Tech Marketers Day
Know Your Buyer
Crown Sydney, Barangaroo Avenue, Barangaroo NSW, Australia
Hosted by Factor
- 125 attendees
- 4 hours
Overview
The entire market is selling to the same few hundred executives. Spend half a day learning how they buy.
Where they are focusing in FY27, where the budget is going and where it is not. Straight from our surveys of the room. Then the buy side's own account of what reaches them, and what all of it means for your outreach, your meetings and your pipeline.
What to expect
- Hours
- Networking Peer-Driven
- Discussions Interactive
- Senior Executives 10+
What we will cover
- What actually gets a meeting The filters technology executives apply to inbound, set out by the executives themselves, and the short list of approaches that still reach them.
- Where FY27 budget is going, and where it is not From our surveys: the categories being funded, the categories being cut, and where focus has moved since last year. The picture to set your territory and account plans against.
- What AI has changed on both sides How buyers now use it to screen what reaches them, and how your peers have adjusted their own outreach in response.
- The research, in full Factor's first-party findings on the Australian technology buying climate, drawn from the CIO, CFO and Data+AI rooms. Issued to every guest.
- An answer to your own question Submit one question on arrival. A selection are put to the panels. Every one is answered in writing, against our data, within 48 hours
Agenda
- Arrival and Networking Coffee(Main Stage) Registration opens. An informal start to the day where delegates can meet peers, share expectations and prepare for the sessions ahead. Submit your questions for the day.
- Opening Remarks(Main Stage) How the morning runs, and how to have your question put to the panels.
- Everyone Is Selling to the Same 400 People(Main Stage) Where Australian enterprise technology budgets actually sit, who controls them, and what that concentration means for the way vendors need to approach the market. Josh Heid, CEO of Factor Insights, explores the reality of Australia’s enterprise technology buying landscape and what vendors need to understand to earn attention from a finite pool of influential decision-makers. Discussion Points: Where the Budget Sits: Where Australia’s largest enterprise technology budgets are concentrated. Who Controls the Spend: The executives and stakeholders shaping technology investment decisions. What It Means for Go-to-Market: How budget concentration should change the way vendors target, engage and build relationships with enterprise buyers.
- Human in the Buyer Loop(Main Stage) Factor VP Analyst Shelley Rigg presents first-party findings from executives surveyed across CIO Day, CFO Day and Data+AI Day, revealing where FY27 focus and budget are heading, where investment is being deprioritised, what barriers are holding projects back, and how enterprise procurement is changing. Discussion Points: Where FY27 Budget Is Going: The priorities attracting investment, and where spending is being pulled back. What Is Holding Projects Up: The barriers preventing technology initiatives from moving from priority to execution. How Procurement Is Changing: What the latest executive feedback reveals about how technology buying decisions are now being made.
- What Technology Leaders Actually Require for FY27(Main Stage) Examine how senior technology leaders navigate the realities of modern enterprise transformation by cutting past market hype and operational noise. As organisations manage rigorous cost scrutiny, complex legacy environments, and increasing regulatory mandates, internal leadership priorities have shifted significantly. This panel features top-tier technology executives discussing how they distinguish genuine opportunity from market noise, balance transformation with critical operational outcomes, and outline their strategic outlook for FY27 from where they sit. Discussion Points: Signal Filtration and Engagement: Exploring how technology leaders distinguish genuine enterprise value from market noise, and where AI is actually earning investment and attention. Late-Stage Friction and Stalls: Dissecting the specific internal misalignments, architectural hurdles, or value gaps that stall complex enterprise initiatives in their final stages. The FY27 Technical Horizon: Exploring how cost scrutiny, regulatory pressures and operational demands will shape technology investment, transformation priorities and executive decision-making in FY27.
