Alex Smart, Chief Technology Officer, Southern Cross Travel Insurance

Kari Jones, Executive Director Transformation & Operations, FMA

FMA’s Executive Director - Transformation & Operations Kari Jones on technology in the regulatory landscape, moving from a specialist data role to a broader leadership role, the lessons she’s learned from her international sporting career, and the honest feedback that changed her approach to leading teams. Key insights: Career Evolution: From computer science to technology consulting at PWC, leadership roles at Air New Zealand, NZ Post, and Woolworths before joining the FMA Leadership Philosophy: The importance of collaboration over competition and serving the organisational strategy Digital Transformation: Making regulatory processes easier through data intelligence and digital enablement Financial Regulation Approach: Acting as a "referee" focused on customer fairness and transparency while enabling innovation Professional Growth: Learning from feedback and evolving leadership style from results-focused to people-focused Technology & Innovation: Balancing regulatory oversight with embracing emerging technologies like AI and cryptocurrency Regulatory Sandbox: Testing innovative financial products with regulatory guidance in real-time

Jonathan Southee, Chief Information & Technology Officer, NZ Rugby

Jonathan Southee, Chief Information and Technology Officer at New Zealand Rugby, unpacks how his team is using technology to deliver world-class experiences for players and fans alike. From transforming the match day experience to scaling global e-commerce operations, Jono shares how NZR is evolving from a traditional sports organisation into a tech-enabled, fan-focused enterprise.

Alex Smart, Chief Technology Officer, Southern Cross Travel Insurance

Southern Cross Travel Insurance CTO Alex Smart on driving a complete transformation of SCTI's core insurance platform, how a great team culture and healthy conflict leads to success, and why diversity matters more than ever in technology.

Datacom CISO Collin Penman on AI-powered threats and cyber fatigue

Datacom CISO Collin Penman talks about the growing gap between leadership and employees when it comes to cybersecurity, how cyber fatigue is leaving businesses in Australia and New Zealand more exposed, and why AI-powered threats are now keeping security leaders up at night. Speaking to CIO's Cathy O'Sullivan, Penman dug into Datacom's State of Cybersecurity Index findings, and the reality is sobering. The data shows: * AI-driven attacks now top the threat list for security leaders * Security teams are burning out - 61% in NZ and 58% in Australia report cyber fatigue * Leadership thinks staff are cyber-ready; most employees disagree * 40% of employees use AI tools like ChatGPT, yet only 1 in 4 have read their company's AI policies Penman cut through the hype, emphasizing: * Generic annual security training doesn't work - role-specific, short modules do * AI governance is lagging behind adoption, creating real vulnerabilities * Security teams are still fighting the "Department of No" perception The most telling point? The disconnect between what leadership believes about security readiness versus what's happening on the ground with employees.

Katie Macdiarmid, Chief Information Officer, NZME

New Zealand Media and Entertainment's new Chief Information Officer Katie Macdiarmid on the importance of personalisation in its digital products, how the organisation sees AI being used across the business, and paying attention to what emerging trends in end-user devices will mean for content consumption.