Paul Natac
Chief Information Officer
Provident Insurance Limited
Part of TechXcelerate Aotearoa 2027
CIO Leaders Summit NZ 2027
Turning AI, cloud and data spend into measurable business value.
6-7 April 2027 | Pullman Auckland | Tāmaki Makaurau
207
CIOs and digital leaders in 2026
113
organisations represented
65%
at senior management level or above
25+
speakers
Overview
About the CIO Leaders Summit
The CIO Leaders Summit is the Q1 meeting place for Aotearoa's digital leaders.
In 2027 the agenda is built around a single question: how do you turn AI, cloud and data spend into value the business can measure?
Over two days, New Zealand CIOs, CDOs, CTOs and heads of technology work through moving agentic AI out of pilots and into governed production, extending FinOps to cover AI spend and rising licensing costs, modernising core systems without disrupting the business, and treating data as an asset with the governance and sovereignty New Zealand now expects.
Day One runs as a dedicated CIO programme. On Day Two the CIO and CISO communities come together for a shared session on collaboration and board accountability.
The format has changed for 2027. More customer-led case studies, more hands-on workshops, and protected time for questions. Speakers are briefed for the practical how, not the what.
Attendance is by invitation.
Key CIO themes for 2027
Agentic AI in production
From pilots to measurable ROI, with governance and guardrails, delivered by lean teams.
AI and cloud cost governance
FinOps extended to AI spend and rising licensing costs.
Core modernisation without disruption
Cutting technical debt and evolving legacy for agility.
Data as advantage
Governance and quality for trusted AI, aligned to New Zealand data sovereignty expectations.
The CIO as Chief Value Officer
Proving business value, not just project delivery.
Modernising digital public services
Citizen-centric services aligned to New Zealand government roadmaps.
Who attends the CIO Leaders Summit
- Chief Information Officer
- Chief Technology Officer
- Chief Digital Officer
- Chief Data Officer
- General Manager, Technology and ICT
- Head of Digital
- Head of Data and Artificial Intelligence
- Head of Architecture
Seniority
- Executive Level31%
- Senior Management34%
- Middle Management20%
- Team Leads7%
- Specialists8%
2026 CIO Leaders Summit speakers
View all CIO speakers
Alexandra Smart
Chief Technology Officer
Southern Cross Health Society
Rohit Kashikar
Group Head of Technology
Delta Insurance New Zealand
Alistair Vickers
Chief Information Officer
Horizon Energy
Priscila Bernardes
CEO
Lancom Technology
Peter Radich
Group Chief Digital Officer
New Zealand Health Group
Lem Prestage
Group IT Manager
Southbase Construction
John Deeb
Field Chief Technology Officer
Workato
Andrew Menet
Head of Cyber and Security
Auckland Airport
David Irecki
Chief Technology Officer
APJ Boomi
Mircel Van Der Walt
Solution and Architecture Manager
HEB Construction
Wayne Kingi
Head of Operational Data Services
Westpac NZ
Xanthe Sulzberger
Head of Data - Operational Excellence
Fonterra
Kari Jones
Executive Director Transformation and Operational Delivery
Financial Markets Authority - Te Mana Tātai Hokohoko
Andrew Goodin
Chief Information Officer
Classic Group
Kevin Robinson
Partner
ARA Digital
Zahid Arain
APAC General Manager
TBM Council
Alistair Mascarenhas
Partner - Ara Digital
Ara Digital Limited
Frank Handerhan
Engagement Director, Data & AI
HSO, ANZ
Raji Haththotuwegama
National Solutions Advisor - Data, AI and Apps
Canon Business Services
Pablo Munoz
Marketing Director
Ninjaone
Sean Wallace
VP Sales & Community
Flowingly
Jarred Griffiths
Director of Strategy and Engagement
Hutt City Council
Ange Nash
Chief Information Officer
AA Insurance
Fiona Millar
Digital Technology Manager
Christchurch International Airport
Marc Sofinowski
Technical Director for New Zealand and a Principal Microsoft 365 Consultant
Engage Squared
Peter-Lucas Jones
Chief Executive Officer
Te-Hiku Media
Fraser Paine
Head of AI
HSO, ANZ
Craig Lauchlan
Executive General Manager of Tech NZ
Suncorp
Jeremy Rooke
Group Chief Digital Officer
