The Core Team
Gary McCartney
Owner | Creative Director
With over twenty years experience in retail design, Gary’s career has encompassed every facet of the industry, from fashion and food service, to telecommunications, pharmacy and banking. After starting out at Fitch in London, as the project architect for Debenhams department stores, Gary was lured to San Francisco where he worked for eight years on luxury boutiques for Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, and Gucci.
In 1995, Gary moved to Australia to work at Saunders Design, before moving on to set up IdeaWorks Environment Design, and Brands in Space at M&C Saatchi. McCartney Design opened its doors in 2011, and has already built up a solid client base. With Gary at the helm, the studio team works together to turn complex problems into beautifully simple integrated solutions.
Sinéad Kelly
Client Services Director
With a passion for design that borders on obsession, Sinéad’s career has extended across many different facets of the industry. After achieving an Honours Degree in Design from the University of Ulster, Sinéad set to work building her career in Galway, where she headed up the interiors division of Sean Dockry & Associates.
Sinéad moved to Australia in 2003 to run the Sydney office of McNally Design International, where she completed hospitality projects in all major state capitals. She then went on to spend time at E2, and then took the position of Head of Design & Development at Dinosaur Designs. But interiors were still close to her heart – and in 2012 Sinéad joined McCartney Design, where she now devotes her time to client and project management. In her spare time she can be found with pen in hand, drawing, painting, and dreaming up ideas.
Tarquin Willis
Interior Design Director
With almost a decade of experience working around the world, and a swag of awards under his belt, Tarquin Willis has brought a new dimension to the McCartney Design studio. Originally from New Zealand, Tarquin studied at Massey and Otago Universities, before going on to earn his stripes at a string of different design companies including Allen International, Jack Morton and Spice.
With a flair for all things 3D, Tarquin’s work has included interior, event and exhibition design – and it’s taken him across the UK and Europe, to the Middle East, Asia, America and beyond. All that variety has given Tarquin plenty of perspective, which he’s applied to projects for the likes of Virgin, Black Berry, iBANK, Sony Ericsson, Bank of Ireland and London Shared. With his creative vision, deep understanding of commercial installations, and drive to deliver above and beyond, he’s already an invaluable addition to the team.
Anna Kerr
Senior Designer
Retail Design is Anna’s calling. A UTS graduate with experience in residential design, she has worked in design-build as well as strategy-led environments.
Her passion for design and technical knowledge has been well demonstrated in the delivery of a broad range of award winning projects locally and internationally. These include RACQ, Bendigo Bank and MAXIS. Since joining McCartney Design she’s created environments for Barbeques Galore, Nestlé and Resmed.
Anna, from a very early point in her career, has excelled in team management roles. She has a customer experience focus and uses her experience in design thinking to adapt to a diverse range of projects, whether small or large scale.
Sue Jeffrey
Financial Controller
Sue does the most indispensable job at MCD – she looks after the money. Fortunately, her years of experience working for Peddle Thorpe and Walker and for Cox Architecture mean Sue’s accustomed to the madness of a creative environment!
Along with her razor sharp mind and eagle eye, Sue has an in-depth knowledge of MYOB that few of us can match (or would care to). Through her company, Bryant Accounting Pty Ltd, she keeps our finances in top shape.
Our Extended Family
Bettina Easton
Lighting Designer
Sydney-based lighting designer Bettina Easton started out as an Interior Designer. However after gaining a Master of Design Science (Illumination Design) from Sydney University, she began specialising in lighting exclusively, primarily designing architectural lighting, custom lighting products and installations.
Not only have Bettina’s creations been recognised in the Design Discovery Awards and Idea Awards, she was involved in Vivid for the last two years. As one of McCartney Design’s most valued specialist partners, Bettina helps shed light on all manner of retail environments.
Emma Heath
Copy Writer
Emma has always had an obsession with words (even before she knew how to spell most of them). After completing a Communications degree at UTS, Emma embarked upon a career as a copywriter, spending the next twelve years at a string of Sydney advertising and branding agencies.
In March 2012, Emma set up Nuance Communications, a niche Tone of Voice and copy consultancy. She now works with a wide range of brands and agencies, including McCartney Design, helping them to find the words they’re looking for.