CIO Day | Sydney
Strategic Digital Leadership in a Hyper-Connected World
Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, Australia
Hosted by Factor
- 200 attendees
- 24 hours
Overview
In this event, explore the pivotal role CIOs play in leading digital transformation across industries. As organisations accelerate their digital agendas, CIOs must balance innovation, cybersecurity, and operational efficiency to drive business outcomes. This event delves into the strategies that empower IT leaders to foster agility, manage complexity, and align technology with long-term business goals.
What we will cover
- Enterprise Support The latest strategies in enterprise support with cost optimisation in mind.
- Operational Productivity Investigating ways to streamline processes and optimise internal operations, reducing inefficiencies and improving overall output.
- Data Analytics Exploring how data-driven insights can guide strategic decisions and improve business outcomes across departments.
- Digital Acceleration Exploring how to accelerate digital transformation efforts to drive growth and adapt to new market demands.
- Cyber Priorities Emphasising proactive approaches to cybersecurity, integrating security measures into projects from inception to minimise risk.
- AI & Automation Examining how automation and AI are enhancing decision-making, reducing manual tasks, and improving business outcomes.
- Enterprise Agility Focusing on building agility and resilience into business operations to quickly respond to market shifts, disruptions, and emerging opportunities.
- ESG Goals Investigating how CIOs can support organisational sustainability efforts, aligning IT with environmental and social governance (ESG) metrics.
- Talent Development Addressing the challenge of upskilling IT teams and attracting digital talent, focusing on leadership in a tech-driven world.
- Executive Partnerships Exploring the evolving role of CIOs as strategic partners within the executive team, driving cross-functional collaboration and innovation.
- Security Investments Discussing the increasing need for investments in cybersecurity to protect against evolving threats and secure sensitive business data.
- Customer Experience Exploring strategies to elevate customer interactions, personalisation, and engagement, ensuring competitive differentiation and loyalty.
Agenda
- Approval Only(Register your interest) • Behind The Scenes - Pre-Event Dinner Registration & Networking Drinks - 5.30pm Welcome Address by Factor - 6:00pm Opening Remarks by Diamond Partner (PagerDuty) - 6.10pm Break the Ice & Interactive Design Thinking Workshop for CIOs - 6.30pm Dinner Courses Served - 6.40pm Thank You & Closing - 7.45pm Wrap up drinks and end of Evening - 8.00pm
- Registration & Welcome Coffee(CIO Day Sydney - Plenary Session)
- Welcome Address & Introduction(CIO Day Sydney - Plenary Session) Fast-Tracking Transformation with the Digital Sprint and Insights by Factor In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, leading companies are accelerating their digital transformation efforts to maintain competitiveness and meet changing customer expectations. For instance, a mid-tier mining company in Australia invested in AI and machine learning to build digital twins for its milling operations, enhancing efficiency and reducing costs. However, many organisations have captured less value than expected from their digital initiatives, with only 31% of anticipated revenue lift and 25% of expected cost savings realised. Discussion Points: Balancing Speed and Stability in Digital Initiatives Understanding the Costs of Inaction in a Fast-Paced Tech Environment Identifying Common Pitfalls in Transformation Efforts and How to Avoid Them
- Enabling Australian CIO Influence with C-Level Stakeholders(CIO Day Sydney - Plenary Session) 2025 – A Year of More Change In 2025, the digital landscape is undergoing another major shift. Australian CIOs are expected to interpret the impacts of technology changes, and play a critical role in influencing C-Level stakeholders. All while organisations navigate financial constraints, increased cyber risks, and the rapid rise of AI-driven transformation. Factor’s local research reveals that 61% of Australian CIOs plan to increase digital transformation investment, with 84% of IT investments influenced by AI/ML initiatives. However, challenges persist—budget constraints (32%), integration complexity (28%), and talent shortages (18%) remain major barriers to success. The judicious use of AI as a force multiplier rather than a replacement for human intelligence, can assist in overcoming some of these hurdles. Organisations that embrace AI strategically are expected to see improved cybersecurity, greater operational efficiency and improved competitiveness. Recent AI developments have significantly disrupted the market and will potentially reduce the cost and increase efficiency of AI, however the overall competitive cost of inaction whilst waiting for this to eventuate is rising. Organisations that fail to adapt risk falling behind in an era where technology adoption drives competitive advantage. Discussion Points: What priorities are core to ICT Strategies in 2025? What technologies are influencing overall business and ICT Strategy? What factors are holding CIOs back in the race to avoid stagnation in a landscape where AI adoption is accelerating? What strategies can CIOs adopt to increase C-Level stakeholder influence in their organisation?