Turners Automotive
Angela Henderson
Chief Information & Delivery Officer
Fidelity Life
Amanda White
Chief Information Officer
Open Country Dairy
Tighe Wall
Chief Technology Officer & Chief Transformation Officer
Contact Energy
Sam Schuurman
Country Manager
EverPure
Roy Godwin
Managing Director
ECM360
Sheldon Dargaville
New Zealand Country Lead
IBM
Paul Natac
Chief Information Officer
Provident Insurance Limited
Alexandra Smart
Chief Technology Officer
Southern Cross Health Society
Rohit Kashikar
Group Head of Technology
Delta Insurance New Zealand
Alistair Vickers
Chief Information Officer
Horizon Energy
Priscila Bernardes
CEO
Lancom Technology
Peter Radich
Group Chief Digital Officer
New Zealand Health Group
Lem Prestage
Group IT Manager
Southbase Construction
John Deeb
Field Chief Technology Officer
Workato
Andrew Menet
Head of Cyber and Security
Auckland Airport
David Irecki
Chief Technology Officer
APJ Boomi
Mircel Van Der Walt
Solution and Architecture Manager
HEB Construction
Wayne Kingi
Head of Operational Data Services
Westpac NZ
Xanthe Sulzberger
Head of Data - Operational Excellence
Fonterra
Kari Jones
Executive Director Transformation and Operational Delivery
Financial Markets Authority - Te Mana Tātai Hokohoko
Andrew Goodin
Chief Information Officer
Classic Group
Kevin Robinson
Partner
ARA Digital
Zahid Arain
APAC General Manager
TBM Council
Alistair Mascarenhas
Partner - Ara Digital
Ara Digital Limited
Frank Handerhan
Engagement Director, Data & AI
HSO, ANZ
Raji Haththotuwegama
National Solutions Advisor - Data, AI and Apps
Canon Business Services
Pablo Munoz
Marketing Director
Ninjaone
Sean Wallace
VP Sales & Community
Flowingly
Jarred Griffiths
Director of Strategy and Engagement
Hutt City Council
Ange Nash
Chief Information Officer
AA Insurance
Fiona Millar
Digital Technology Manager
Christchurch International Airport
Marc Sofinowski
Technical Director for New Zealand and a Principal Microsoft 365 Consultant
Engage Squared
Peter-Lucas Jones
Chief Executive Officer
Te-Hiku Media
Fraser Paine
Head of AI
HSO, ANZ
Craig Lauchlan
Executive General Manager of Tech NZ
Suncorp
Jeremy Rooke
Group Chief Digital Officer
Turners Automotive
Angela Henderson
Chief Information & Delivery Officer
Fidelity Life
Amanda White
Chief Information Officer
Open Country Dairy
Tighe Wall
Chief Technology Officer & Chief Transformation Officer
Contact Energy
Sam Schuurman
Country Manager
EverPure
Roy Godwin
Managing Director
ECM360
Sheldon Dargaville
New Zealand Country Lead
IBM
Organisations that attended TechXcelerate Aotearoa 2026
- AA Insurance
- AB Equipment
- Aioi Nissay Dowa Insurance Company
- Airedale Property Holdings
- Air New Zealand
- Amova Asset Management New Zealand
- Ando Insurance Group
- Arvida Group
- AsureQuality
- ATMC New Zealand
- Auckland International Airport
- Auckland Transport
- Australia and New Zealand Bank
- Australian Mutual Provident Society
- Barfoot and Thompson
- Bayleys Realty Group
- Beca Proprietary
- Bell Gully Trustee Company
- Buckley Systems
- Buddle Findlay
- Cardinal Logistics
- Change Financial
- Chemical Freight Services
- Clarus
- Coda Group New Zealand
- Compass Group New Zealand
- Contact Energy
- DB Breweries
- Delta Insurance New Zealand
- DLA Piper New Zealand
- Downer Group
- Electra
- Envest New Zealand
- Enviro New Zealand
- FarmIQ
- FCB New Zealand
- Fertility Associates
- Fidelity Life Assurance Company
- Fire and Emergency New Zealand
- Fisher and Paykel Healthcare
- Fisher Funds Management
- Fletcher Building
- Fliway Group
- Fonterra Cooperative Group
- Forsyth Barr
- Fortysouth New Zealand
- Fulton Hogan
- Goodman Fielder New Zealand
TechXcelerate 2026 sponsors and exhibitors
From the room
What delegates say
Good cross section of practical sessions, with a focus on leadership and business application, not just tech.
It was pitched at the right level and the content was relevant. The breakout sessions were very useful and I took a lot from them.
Real life case studies and shared experience from organisations working on the same sort of challenges and opportunities as me.