- Lunch Break & Peer Connect(Main Stage)
- Peer-Driven Debates(Main Stage) A. Getting the Whole Buying Group to Agree How do we keep deals moving when more people are involved in the decision? Who actually needs to agree before a deal can move forward? Are we helping the champion sell internally, or just giving them more content? Where do deals usually stall: business case, risk, budget, procurement or internal politics? B. Fewer Leads, Better Accounts Should we chase more pipeline, or focus harder on the accounts most likely to buy? Are we measuring lead volume, or actual conversion into revenue? What makes an account worth prioritising right now? Are we wasting time on accounts that were never likely to move? C. Cutting Through Buyer Noise How do we get attention when buyers are flooded with emails, LinkedIn messages and content? What makes a buyer actually stop and pay attention? Are we being relevant, or just more personalised? At what point does outreach start damaging the brand instead of helping it? D. Proving Value When Budgets are Tight How do we show clear ROI when the CFO and board are questioning every spend? What proof do buyers need before they feel safe spending? Are we showing business value clearly enough, or relying too much on product features? How do we stop deals being lost to “not now” or “no budget”? E. Helping Buyers Feel Confident What actually helps buyers feel ready to make a decision, not just interested? What uncertainty does our content or sales process remove? Are we helping buyers compare, validate and build a business case? What makes a buyer move from curiosity to action? F. Using Peer Proof to Build Trust How do we use customers, communities and peers to make our message more believable? Who do buyers trust more than the vendor? Are our customer stories specific enough to be useful? How can events create real peer validation, not just vendor messaging? G. Building Preference Before Buyers are Ready How do we make sure buyers already know and trust us before they enter the market? What are we doing before intent appears? Would our target accounts think of us if they entered the market tomorrow? Are we building long-term preference, or only chasing short-term demand? H. Making Events Worth the Buyer’s Time What makes an event feel genuinely useful, instead of just another vendor pitch? What problem is the event helping the buyer think through? Are we leading with the buyer’s world, or our product? What would make someone leave the room thinking, “That was actually worth my time”?
- Why Tech Marketing Fails to Connect and How Creativity Drives Commercial Impact(Main Stage) In a market saturated with complex products and feature-driven messaging, too much technology marketing fails to register with its intended audience. In this high-impact fireside chat, Mark Bouris joins us to explore the commercial tension between brand building and demand generation. Discover how enterprise leaders can strip away complexity, deploy genuine creativity in business technology, and align sales and marketing around what truly drives revenue. Discussion Points: The Core Challenge (Brand vs. Demand) The Cost of Complexity in Tech Messaging The Boardroom Expectation
- What is Actually Working: The GTM Reality Check(Main Stage) Strip away the automated outbound noise, bloated pipelines, and vendor hype to hear directly from revenue and marketing leaders on the tactics that are actually driving pipeline in the Australian market right now. As enterprise technology budgets face rigorous evaluation and buying committees expand, traditional commercial playbooks require reassessment. This panel investigates what is successfully converting, how cross-functional teams adapt to extended sales cycles, and the specific tactics organisations choose to retire. Discussion Points: AI and Outreach Efficacy: Evaluating where AI-driven engagement genuinely cuts through buyer saturation versus instances where automation accelerates disengagement. Signal Identification in Complex Deals: Distinguishing genuine enterprise buying signals from vanity lead volume to unblock deals affected by consensus paralysis. Retiring Legacy Playbooks: Reviewing the major campaigns, channels, and metrics organisations have phased out over the past year due to diminishing returns.
- Closing Remarks(Main Stage) What you are leaving with, and when it arrives.
- End of Day | Networking Coffee(Main Stage)
Speakers
Josh Heid · Chief Executive Officer, Factor
Burak Cankurtaran · Chief Technology Officer, Panelist Heading up the tech team at Panelist.
Monique Dignan-Smith · VP Analyst, Factor Monique Dignan-Smith is Editor – Research & Content at Factor and a versatile host and presenter with more than a decade of experience across corporate, sports, lifestyle, travel, health and automotive sectors. With a strong background in journalism, content creation and social media marketing, Monique brings a sharp editorial lens and audience-first mindset to every conversation she leads. She has delivered across live events, advertorial, interviews, UGC and digital platforms including TikTok Live, combining professionalism with an energetic, engaging on-stage presence.
Shelley Rigg · VP Analyst, Factor Shelley Rigg is Executive Producer, Research & Content at Factor, where she draws on over two decades of experience producing commercially driven campaigns, broadcast content, and executive events for some of the world’s leading brands. An award-winning producer and BAFTA recipient, Shelley has overseen more than 30 primetime shows in the UK and US, led strategic campaigns for Netflix, BBC, Amazon Prime, Rio Tinto, and Optus, and executive produced major live events, including Optus’s award-winning coverage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. At Factor, she brings her expertise as a talk show host, moderator, and content strategist, supporting broadcast, editorial, and e-learning initiatives while shaping engaging conversations with senior leaders across industries.