- Factors Shaping Australia’s Business Landscape(CIO Day Sydney - Plenary Session) Join Former Minister for Foreign Affairs and ANU Chancellor the Hon Julie Bishop as she examines the global factors reshaping Australia’s business environment. This keynote will explore how these significant forces affect economic dynamics, organisational strategies, and the broader marketplace, offering insights into the future of Australian enterprises. Discussion Points: The role of technology in driving innovation and transforming business operations. The implications of climate change and sustainability on corporate practices and governance. Strategies for Australian businesses to adapt and thrive in a rapidly evolving global market.
- 2025 in Australia: Enhancing Operational Resilience - A CTO's Perspective for CIOs(CIO Day Sydney - Plenary Session) In 2025, operational resilience remains a top priority for CIOs in Australia as organisations navigate an increasingly dynamic and unpredictable business environment. With the rise of digital transformation and the growing complexity of IT ecosystems, the ability to respond to incidents swiftly and effectively is critical to maintaining service continuity and customer trust. As a Global Field Chief Technology Officer, Heath Newburn, will share his insights on how to enhance operational resilience in today's dynamic business environment. In this session, Heath will discuss how CIOs can leverage event-driven automation to empower their teams to respond swiftly to incidents, minimising downtime and maintaining service continuity. Discussion Points: Strategic Implementation of Event-Driven Automation: A CTO's Guidance for CIOs Measuring Impact on Operational Resilience: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for CIOs Overcoming Challenges in Automation Adoption: A CTO's Advice for CIOs on Successful Implementation
- The Collective Enterprise, Global Megatrends and The Power of C-Suite Fusion(CIO Day Sydney - Plenary Session) Join an expert, cross-function C-Suite panel as they explore how partnerships among top executives are essential for addressing today’s global megatrends. Moving beyond the buzzwords of fusion teams, this discussion will focus on the importance of collaborative leadership in navigating shifts in technology, governance, and market dynamics, showcasing how integrated strategies across business functions can bolster organisational resilience and agility. Discussion Points: Leveraging diverse executive perspectives to tackle complex global challenges. Developing adaptable frameworks to meet governance, technological, and economic shifts. Fostering cross-functional alignment to drive innovation and gain a competitive edge.
- Tackling Support Risk & ROI to Drive Digital Transformations(CIO Day Sydney - Plenary Session) Discover how Australian organisations are transforming their IT strategies to achieve cost efficiency and drive innovation. This session explores the value of third-party support services in empowering executives to optimise resources and accelerate digital transformation efforts. The presentation highlights case studies of cost reductions in IT support, techniques for prolonging ERP system lifespans while maintaining performance, and strategies for managing mission-critical customisations with predictable costs. Unlock the potential of your IT investments and pave the way for sustainable growth and competitive advantage.
- Morning Tea & Networking(CIO Day Sydney - Plenary Session)
- Managing Risk and Compliance(AI Governance) Discussion on AI governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance in enterprise settings.
- Human-Centric Approach to IT Risks(Risk Communication) Discussion on using human-centric language to position risks and drive informed investment decisions.
- Overcoming Adoption and Change Hurdles(ERP Challenges) Discussion on managing ERP transformation challenges, adoption strategies, and business process shifts.
- Strengthening Disaster Recovery Strategies(Cloud Resilience) Discussion on disaster recovery, resilience, and high-performance team management in cloud environments.
- Managing Outsourcing and Efficiency(Global IT Operations) Discussion on implementing IT processes, outsourcing strategies, and global IT governance.
- Driving Accountability in Tech Projects(Business Ownership) Discussion on ensuring strong business ownership in technology transformation projects.
- The Machines are Learning, But Are We?(Unit Success & Strategic Leadership) The speed at which technology is advancing is creating both massive opportunities and complex challenges for security professionals. With AI’s increasing use by adversaries, defenders, and everyone in between, the stakes have never been higher. In this session, we’ll explore how AI is reshaping the security landscape, from automation to threat detection, and how organizations can leverage AI effectively while avoiding the pitfalls that come with rushed adoption. We’ll dive into the potential benefits—like enhancing threat intelligence, streamlining operations, and predicting attacks before they occur—and also address the challenges, such as false positives, ethical considerations, and decision fatigue. Furthermore, we’ll outline some guiding principles for making informed adoption decisions, ensuring that AI’s integration doesn’t just promise benefits but delivers real, sustainable value. By the end, you’ll be better equipped to distinguish between hype and genuine progress, helping you make smarter choices as AI continues to evolve in this critical space.
- Unlocking the Power of Real-Time Insights: Driving Digital Transformation with Data-Driven Decisions at the Edge(Business Alignment) Learn about the shift of compute to the Edge to support AI. Discover how Lenovo and Intel® work together to deliver energy efficient compute platforms that allow you to achieve more, using less power, contributing to your sustainability goals. Utilising Edge compute, your organisation can extend and optimise your Hybrid Cloud solution to deliver data security and sovereignty. As part of your digital transformation, we will discuss the importance of software and leveraging open standards to optimise AI capabilities. Adopting Edge compute allows you to analyse your AI data insights where the data is generated. Discussion Points: The 3 laws driving compute at the Edge: Economics, Physics and Land. What could your organisation achieve by extending your current Hybrid Cloud Solution. Simplifying Edge AI at Scale with Intel® and Lenovo. Specific Edge use cases across different industries, including some that are deployed across Australia today.
