O’D&Co — People and Place, Ideas and Action, Story and Strategy, Culture and Craft. Progress is a collective act.

The approach is rigorous, well-considered, and grounded in a strong understanding of Iwi/Māori partnerships and stakeholder needs. Throughout our work together, Johny has demonstrated exceptional judgment and a commitment to producing work of the highest standard.

He skilfully transformed a broad range of whakaaro and perspectives into a clear and cohesive strategy that reflected who we are as an Iwi. Most importantly, the process created a strong sense of ownership, resulting in a strategy that is practical, authentic, and provides a meaningful foundation for our future direction.

Johny’s approach to facilitation is deceptively relaxed. His preparation in advance, combined with his collaborative and open style ensures that the time together is extremely well spent, and objectives realised.

Johny’s ability to connect, listen, and translate complex ideas into clear, compelling narratives was invaluable. The quality of his work is always exceptionally creative, thoughtful, and grounded in what the situation truly needs.

He doesn’t just navigate complexity; he transforms it into forward momentum. Complex projects with multiple moving parts and competing interests become achievable.

Johny’s ability to meaningfully engage a diverse team and crystallise connecting thoughts from complex discussions made him the perfect facilitator at our recent Strategy Day at Cawthron.

His commitment to ensuring tangible outcomes attests to his impeccable professionalism.

I was astonished at the level of detail of the preparatory work Johny undertook to understand the institute’s history, challenges, opportunities and future pathways under consideration.

His focus was clearly on delivering for Cawthron, before the event, on the day, and afterwards, when he synthesised all insights, including his own, into an actionable plan. A skilful and personable facilitator!

Johny has been the MC for our Aspire Conference for the past five years, and I couldn’t recommend him more highly.

He has an incredible ability to bring people together, create a positive atmosphere, and keep the audience engaged from start to finish. His humour, authenticity and ability to read the room ensure the day flows seamlessly while keeping the programme on time.

More than an outstanding MC, Johny has become a true ambassador for the Aspire Conference. Year after year, he brings energy, perspective and professionalism that elevate the experience for our speakers, sponsors and attendees alike.

If you’re looking for an MC who connects with people, enhances the audience experience and adds genuine value to your event, I highly recommend Johny.

Johny is incredibly effective at what he does; from top-level strategy right down to the implementation of the many moving parts required to make that strategy successful. He has a rare ability to not only come up with visionary ideas but also to be able to apply those concepts in the real world of business. I can highly recommend Johny based on the fantastic work he has done for our businesses since we started working together in 2016.

I’ve worked with Johny and the O’D&Co whānau on a range of projects over the last 6 years. I’ve always admired Johny’s way of thinking and operating.

He’s willing and capable of taking on big, curly kaupapa that many would shy away from. He’s thoughtful in his approach, carefully assessing the needs and quirks of different partners, stakeholders, and collaborators, able to carefully orchestrate engagements and interactions that would often be culturally or relationally charged.

I trust his judgement, deeply respect his views, and value the insights he offers. While the kaupapa he often takes on usually carry a high degree of complexity, I always look forward to working alongside him and his team.

I have had the pleasure of working with Johny on numerous occasions since we first met in 2021. Starting in 2021 Johny facilitated the development of a new economic development strategy for the West Coast region.

We initially worked with Johny to plan the approach to ensure the right people were engaged and had the opportunity to contribute. This was achieved through several large workshops along with smaller group sessions, all facilitated by Johny, which culminated in the adoption of the Te Whanaketanga te tai Poutini 2050 strategy (TW).

TW is unique in that it has formal and unanimous endorsement from all West Coast stakeholders including business, community, iwi and local authorities. This was a hell of an achievement and would not have been possible without Johny’s skill and tenacity.

Johny O’Donnell brought warmth and charisma to the stage, impressively handling timekeeping challenges and engaging the audience with insightful questions and seamless segues. His quick grasp of the complex issues and context of our event was invaluable, allowing him to connect deeply with the topics and speakers. His professionalism and reliability provided us with confidence and eased the stress of event planning. We would not hesitate to recommend Johny for MCing a large conference.

It has been a pleasure working with Johny and his team at OD&Co. They took the time to understand a complex project and overall programme of works; curated a well considered, thorough and meaningful communication and engagement strategy. This has brought a wealth of expertise and craft into the project which has enriched the project in so many ways.

The team are professional, dedicated and have gone above and beyond to meet the project milestones with a constant check and view to achieving the overarching project outcomes. The project has been lucky to have them on board and look forward to the final stages of delivery in the coming years.

Johny approaches everything he does with genuine manaaki and generosity for those he’s working with. His relational approach, mixed with endless rigour, means he can manage complex projects with layers of stakeholders and team members. His fluency of working with iwi, council, community, businesses, and holding space for their individual needs within projects is second to none. His art is the ability to get the most out of these groups, in a way that benefits the whole, and creates outcomes that can only happen when people come together.

The Nelson Regional Development Agency have had the good fortune of working with Johny and his extraordinary team for the past couple of years. His knowledge, strategic advice and practical application of digital technology and marking is exceptional. But Johny’s ability to develop and lead stakeholder engagement is unrivalled. I have no hesitation in recommending Johny and his team to anyone looking for an extraordinary advisor at a strategic level or a practical delivery partner.

Working with O’D&Co is nothing short of extraordinary. Johny’s communication and engagement style creates an immediate sense of ease; he makes the ambiguous feel reachable, holds complexity with grace, and brings a grounded steadiness into even the most dynamic or challenging environments.

Johny sets a clear pace, listens acutely, establishes relationships early, and reflects openly. He holds the room with humility and intention, creating spaces where people feel safe, seen, and genuinely part of the process.

His practice is deeply culturally grounded; he centres iwi Māori and local context, responds with integrity to tikanga and place, and knows when to call in, when to call out, and when to bring in others to uphold cultural safety and authenticity. His approach to co-design is relational, not transactional: inclusive, iterative, and focused on shared understanding and collective impact.

O’D&Co have demonstrated an exceptional level of engagement in an authentically Māori way, showcasing a deep understanding and appreciation for Māori values, particularly their commitment to manaakitanga in the way they work with their clients, prioritising strong relationships and mutual respect.

O’D&Co take a strategic approach to their work, with a high level of professionalism and expertise, providing solutions and frameworks that are both effective and culturally appropriate.

I highly recommend O’D&Co to anyone looking for a partner who can provide an authentic values-based perspective and approach, combined with a strategic and results-driven mindset.