Michael Thomsen
Founder
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Where are you from?
Born in Hobart, but I’ve made my home in Maroubra.
What are three interests you have outside of working at Origin84?
Instilling a lifelong love of Vegemite into my three sons.
Restoring 1960s-era Hillman Imps.
Connecting the dots between seemingly unconnected people in my neighbourhood, to build a larger sense of community around me.
What is your favourite part of working at Origin84?
Is it a cliché to say “my clients”? It’s very rewarding to see a client go from a bad situation – where they’ve been hamstrung by bad advice, ludicrous workflows and ineffectual tech – to a much better situation, where employees are more productive and having a better time at work. It’s satisfying to be able to make that change happen.
Anything notable in your history?
I have a degree in Architecture and once upon a time was a professional snowboarder. Both sound impressive, and both now seem to be no practical use whatsoever.
If you are introduced to a stranger at a party, what do you say you do for work?
In 1984, Steve Jobs put something new into the market that wasn’t just a piece of computing hardware – it pointed to a whole new philosophy of working more intuitively with technology. Today, I want to show how that philosophy can be enacted in enterprise workplaces through to schools and and design studios to really accelerate what people can achieve.