- AI Revolution or AI Evolution? Preparing Australia's Workforce to Benefit from Disruption(Unit Success & Strategic Leadership) The rise of AI is reshaping industries and skillsets in profound ways. This session explores how AI-powered engineering will disrupt the workforce and how Australia can prepare for, and benefit from the shift. The focus will be on the skills of the future, how individuals and businesses can adapt, and the role of AI in transforming the tech landscape, and advice for people at all stages of their career to best position themselves. Discussion Points: How AI will radically change the demand for tech skills and reshape career paths across industries. Why Australia’s current workforce is at risk if the education system doesn’t evolve to match AI-powered engineering trends. How AI will shift the role of engineers and whether the workforce is ready for this rapid transformation.
- Achieving Business Alignment with Strategic Technology Roadmaps [Fireside Chat] In Australia, only 46% of businesses reported being innovation-active in the two years ending June 2023, highlighting a significant opportunity for improvement. Strategic technology roadmaps are essential for aligning IT initiatives with business objectives, fostering innovation, and enhancing competitiveness. Discussion Points: Assessing current alignment between IT and business goals. Developing a strategic technology roadmap tailored to organisational objectives. Measuring the impact of technology alignment on business performance.
- Maximising Operational Efficiency with Automation Tooling(Unit Success & Strategic Leadership) Discover how organisations are deploying automation tools to drive operational efficiency and streamline internal processes. This session will explore how AI-powered helpdesks and automation tooling can deliver tangible results in cost reduction and performance improvement. Learn about the transformative potential of automation deployments in modernising workflows and boosting productivity across departments. Discussion Points: How automation is slashing costs and boosting output in high-pressure environments. The hidden challenges of AI helpdesks and why some companies are struggling to keep up. Why operational efficiency is no longer optional in an AI-driven world.
- Digital Acceleration and AI as the Key to Operational Success(Business Alignment) Explore how digital acceleration and AI are serving as vital drivers for operational success in today’s fast-paced business environment. This session will examine the integration of advanced technologies and automation tools that enhance efficiency while enabling organisations to remain competitive. Attendees will learn about the critical role of AI and data analytics in shaping business strategies and how effective change management can lead to sustained growth. Discussion Points: How organisations can harness digital acceleration to enhance productivity and streamline operations. The impact of AI and automation on traditional workflows and the potential for driving operational success. Why balancing innovation with everyday business demands is essential for long-term sustainability and success.
- Lunch Break – Peer Connect & Executive Roundtable Executive Roundtable Topic: Delivering value with your technology and resource investments Join us for a highly interactive roundtable facilitated by Craig Baty, VP Research & Advisory at Factor, as we dive into the world of Technology Business Management (TBM). Moving from fixed IT costs to variable cloud spend, adjusting to fluctuating workforces, and moving from project to product development processes all require a new way of doing things. So, how do we move from the static to the dynamic and successfully navigate this new landscape? Moreover, how do we justify our decisions with data while balancing costs with investment and innovation? This session will explore what TBM is and the significant value it can bring to your organisation. TBM is a discipline designed to help businesses improve outcomes by providing a unified approach to translating technology investments into tangible business value. Key topics of discussion include: Unifying organisational data to drive better decision-making Aligning on common terminology for technology costs and investments Linking expenditure to value and strategic business objectives Maximising technology value through alignment between IT, Business, and Finance Transforming your business with modern tech investment management
- Consolidation, Innovation & Profitability(Enterprise Tooling) How are you reimagining your data and enterprise tooling to achieve both innovation and profitability? Explore the benefits of consolidation initiatives and how to start the journey.
- Tech Stack Optimisation for Better ROI(Digital Acceleration) Discussion on optimising technology investments for better ROI and agility in operations.
- Harnessing AI-Driven Insights for Business Growth(AI Insights) How AI-driven insights can enhance real-time decision-making, improve operational efficiency, and drive innovation across departments.
- Strengthening Digital Transformation Through Proactive Threat Management(Secure Networks) A session on integrating threat detection and response into digital transformation strategies.
- Enhancing IoT Capabilities with Edge Technology(Edge Computing) Leveraging edge computing to enhance IoT capabilities, reduce latency, and improve real-time decision-making in critical operations.
- Enabling Digital Transformation Through Hybrid IT(Hybrid Transformation) Leverage hybrid IT for seamless digital transformation and efficiency.