Mark Bouris · Founder & Chairman, Yellow Brick Road Mark Bouris AM is one of Australia’s most recognised entrepreneurs, business leaders and media personalities. He is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Yellow Brick Road, having previously founded Wizard Home Loans and built it into one of Australia’s leading non-bank mortgage lenders before its acquisition by GE. He has spent more than three decades building businesses, investing in emerging companies and advising entrepreneurs and executives on growth, leadership and performance. A prominent business commentator and mentor, Mark has hosted The Apprentice Australia and The Mentor, and currently hosts The Mentor podcast, where he explores the challenges and opportunities facing Australian business leaders and entrepreneurs. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2015 for his contribution to finance, education and charitable organisations, and continues to share his experience through speaking, mentoring and board roles.
Jonathan Cook · Chief Product Owner – WIB Intelligence & Data Platforms, Westpac Jonathan Cook, Chief Product Owner – WIB Intelligence & Data Platforms for the Westpac Institutional Bank, is passionate about enabling data driven decision-making and has spent his career helping organisations navigate complex data & technology transformation agendas. A change advocate, promoting simplification of data ecosystems, uplifting people & capabilities, and championing modern data practices to nurture enduring data culture.
Miki Luong · Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, A/NZ, IBM Miki Luong is an accomplished marketing and communication strategist, currently holding the position of Chief Marketing and Communication Officer at IBM Australia and New Zealand. With a deep-rooted passion for technology, Miki seamlessly blends her quantitative background with her creative flair to drive impactful campaigns and foster brand growth. Her commitment to lifelong learning is evident in her innovative approach to storytelling and her relentless pursuit of staying ahead of industry trends. Miki is dedicated to leveraging technology to connect with audiences, driving digital transformation, and empowering businesses to thrive in today's dynamic landscape. Under her leadership, IBM continues to push boundaries, redefine the future of marketing, and communication in the tech industry.
Aaron Alphonso · Chief Technology Officer, Sydney Opera House Aaron Alphonso is the Chief Technology Officer at the Sydney Opera House, leading technology strategy and digital transformation for one of the world’s most iconic cultural institutions. With extensive experience in media and broadcasting, Aaron has held senior technology leadership roles at Macquarie Media, SBS Australia, and Southern Cross Austereo. He specialises in modernising digital infrastructure, enhancing audience engagement, and driving technology innovation within complex organisations. Aaron holds a degree in Information Technology with a management major and is recognised for his expertise in technology governance and transformation.
Sam Rahmanian · Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), eftsure Sam Rahmanian, the Chief Revenue Officer at eftsure, has a track record of leading international sales teams. Sam played a pivotal role in scaling a startup from its early stages to a successful acquisition. Armed with an MBA and recognised as a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD), Sam brings strategic insight and a results-driven approach to driving revenue growth.
Dr Tom Gao · Chief Information Officer, City of Sydeny Dr Tom Gao is Chief Information Officer at the City of Sydney, where he leads the organisation’s information, technology and digital agenda. With more than 20 years’ experience across technology, digital transformation, enterprise architecture and innovation, Tom has held senior technology leadership roles spanning government, enterprise and high-growth environments. Tom is recognised for his practical approach to using technology to transform complex organisations and improve customer and community outcomes. At the City of Sydney, he has played a leading role in the City’s digital transformation, including the development of CityConnect, which brought multiple council services together into a more integrated digital experience. His leadership has earned industry recognition, including Australian CIO of the Year and Local Government CIO of the Year in 2025.
Steve Bray · Vice President - Australia & New Zealand, Verkada Steve Bray is the Regional Vice President for Australia and New Zealand at Verkada, a leading provider of cloud-based physical security solutions. In his role, he oversees go-to-market strategy, enterprise and channel sales, and regional growth initiatives, helping organisations across ANZ modernise their security infrastructure with scalable, cloud-first solutions. Steve brings extensive experience in enterprise technology and SaaS markets, guiding organisations through digital transformation and technology adoption. With over two decades of leadership experience at companies including Cloudflare, Zendesk, Salesforce, and Oracle, Steve is recognised for his expertise in partner-led growth, enterprise strategy, and channel development. He is passionate about helping businesses integrate innovative security technologies into complex organisational environments, driving both operational efficiency and long-term value. Steve is a trusted voice on the intersection of technology, security, and business transformation in the ANZ market.
Mona Lolas · Marketing Director APAC, Apptio, Apptio, an IBM Company
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