Welcome Matt!
By Stuart Woodhouse, 10 April 2026
Firstly, we’d like to announce and warmly welcome Matt Haughton to the team here at Digital Fusion. Matt joined us in late February and has already become a valued member of the team.
Now onto Matt himself—and importantly, what makes him a special person and a great developer?
The good news is we didn’t need to dig too far; he provided plenty of nuggets of gold himself.
Matt comes to us with a Bachelor of Science in Artificial Intelligence. In 2026 that’s very relevant—but he was awarded the degree in 2002, so he was clearly ahead of his time. Claude tells me that was when the rest of us were still trying to master Snake on our Nokia 3310s.
After completing his degree, Matt moved into the world of FileMaker, working across multiple industries in the UK. In 2009, he joined a UK Claris Partner, MaJic Solutions, based in Milton Keynes.
You may be wondering what brought Matt to New Zealand. Well, this is where the real nuggets of gold start to appear.
Matt was an avid player of the game Clash of Clans, as was his clan leader—who just so happened to be based in New Zealand. Over a number of years, a romance blossomed, with the clan leader eventually travelling to the UK to meet Matt in person.
The relationship continued to grow, and the pair were married in Christchurch in 2016. They then returned to the UK, where they lived for seven years before ultimately making their way back to New Zealand.
We’re pleased they saw the light and are now living and working in Christchurch, along with Matt’s daughter.
Matt’s a man of many talents—and a few quirky life choices…
- He may look very innocent, but he’s trained in the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
- Like all good modern men, he’s a dab hand in the kitchen and enjoys pairing his meals with a well-made cocktail.
- Matt didn’t arrive in Christchurch empty-handed—he also brought along his three cats: Christopher, Jasper, and Kevin.
- And in one of life’s more questionable decisions, Matt once drove a Ford Ka completely decked out in Astroturf. If that raises a few questions, be sure to check out the photo below.
We’re thrilled to have Matt as part of the Digital Fusion team. He brings an extraordinary depth of experience, a razor-sharp technical mind, and the kind of personality that makes the office an even better place.