- Charting the Course for Digital Resilience - Building a Leading Observability Practice at Global Scale.(Growth & Future Outlook) {Fireside Chat} Digital Resilience is foundational to organisational success and a Board of Director's priority. Today boards are demanding accountability and transparency into how leaders are keeping systems secure, up and running, while optimising customer experience. In this fireside chat with Splunk and Paul Brown, Head of Observability at Atlassian, we will explore the key role Observability plays in keeping digital systems resilient and the lessons learned from Atlassian, through building a leading global Observability practice at scale. We will also discuss what lies ahead for Observability and the trending shift from reactive troubleshooting to proactive insights; linking system performance to key business metrics such as customer conversion and revenue.
- Turning Cybersecurity into a Strategic Advantage(Growth & Future Outlook) Cybersecurity is no longer just a technical necessity but a strategic enabler for business success. This session explores how businesses can align security with their broader goals to drive innovation and growth. Learn how organisations are shifting from a defensive approach to using cybersecurity as a competitive edge. Discover the role of cybersecurity in building trust, maintaining reputation, and creating long-term value. Discussion Points: Building a cybersecurity strategy that supports business growth and innovation. Integrating security into every part of the business to drive efficiency and agility. How to turn security risks into opportunities for differentiation and trust.
- The CIO's Journey in Delivering ROI and Strategic Objectives(Growth & Future Outlook) The role of the CIO has evolved from traditional tech oversight to a key player in strategic leadership. This panel will explore how CIOs can elevate their presence in C-suite discussions, drive innovation, and foster collaboration across senior leadership functions to guide enterprise-wide risk management, facilitate elevated customer experience and support sustainable growth taking into account the ESG goals of the business. Discussion Points: Elevating the CIO’s presence in strategic discussions to shape key business decisions and foster a culture of innovation with effective risk management. Implementing strategies to effectively achieve overarching business objectives including sustainability and ESG targets. Fostering cross-functional projects to facilitate exceptional customer experience across the board.
- Why Diverse Tech Teams Deliver Better Customer Experience(Growth & Future Outlook) In a rapidly evolving market, diverse technology teams are proving to be a key driver of exceptional customer experiences. This session explores how fostering diversity within tech teams leads to innovative solutions, stronger collaboration, and a deeper understanding of customer needs. Learn how inclusivity fuels creativity and creates stronger connections between business goals and customer satisfaction. Discussion Points: How diverse perspectives in tech teams lead to innovative solutions that resonate with customers. The link between inclusive team dynamics and improved customer retention and loyalty. Case studies showcasing how diverse teams have solved complex customer challenges with creative approaches.
- How Leading CIOs Build High Performance Teams(Growth & Future Outlook) In an era of rapid technological advancements, CIOs are central to building and nurturing high-performance teams that can drive innovation while adapting to change. This session will explore the key role senior leadership plays in fostering teams that not only excel in a fast-paced environment but also remain resilient and motivated. Discussions will cover how to align teams with the broader business objectives, ensuring both operational success and the agility required for continuous digital transformation. The session will also examine strategies for creating a culture that encourages collaboration, well-being, and professional growth, enabling tech teams to meet challenges head-on and thrive. Discussion Points: How CIOs can cultivate a high-performance culture that drives innovation and aligns with business goals. Approaches to managing the pace of technological change while preventing team burnout and maintaining motivation. The role of senior leadership in supporting team well-being, skill development, and resilience in a rapidly evolving tech landscape.
- Winning Practices to Transform Legacy IT Organisations(Growth & Future Outlook) As organisations race to stay competitive in the digital age, many are struggling to modernise their legacy IT systems and processes. Join Mirco Hering , author of " DevOps for the Modern Enterprise: Winning Practices to Transform Legacy IT Organisations ", as he will dive deep into the strategies that can help CIOs and IT leaders overcome the obstacles of legacy infrastructure and accelerate their transformation journey. Drawing on his extensive experience and insights from his book, Mirco will cover: The Legacy IT Dilemma : Understanding why traditional approaches to IT management—modelled after outdated manufacturing practices—are failing in today’s fast-paced, innovation-driven tech environment. Creating a People-Centric Ecosystem : How to empower teams, foster collaboration, and put creativity at the heart of IT delivery, shifting from a process-driven culture to a performance-driven one. The Role of Agile, Lean, and DevOps : How combining these methodologies can drive real change, improve collaboration, and deliver high-quality outcomes at scale. The Hidden Power of Cultural Change : Practical insights on how to break through the cultural barriers that hinder transformation, with real-world examples of how large enterprises have successfully navigated this challenge. Technology as an Enabler, Not a Saviour : Why the right tools alone won’t guarantee success, and how to ensure technology is used to drive meaningful change, not just automate existing processes.
