Ruth Lavelle-treacy

Ruth, a South African, built her career in London, initially as a financial journalist and then as a media relations specialist, working for global financial institutions BNP Paribas, Lehman Brothers, Nomura and HSBC.

In 2009, Ruth moved to New Zealand, where she continued to work in public relations and government relations across multiple sectors, including education, primary industries, natural resources and legal.

In 2017, with three young boys and in an effort to maintain a balance between work and family, Ruth set up boutique PR and corporate affairs firm, Assegai.

In 2019, after listening closely to client and stakeholder feedback, Ruth chose to rename from Assegai (a spear used in southern Africa) to Spear.

Spear retains the origins of the organisation’s ethos: public relations and corporate affairs executed with purpose and precision, delivering the desired impact for clients where it matters most.

Ruth would love the opportunity to work with individuals and organisations whose visions inspire. She looks forward to hearing from you. To find out more about Ruth have a look here on LinkedIn.

Lucy ANBALAGAN

Lucy is a Marlborough native, but a Wellingtonian at heart. Growing up on a cherry orchard in rural New Zealand has instilled in her a deep appreciation for New Zealand's primary industries, a love of green spaces, and the importance of a hard day’s work. Moving to Wellington was an easy decision as the city combines all of Lucy’s loves: world-class coffee, wine and food, with a side of football.

Originally completing a Bachelor Degree in Psychology from University of Otago, Lucy went on to study business communication at Massey University to help her move towards her passion for working in PR. Another industry which is close to her heart is the specialty coffee industry. Lucy’s husband is a specialty coffee producer in Rwanda, and the two of them spend time there each year.

Lucy is a Communications Assistant at Spear, and believe that content is key, and should be understandable and accessible for everyone.

Leeanne Duncan

I am a freelance writer with a background in broadcast journalism and television production, and a focus on plain English and digital content. I write regularly for NZ Life and Leisure and have written for many and varied general media and industry trade publications, including NZ House & Garden, Stuff, North and South, and NZ Logger. I am also a script-writing and voice-over specialist. After 25 years making my living through words, meeting people and bringing their stories and their works to life continues to drive me. I love the challenge of capturing a person’s or a business’ voice, delivering a product that hits the mark, whether on the page, a website, or in a marketing campaign. 

Amanda MALLETT

Design consultant for Spear. I have worked as a senior designer/art director in NZ and the UK for both local and global brands in the public, corporate and retail sectors; as a designer for advertising and design agencies, in-house and also for two global publishing houses. Experience includes designing and managing social media accounts and websites for corporations and e-commerce.

AM Creative has a wide range of clients and experience across many categories of industry: Healthcare, Finance, PR, Education, Publishing, Fashion, Lifestyle, Property, Food and Hospitality, Sport, Not For Profit, Government and Council.

It is always a pleasure to work with Ruth; she has a positive approach, a wealth of knowledge, and so much experience as a PR consultant.