Isthmus’ Board are thrilled to announce that Marko den Breems has been appointed to the role of Chief Executive Officer. Marko is a well-rounded executive, bringing strong and varied experience in stakeholder management, commercial and financial risk, and the delivery of architecture and urban design projects.

Marko is an experienced operator in Aotearoa’s architecture industry, having previously held the role of Chief Executive Officer at Jasmax—during his tenure there he led a maturing of the business with a focus on succession, retention, and growth. In his most recent position as Director of Architecture at Kāinga Ora, Marko has built a team which now works across architecture, sustainability and quality assurance disciplines.

Marko’s appointment completes a process of transition from Ralph Johns, who resigned as CEO in June 2023 after 10 years at the helm. The Board acknowledges and thanks Brad Coombs for leading the business in the interim.

Board Chair Christine Spring was “delighted with the calibre of the applicants for the CEO role—ultimately we selected Marko for his unique mix of design industry and CEO experience”. Christine believes that “Marko will be an excellent fit for Isthmus. He will bring new energy to advancing Isthmus’ core purpose – Regenerating Aotearoa by connecting land people and culture”.

We will be welcoming Marko to the studio on 19 August 2024 and are looking forward to working with him to chart Isthmus’ future path.