- Closing Remarks(Growth & Future Outlook)
- Networking Drinks & End of Day
Speakers
The hon. john Howard · Former Prime Minister, Australia
Julie Bishop · Fmr Minister for Foreign Affairs, Julie The Hon Julie Bishop has served as Chancellor of the Australian National University since 2020. As Australia’s first female Foreign Minister (2013–2018), she led major diplomatic initiatives, including the response to MH17, for which she was awarded the Commander of the Order of Merit from the Netherlands. She championed initiatives like the New Colombo Plan, benefiting over 40,000 students in the Indo-Pacific, and led the creation of the 2017 Foreign Policy White Paper. In her 20-year political career, she also served as Minister for Education, Science and Training, Minister for Women's Issues, and Minister for Ageing. A lawyer by background, she was Managing Partner at Clayton Utz prior to politics. Ms. Bishop holds honorary doctorates from the University of Adelaide and Edith Cowan University and has been recognized with fellowships at Harvard and the McCain Institute. She also served on the UK’s G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council and the Trilateral Commission Capitalism Task Force. Beyond academia and diplomacy, she chairs Prince’s Trust Australia and Telethon Kids Institute, is Patron of Shooting Stars, and supports Football Australia's Legacy '23. In 2023, she joined David Jones as an official Friend of the brand. Through her consultancy, Julie Bishop and Partners, she offers strategic advisory services.
Josh Heid · CEO, Factor Josh brings with himself years of leadership experience as the driving force behind Factor and Panelist, where he has shaped the future of business strategy through his expertise in Product Design, Customer Experience, and Engineering. An innovator at heart, Josh excels in Product Design, where he combines aesthetic sensibility with functional purpose to create solutions that resonate with users and deliver measurable results. His approach bridges customer needs and cutting-edge technology, ensuring that every product is not only visually compelling but also highly effective in meeting market demands. In the realm of Customer Experience, Josh has consistently championed the importance of understanding user journeys and fostering engagement through intuitive design and seamless interactions. He has implemented frameworks that elevate user satisfaction, ensuring that Factor’s offerings remain at the forefront of customer-centric innovation. Josh's engineering mindset adds a unique layer to his leadership. His ability to translate complex concepts into actionable development processes has resulted in robust, scalable applications and systems. By integrating engineering principles with strategic thinking, Josh has driven operational excellence while maintaining a sharp focus on delivering top-tier solutions to clients. With a deep understanding of Leadership Strategy, Marketing, and Sales, Josh has built Factor and Panelist into trusted names in their industries, continuously setting new benchmarks for innovation and success.
Craig Baty · VP Research & Advisory, Factor As VP Research & Advisory at Factor, Craig drives the company’s research and advisory, editorial, and production teams. With over 30 years of C-level experience in ICT, HR, marketing, sales, operations, research, leadership, and international business, Craig is a notable tech industry leader. He served as Group VP and Head of Research for Gartner AP/J and CEO of Gartner Japan, earning the Gartner Thought Leadership award and pioneering the Gartner SWOT analysis. Craig has held several significant positions throughout his career. At ISG (Information Services Group), he served as the Distinguished Lead Analyst for ISG Provider Lens Research in Asia/Pacific and Japan, delivering numerous projects and custom research. He was the Principal and Founder of DataDriven, a consultancy specialising in ICT research, marketing, and strategy. Craig’s leadership extended to his role as Federal Board Member at the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) and Vice Chair of the Australian Computer Society (ACS), where he guided the organisations through significant transitions.
Madeline Palmer · Head of Content, Research & Editorial, Factor Madeline Palmer is a seasoned media and communications professional with extensive experience across journalism, broadcasting, and content creation. As the Head of Content, Research & Editorial at Factor, Madeline is in charge of broad range of strategic, editorial, and managerial tasks aimed at ensuring the production and dissemination of high-quality research content across various platforms. Madeline has hosted and moderated dozens of C-Suite roundtable discussions on topics such as GenAI, Fintech solutions, CX and UX insights, Data Governance and ESG. Madeline has also hosted panels at our larger events, on topics from Cyber Security to DevOps. She also oversees the editorial aspect of Factor’s research reports and white papers. Before joining Factor, she worked as a broadcast journalist in a number of major newsrooms across the country. During this time, Madeline covered breaking national and international news, including the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Medibank and Optus data breaches, several State and Federal Elections, the historical AUKUS Agreement, and the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, among other stories. Madeline has a Bachelor in Communications and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Broadcasting from Edith Cowan University in Perth. In 2018, she was a finalist in the Brian White Radio Journalism Awards. Madeline was also named a finalist for Young Journalist of the Year Award at the Rural Press Club Awards in 2020. While in 2022, she was also a finalist of the 30 Under 30 Awards from Radio Today.
