped reduce in incidence of blindness in New Zealand
Let’s start at the beginning
1974
Born
🇳🇿 New Zealand
Born to a Pakeha (European) mother and a Maori father. For his first 10 years, he lived a typical life in a typical house, in a typical suburb, in a typical city of New Zealand.
1984
Moved to Singapore
🇸🇬 Singapore
His father, Rererangi, got a transfer from the police to the New Zealand Foreign Affairs, scoring a flash diplomat job in Singapore. The next 4 years were full of travel, going to an international school and discovering the world outside of New Zealand.
1993
Dropped out of Uni
🇳🇿 New Zealand
James enrols in a Business Management degree at Waikato University. Drops out at 18 and starts working on his first business.
1993
Starts Graphic Design Agency
🇳🇿 New Zealand
The graphic design industry is in its infancy (Photoshop was v2 – v26 in 2024), and James saw an opportunity to become a senior designer in months instead of years – because the industry was brand new!
2005
Founded Logan Brooke Comms
🇳🇿 New Zealand
A marketing agency with a difference – Logan Brooke didn’t just serve as a supplier to marketing departments; instead, it aligned itself holistically with the entire customer experience. From start to finish, it provided end-to-end services that integrated marketing and sales departments along with senior management and founders.
Focus group held with kids to help with prototyping – to give cardboard packaging a second life as a shop or a spaceship.
2015
Starts award-winning skincare company, Ao Skincare
🇺🇸 San Francisco
Founded Ao with Dr. Mark Gray and built a New Zealand-inspired, US-based ‘next-gen’ skincare brand for people craving efficacy and transparency.
James with co-founder Dr Mark Gray
2019
Won ‘Clean Brand of the Year’ at the USA Indie Skincare Awards
🇺🇸 San Francisco
Ao quickly won many awards in the US, New Zealand and abroad – validating that it was right to challenge the 3-step moisturizing system developed in the 60s – one still widely adopted by most skincare brands today.
2023
Moves to Spain to focus on his kids
🇪🇸 Barcelona
I think becoming a parent is about giving your kids the best possible start, while arming them for life. Having a high-achieving 17-year-old means more than I was expecting. So, we decided to move to Spain, find a great track, and take a few years to focus on my kids, 100% – who knows where this might go.
