The recent AnimfxNZ 08 conference in Wellington, New Zealand is the place to rub shoulders with a mix of international speakers and participants from the animation, games, visual effects and film technology in-crowd.

One of those attending was New Zealand's own Jos Ruffell – but who is he and why should you care?

To look at him, you wouldn't guess that Jos is at the forefront of New Zealand's next great contribution to the creative industries. He's unassuming and a little bit tousled, laid-back and soft-spoken.

Under the misleading demeanour, though, lies a sharp mind and a forward thinker. Jos is the Business Development Executive at Sidhe Interactive (pronounced 'she'), New Zealand's largest retail game development house.

What do you think when you hear a company say they're in communications?

Most people think media, PR, Austin Powers-type shmoozers air-kissing each other on the cheek.

But communications is a much more massive beast. The way your employees interact with each other is communications. Your systems are communications systems: they are the means of communicating your company's way of getting things done. Your internal sales jobs -- budget requests, anyone? -- are all driven by how people communicate with each other.