Miranda Ratajski · CIO, Group Business Units, Westpac Miranda is the CIO of Group Business Units for Westpac. She is a leader of large-scale and complex technological and digital transformations. Miranda has developed strategic and tactical direction, built high-performing teams, and enabled service to uplift customer experiences. Her leadership, focus, and business direction result in improved engagement and productivity through enhanced employee experience, delivering significantly engaged teams who have more time to delight customers. Driving excellence in product delivery is key to having systems that provide the right experience—Miranda has 25 years of global experience and is a master of this craft. Her experience spans Federal Government, Telecommunications, and Financial Services sectors across Europe, Asia, and Australia. Miranda is passionate about diversity and promoting women in technology. Community is a strong anchor for Miranda, and she is also a volunteer yoga teacher. Miranda’s recent awards and nominations include: WiBF Award for Inclusive Leadership Ranked #37 in the Top 100 Women in Finance Technology (Globally) Recognised #9 on the Power List
Tanya Trott · Chief Technology Officer, Transurban A versatile and widely experienced senior Technology professional with a history of planning and implementing technology initiatives to generate improved productivity and deliver capability uplifts and strategic value. I enjoy interacting with people and re-focusing teams to deliver excellent service and successful programs of work. Specialties: Specialised skills in technology roadmaps and adoption, technology selection and business case development, contract negotiation and cost reduction identification and execution, and service and operational management and general business management skills. The ability to translate technical drivers to business initiatives and vice-versa.
Matthias Hansen · Group CTO, Domino's A business and technology leader with the intellect to tackle complex problems, the discipline to deliver commercial results, and the personality to quickly build enterprise wide relationships to enable better whole of business outcomes.
Jonathan Covell · CIDO, Macquarie University Jonathan Covell is an experienced technology leader with a strong track record in digital transformation, enterprise IT strategy, and healthcare technology. As Chief Information and Digital Officer at Macquarie University, he leads a $700 million, 10-year digital transformation to modernise education and enhance customer experience. With over six years at Macquarie University, Jonathan has held key leadership roles, including Acting CIO and Deputy CIO, driving cloud adoption, digital innovation, and enterprise agility. Previously, he held senior roles at Macquarie University Hospital, Telstra Health, the Australian Digital Health Agency, and NSW Health, focusing on digital health, IT program delivery, and large-scale system implementations. Jonathan holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) with a focus on tax law from Macquarie University and is highly skilled in data analysis, public speaking, and customer service. His expertise spans enterprise IT, nonprofit organisations, and digital solutions that drive meaningful business outcomes.
Stevie-Ann Dovico · CIO, Beyond Bank Stevie is a technologist, a strategist, an innovator, and a leader. She has a larger-than-life energy and a passion for developing people and teams. Stevie started her career in consulting working for EY and KPMG and has spent almost 20 years in banking and financial services at both Westpac and NAB running critical technology platforms that support some of the largest businesses in Australia. Throughout her career she has led global teams and large-scale delivery and transformed digital capabilities. She is currently the CIO of Beyond Bank, one of the largest customer owned banks in Australia and one of the best BCORPs in the country. In 2022 Stevie was awarded Executive Leader of the Year by Women in Digital and in 2024 was recognised as one of Australia’s top 50 CIOs in CIO50.
Stephen Watson · CFO, HOYTS Group Stephen is the CFO of The HOYTS Group which owns HOYTS Cinemas and the Val Morgan Group, leading the finance, legal, IT and design teams. HOYTS Cinemas is a market leading cinema exhibition business operating a broad geographic footprint across Australia and New Zealand and has over 100 years of history. The Val Morgan Group is an industry leader business delivering a 100% digital, full-screen, advertising solution for brands looking to connect with engaged and active customers across Cinema, Outdoor and Digital media environments. Val Morgan operates in Australia, New Zealand and the UAE. Stephen trained at KPMG, Ireland before migrating to Australia post qualification and has worked in a wide range of industries including oil & gas exploration, subscription-television, e-commerce, marketing services, advertising agency and cinema exhibition in both listed and unlisted environments.
Mirco Hering · Global Lead Experience and Platform Engineering, Accenture With over 20 years at Accenture, Mirco Hering is a Managing Director leading the global DevOps practice and APAC Agile practice. Renowned for his expertise in Agile and DevOps transformations, he has supported major public and private sector organisations across Australia and globally, driving innovation in software delivery and IT efficiency. Mirco’s pragmatic approach focuses on blending methodologies to deliver tangible outcomes, whether setting up large-scale transformations or course-correcting projects that veer off track. Mirco is the author of the award-winning DevOps for the Modern Enterprise and a sought-after speaker at conferences worldwide, sharing insights on IT delivery, Agile practices, and DevOps strategies. Through his blog, Not A Factory Anymore, he continues to inspire IT leaders to overcome legacy challenges and embrace modern engineering practices. His passion for fostering high-performing developer communities underscores his leadership in Accenture’s mission to redefine IT delivery excellence.
