November 25
Vanessa Katsanevakis
Vanessa Katsanevakis is the Creative Director of Sussex Taps, an Australian tap manufacturer that produces high-end, sustainable-made tapware. Sussex was founded in Melbourne in 1995 by Vanessa’s father Nicolaas Johannes van Putten—a watchmaker and jeweller who diversified into tap manufacturing after moving to Australia from the Netherlands. Vanessa took over the business in 2011, steering the business through the aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis and leading a rebrand that showcased Sussex’s high-end and bespoke tapware and fixtures for a new generation of conscious consumers.
In 2018, Vanessa Katsanevakis was named Young Manufacturer of the Year by the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame, and nominated by CEO Magazine’s Executive of the Year awards for manufacturing. She has spoken at the Victorian Manufacturing Showcase, National Manufacturing Week, Denfair and Virgin Australia Melbourne Fashion Festival.
Transforming a tapware business she took over from her ailing father into one of Australia’s best local manufacturing success stories, today, Sussex is favoured by Australia’s leading architects and interior designers.