Director and Founder 

Kipp O’Donnell 

Kipp started Start.

Kipp has over 20 years of working in strategic recruitment and commercial leadership roles in the US, London, Auckland and now the top of the South Island, based in Nelson, New Zealand. Having worked and managed people in recruitment and in commercial business, he understands the importance of what great talent can bring and deliver to business growth.  He understands business and he understands people. 

Kipp brings a global outlook teamed with local expertise.  Having worked in the US whilst playing rugby, he then moved on to London where he worked in recruitment, commercial sales and business development roles for a number of years, Kipp returned to New Zealand to work for one of the world's global recruitment powerhouses  - Michael Page  - leading the sales, marketing and supply chain recruitment divisions in Auckland.

Making a move to the regions, Kipp has spent the last six years working in advertising as a Regional Sales Manager managing the Top of the South Island team for NZME.  Having worked across a broad South Island region in a  commercial leadership role, this has enabled him to establish a wide network and understand the challenges and opportunities the region faces. Working outside of recruitment has given Kipp a greater appreciation for the impact a great hire can have on a team. He can translate that knowledge and work with clients of Start to build better teams that are future-focused. 

Kipp hails from the deep south, grew up in Geraldine and has now made his life with his young family in Nelson, a place he is proud to call home.