Alison Bourke · GM - IT Delivery, TPG Telecom As the General Manager of IT Delivery in TPG, Alison has extensive experience in leading technology delivery within the telecommunications industry. Alison oversees end-to-end IT programs, ensuring seamless integration of cutting-edge solutions to drive business transformation and operational efficiency. With a proven track record in software development, systems integration, and agile and waterfall delivery, Alison has successfully led large-scale programs that enhance IT architecture, digital services, and customer experience. She excels in stakeholder management, working closely with cross-functional teams, vendors, and business leaders to align IT strategies with corporate objectives. Passionate about innovation and emerging technologies, Alison is dedicated to fostering a high-performance culture, driving continuous improvement, and ensuring that IT solutions support the evolving needs of the telecom sector. With strong leadership, technical expertise, and a customer-centric approach, she continues to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of telecommunications.
Timothy Larcos · GM - Technology Services, HCF Australia Timothy has been recognised as one of Australia's top 50 CIOs. A senior, board experienced, IT executive with IT industry experience spanning two decades. He has held positions in Australia, Asia and Europe across Big4, Healthcare/Medical, Internet Service Providers, Financial Services, Consulting and Media & Entertainment, working with ASX & NYSE listed organisations as well as substantially sized private enterprises. Holding dual citizenship both in Australia and the European Union, he carries post-nominal of MACS (Snr) and CP, from the Australian Computer Society, IP3P and MAICD from the Australian Institute of Company Directors as well as being ITIL v3 certified. Timothy has extensive experience in the mergers and acquisitions realm. His core strengths are around process improvement, business transformation and revenue generation strategies. He is equipped with a unique technical skill-set which enables him to understand and translate in plain-talk speak, the latest digital technologies.
Ranjani Vaidya · Group GM, Digital Portfolio & Data Solutions, Mirvac Ranjani Vaidya is the Group General Manager of Digital at Mirvac, a leading ASX 100 Property and Construction Company and is responsible for steering the digital strategy, portfolio management, enterprise data solutions and delivery of technology driven transformation initiatives. Ranjani has had a diverse and global career, following completion of her Chartered Accountancy, she joined PWC India and gained experience in Business Advisory and Assurance Services across UK and Australia. Fascinated by the global interconnectedness, complexity, and innovation in Banking, Ranjani spent 15 years in banking across many roles spanning Investment Banking, Global Markets, Mortgages, Wealth Management, and the Executive Office. Ranjani’s personal growth is based on continuous learning and embracing new skills, this included pursuing the Corporate Innovation Program LEAD and Digital Transformation Program at Stanford Business School. Ranjani blends her business acumen with a passion for the environment and dedicates her time as a non-executive director for a not-for-profit organisation. She is an active member of the Stanford LEAD community and a business advisor to startups. Ranjani is a recipient of the Westpac CEO Award in 2022, the Westpac CFO Award in 2018, and was also named as a finalist in the Equilibrium Program. Her Accolades include the Dr John Yu Fellowship from the University of Sydney. Ranjani stood as a Finalist in the Transformation Category of the WeQual Awards, APAC 2024, and is now a lifetime member of WeQual Executives.
Scott Carroll · Executive Manager, Strategy & Transformation, IAG Scott Carroll leads Strategy and Transformation for the Commercial Insurance division of IAG, driving the transition of leading brands CGU and WFI towards growth and market leadership. Scott brings a highly commercial, value-based approach to business transformation leveraging strong financial, analytical and strategic capability developed in roles at Macquarie, JP Morgan, REA Group and IAG. Scott excels at quickly understanding new opportunities, interpreting the impact of external forces, and identifying drivers of profitability and value to ensure execution is aligned with strategic goals. Scott’s ability to critically assess and articulate complex ideas succinctly has established him as a trusted advisor to stakeholders. Scott is passionate about fostering diverse talent and developing people capability to create a compelling people experience.
Mohamed Ibrahim · Area Vice President, Sales Engineering - APJ, Exabeam Mohamed “Moe” Ibrahim is Vice President of Sales Engineering, Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) at Exabeam and has more than 20 years of experience as a security focused technologist. During his eight years at Exabeam Moe has been pivotal in building the region and its local engineering team whilst opening new markets across the APJ region. He works in partnership with his team, Exabeam partners and customers to drive better security outcomes through the company’s advanced, cloud-native security operations platform for Threat Detection, Investigation, and Response (TDIR). Moe holds an advisory board member role at Ubiq Security as a way of giving back to the future of cybersecurity industry. He previously worked with other leading vendors including Splunk, FireEye and RSA, holds a CISSP certification and is a member of the Australian Information Security Association (AISA).
Partners
Rimini Street · Platinum
Lenovo · Gold Lenovo is a US$62 billion revenue global technology powerhouse, ranked #217 in the Fortune Global 500, employing 77,000 people around the world, and serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets. Focused on a bold vision to deliver smarter technology for all, Lenovo has built on its success as the world’s largest PC company by further expanding into growth areas that fuel the advancement of ‘New IT’ technologies (client, edge, cloud, network, and intelligence) including server, storage, mobile, software, solutions, and services. This transformation together with Lenovo’s world-changing innovation is building a more inclusive, trustworthy, and smarter future for everyone, everywhere. To find out more visit https://www.lenovo.com, and read about the latest news via our StoryHub at https://news.lenovo.com/. To learn more about our career opportunities, visit our careers page at http://jobs.lenovo.com/.
