After years spanning various involvements in the Victorian and wider Australian lighting market, our founders Ralph and Nelson decided it was high time for a lighting company to do things differently in Victoria.
Supported by our brand partners Energyline, RZB and ewo and our highly experienced team in New Zealand, we launched Altitude Lighting.
In May 2020 Ian Cerfortyne joined Altitude Lighting as CEO and co-owner. Determined to establish Altitude as the first-choice partner for lighting specifiers, we have added Castaldi, EAE, Lumenpulse, PHOS and Photinus to our portfolio, enabling us to provide an even wider range of solutions.
We have a passion for lighting spanning decades, we fully support the specification professional and have a growing interest in how wellbeing and health are linked to lighting.
Like many, Ian joined the lighting industry by circumstance, starting with GEC-OSRAM after a short and unremarkable career racing cars.
Nearly 40 years later, he still enjoys being part of an industry that has such impact on spaces, and the way that we appreciate them.
In his career, Ian has experience in both manufacturing and distribution businesses and led teams both large and small and describes working with like-minded people as the most rewarding.
Having started life in the UK, Ian has been in Australia for nearly 15 years. He has lived in both Sydney and Melbourne and values the differences between the two cities.
“Being part of Altitude Lighting is an ideal fit for me: Joining a team of passionate and focussed professionals and working with our innovative and committed partners provides the perfect environment for me to both contribute and have fun” says Ian.
Outside of work, Ian loves spending time with the family, cooking and playing golf, which he describes as “working on my thirst”.
With a technical background as an electrician, Luke Hansen has extensive experience in all things LED. This ultimately led him to become a commercial outdoor & indoor lighting specialist for Altitude Lighting Melbourne. Developing stable relationships is the foundation of everything Luke does, both professionally and personally.
Luke has become established in the lighting industry over the past 6 years, enjoying his journey of learning and creating. Luke is passionate about quality, sustainability, wellness and ecologically sensitive solutions. You will enjoy this fresh and innovative approach!
Originally from NZ ‘Aotearoa’ Luke settled in Melbourne in 2014. When he is not at work, Luke is enjoying all things outdoors, such as mountain biking, run club and hiking and drinking great coffee!
Maria is an Architect who loves light and the feeling of how luminous works inspire and evoke emotions. She is a true believer in using light as a fundamental extension of architectural elements.
Her energy-efficient approach to Lighting Design has led her to work in several projects from small to large scale, including roadways in Argentina and Australia. Her love of light and architecture can be compared with her love of coffee, always looking for fair-traded, sustainable, and outstanding.
She loves getting inspiration and spending her free time hopping between exhibitions and new cafes, scooping coffee blends, and tasting brunch dishes around Melbourne.
Julien Withers is a creative and passionate family orientated person. His hobbies include listening to feel-good music, going camping, and a good old road trip to explore somewhere new.
Julien believes “The built environment should primarily be designed for the occupants and that lighting is a tool that can evoke feelings of familiarity, warmth, and safety”. His philosophy is that these elements should not be mutually exclusive.
Julien hopes to seek positivity out of all his connections in both his professional and personal life.
Kaylie Hopkins
As Project Delivery Team leader, Kaylie brings a wealth of experience from her several years at Energylight. Formerly working in the ports and shipping industry, Kaylie decided a change was in order and joined the accounts team at Energylight 2015.
Working alongside the customer service team at the time, she enjoyed the diversification of their day-to-day work and was given the opportunity to head up the team in 2016.
Kaylie enjoys working for the Altitude Lighting team as it provides an opportunity to learn something new daily in the world of illumination, as well as working with a great team that is passionate about what they do.
Outside of work, Kaylie enjoys music, gigs, and food…. all the foods.
Joel Roberts
New to the world of lighting, Joel has been welcomed to the Altitude Lighting team as the most recent recruit. Originally working in fresh produce logistics and account-based roles, Joel brings a mixture of skills to his position as Purchasing and Logistics Coordinator.
Joel’s role keeps him busy working closely with suppliers to ensure timely arrival of inwards goods and prompt despatch of products to our customers.
A self-confessed Netflix fan, Joel enjoys finding a new series to binge; however, he always has time to take his dogs out for a stroll or catch up with family and friends over some drinks.
Melissa Rae
Working in the Australian market remotely from New Zealand has been a positive change for Melissa, who has a strong history in customer service. New to lighting but already proving to be a fast learner, Melissa joins the Project Delivery Team as an Internal Sales Quotation Specialist.
Melissa has been part of the Altitude Lighting team since 2020 and works closely with the sales team to ensure project tenders are priced, and clients are kept abreast of any developments on a day-to-day basis.
Pre-Covid Melissa was a keen traveller and is hoping to get back to that once the world is normal. Based in Christchurch, Melissa enjoys going for hikes, working out and catching up with friends.
Gareth Hay
A passion for electronics and hands-on technical work has played a large role in Gareth’s professional background. After finishing university, Gareth moved to Scotland and continued in the electrical space working in film, telecommunications, and radio. 2008 saw the start of the GFC, and a change was needed, hopping on a plane bound for his home country of New Zealand; it wasn’t long after that he entered the wonderful world of lighting and has not looked back.
Gareth works as a details-focused Order Processing and Confirmation Coordinator within the Project Delivery Team in New Zealand; he enjoys collaborating with a variety of internal customers who have a passion for what they do.
When he isn’t in the office, you can find Gareth enjoying a variety of sports, from rugby to soccer and beyond. He enjoys not only watching sports on TV but heading out into Christchurch city, where he can enter a myriad of buildings and admire the wonderful lit environment that he has helped to create as part of the Project Delivery Team.
A senior leader and highly commercial CFO with over 20 years’ experience including seven years within a functional, operational role. With broad commercial and leadership experience, I am a strategic and conceptual thinker with strength in identifying, analysing and implementing business performance and expansion strategies that deliver sustainable solutions, underpinned by strong financial modelling. A track record of leading through complexity and change, working collaboratively with executive teams to develop sound business cases, forecasts and financial reporting for Boards both in written reports and formal presentations.