Intel Corporation · Gold Intel’s mission is to shape the future of technology to help create a better future for the entire world. By pushing forward in fields like AI, analytics and cloud-to-edge technology, Intel’s work is at the heart of countless innovations. From major breakthroughs like self-driving cars and rebuilding the coral reefs, to things that make everyday life better like blockbuster effects and improved shopping experiences — they’re all powered by Intel technology. With a career at Intel, you have the opportunity to help make the future more wonderful for everyone.
TPG Telecom · Gold TPG Telecom is one of Australia’s largest telecommunication companies and operates a number of leading mobile and internet brands including Vodafone, TPG, iiNet, Internode, Lebara, AAPT and felix. As a full-service telecommunications provider, TPG Telecom provides mobile, internet, business and fixed network solutions. We serve consumers, small and medium businesses, government, corporate enterprises and wholesale customers offering a comprehensive portfolio of fixed and mobile products in the Australian telecommunications market. We operate a leading mobile network with over 5,600 sites covering more than 23 million Australians, and Australia’s second-largest fixed voice and data network, with more than 27,000km of inter-capital and metropolitan fibre networks as well as international transit capacity, and a 5G mobile network that is currently being rolled out. TPG Telecom is an ASX-listed company, employing more than 3,000 people offering a flexible, diverse and inclusive workplace. At TPG Telecom, we are committed to connecting Australia for the better.
Boomi · Gold Boomi aims to make the world a better place by connecting everyone to everything, anywhere. The pioneer of cloud-based integration platform as a service (iPaaS), and now a category-leading, global software as a service (SaaS) company, Boomi touts the largest customer base among integration platform vendors and a worldwide network of approximately 800 partners – including Accenture, Capgemini, Deloitte, SAP, and Snowflake. Global organisations turn to Boomi’s award-winning platform to discover, manage, and orchestrate data, while connecting applications, processes, and people for better, faster outcomes. For more information, visit http://www.boomi.com.
Exabeam · Gold Exabeam is a global cybersecurity leader that delivers AI-driven security operations. High-integrity data ingestion, powerful analytics, and workflow automation power the industry’s most advanced self-hosted and cloud-native security operations platform for threat detection, investigation, and response (TDIR). With a history of leadership in SIEM and UEBA, and a legacy rooted in AI, Exabeam empowers global security teams to combat cyberthreats, mitigate risk, and streamline security operations. Learn more at www.exabeam.com .- PagerDuty · Diamond PagerDuty, Inc. (NYSE:PD) is a global leader in digital operations management, enabling customers to achieve operational efficiency at scale with the PagerDuty Operations Cloud. The PagerDuty Operations Cloud combines AIOps, Automation, Customer Service Operations, Incident Management and PagerDuty Copilot into a flexible, resilient and scalable platform to increase innovation velocity, grow revenue, reduce cost, and mitigate the risk of operational failure. More than half of the Fortune 500 and nearly 70% of the Fortune 100 rely on PagerDuty as essential infrastructure for the modern enterprise. To learn more and try PagerDuty for free, visit www.pagerduty.com.
Apptio, an IBM Company · Gold
New Relic · Bronze New Relic helps engineers and developers do their best work every day — using data, not opinions — at every stage of the software lifecycle. The world’s best engineering teams rely on New Relic to visualize, analyze and troubleshoot their software. New Relic One is the most powerful cloud-based observability platform built to help companies create more perfect software. Learn why customers trust New Relic for improved uptime and performance, greater scale and efficiency, and accelerated time to market at newrelic.com.- SAS Institute · Bronze SAS® analytics solutions transform data into intelligence, inspiring customers worldwide to make bold new discoveries that drive progress. SAS is a global leader in AI and analytics software: 90% of Fortune 100 companies or their affiliates are SAS customers, using our industry-specific solutions for banking, insurance, health care, life sciences, government, manufacturing, retail and more. Our cloud-native AI, analytics and data management platform, SAS®Viya®, enables you to scale cost-effectively, increase productivity and innovate faster, backed by trust and transparency. Learn more at sas.com/viya
Freshworks · Bronze Freshworks (NASDAQ: FRSH) delivers modern, AI-powered customer and employee-service solutions that increase efficiency and improve engagement for companies of all sizes. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, Freshworks operates around the world to serve more than 67,000+ customers, including s American Express, Bridgestone, Databricks, Fila, Nucor, and Sony.- Splunk · Platinum Splunk is helping to build a safer and more resilient digital world by equipping customers with the unified security and observability platform they need to keep their organization securely up and running — no matter what digital disruptions come their way.
- Creatio · Bronze
- CoreView · Bronze
- Factor · Bronze Leading market research in APAC.
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