Brett O’Riley - NZICT Group Chief Executive Officer

Brett has over twenty years experience in the ICT sector. Prior to joining NZICT, he was Managing Director of Ochre Services and Ochre Networks in Australia, responsible for building a start-up telecommunications infrastructure development business with projects in Australia and Asia.

Brett has also held senior executive roles at Gen-i, Telecom New Zealand, Nava Networks, Southern Cross Cable Network and Pacific Gateway Exchange. Earlier in his career he spent time in corporate and public affairs - he was been both a press secretary and ministerial advisor under previous National and Labour governments.

He is vice chairman of the Advisory Council of the Pacific Telecommunications Council. Brett also writes and speaks regularly on a range of ICT issues.  

Geoff Lawrie - Cisco Independent Chair

Geoff is the New Zealand Country Manager for Cisco Systems.  He was previously the Managing Director of GDC Communications Ltd, a telecommunications and IT services company.  Prior to that Geoff was the MD of Microsoft’s operations in New Zealand for several years.

During his final year with Microsoft, Geoff was director of strategy development for the Asia Pacific region. Preceding Microsoft, Geoff held a number of senior sales and marketing related positions with Unisys.

Geoff was a Director of Brainz Instruments Ltd, a bio-technology start-up specialising in brain function monitoring equipment, from its commercial incorporation until its successful listing on the ASX three years later.

Geoff holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Management and Marketing from Otago University, which he has supplemented with post graduate study courses in management and finance at Macquarie University in Sydney and Columbia University in New York.

Kevin Ackhurst - Microsoft

Kevin is the Managing Director of Microsoft New Zealand. He has a wealth of industry and Microsoft experience in diverse regions and multiple business groups.

His career with Microsoft began in South Africa, as a Managing Consultant, before moving to the company’s Australian offices for seven years. Prior to taking up his current position in New Zealand, Kevin was Microsoft’s Worldwide General Manager, Operations and Business Strategy, in Redmond, Washington.

Before his move into IT management and business consulting, Kevin was a lecturer in systems simulation, modelling and industrial engineering practices at the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, from where he achieved a Bachelor’s Degree (Hons) in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering. 

Andrew Hunt - Kinetics Group 

Andrew is CEO of Kinetics Group Ltd, an Auckland based system integrator focussed on the small and mid-market sectors. He is actively interested in the wider business environment, and is a director of EMA (Northern) and a member of the Business NZ Council.

He has also been involved in local area network support and design for Small and Medium business. Before forming Kinetics Group, Andrew had roles at Rudd Watts and Stone (now Minter Ellison) and NZI Group.

He graduated from Auckland University with a BSc and a good working knowledge of most varieties of (cheap) beer. (He will one day get around to framing the diploma!)

Bennett Medary - Simpl

After more than 20 years as a recognised leader in the commercial use of technology - 15 of which have been spent at the helm of The Simpl Group, the systems integration company he founded in 1992 - Bennett Medary doesn’t describe his work as creating IT solutions, but rather harnessing technology to enhance people’s lives.

Bennett is a pioneer in New Zealand systems integration, renown for facilitating collaboration among industry sectors and organisations, particularly within the healthcare sector.

Unafraid to question perceived truths or voice views alternative to established thinking, Bennett is a vocal proponent of using vision to drive positive, long-term solutions that benefit New Zealand’s productivity and sustainability. 

Chris Quin - Gen-i

Chris Quin, CEO of Gen-i Australasia, is responsible for delivering converged technology and telecommunications solutions to Gen-i’s corporate, government and business clients across New Zealand and Australia.   Chris leads a team of 3,000 people at one of Australasia’s fastest-growing and innovative ICT services providersChris is a board member for the New Zealand Centre for Social Innovation, which brings together public, private and community partners to create new solutions for New Zealand’s most pressing social needs. Chris is also a board director of ICE HOUSE, a founding partner and mentor for the Omega programme (assisting skilled immigrants), and an active participant in Microsoft and Hewlett Packard’s APAC advisory boards.Before joining Telecom in 1991, Chris was Chief Financial Officer for Mitel and a Financial Accountant at Orica (formerly ICI).  

Chris has a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration from Victoria University in Wellington.

Daryl French - IBM Asia Pacific

Daryl is currently a senior manager with IBM Asia Pacific, responsible for sales re-engineering, change management, and business performance. He has been part of the ICT industry for over 25 years, mainly in sales, marketing and senior management roles, and in the course of his career, worked in a number of countries, including Japan, China and India.

Alongside his corporate career, Daryl is also an entrepreneur: developing new markets; starting or running a number of businesses. He has been involved with a number of acquisitions and company restructurings. Daryl now mentors other entrepreneurs and business leaders, and is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Canterbury University. 

David Stone - Telecommunication Carriers’ Forum

David is currently CEO of the Telecommunications Carriers’ Forum (TCF) industry group. Prior to that David was Head of Industry Affairs for Vodafone, and represented Vodafone on the board of the TCF. He has extensive industry experience having begun his career with CLEAR Communications in 1996, and has subsequently worked with a number of other industry members.

Prior to joining Vodafone four years ago, David was Manager, Strategic Development for United Networks Limited.

David has a BSc in geology (and worked for a time as an exploration geologist) and LLB (Hons) and MComLaw(Hons) degrees but gave up being a lawyer years ago. 

Mike Hill - Dell

Mike has extensive experience in the technology industry. 

Prior to joining Dell, he worked as executive strategist with Virtuoso Group, providing support to SMBs that required specific expertise to achieve strategic growth.  He also worked as HP’s Enterprise Sales director in New Zealand, and in overseas and New Zealand-based Enterprise roles with Compaq.  He began his IT career more than 20 years ago at IBM New Zealand.

Pat Rossiter - Hyperion Management Services

Pat Rossiter has over 35 years experience in information technology, and has operated as a senior manager, IT consultant and project manager for the past 24 years in New Zealand.  Pat started as a COBOL developer in the Canadian Army, and advanced to senior analyst positions before leaving Canada. 

Pat’s experience has covered the mainframe, mini- and microcomputer environments, communication systems, software development, project management in private and public companies, professional services firms, and local and central government agencies.

Pat has recently specialized in advice and project management of information technology and communication infrastructure, data networking and electronic mail systems, computer and network security and systems continuity planning and implementation.  Pat’s company is a founding General Member of NZICT.

Pat has in the past been a board member of DECUS Australasia and an international board member of NetWare Users International.

Rhoda Holmes

Rhoda Holmes has an extensive background in the telecommunications and ICT industries in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Currently running her own consulting business, Raghnall Ltd, she was formally CEO of Optimation New Zealand. She has over 20 years of industry experience, including 7 years leading key aspects of Telecom/Gen-i’s Transtasman ICT business.  Rhoda holds an MSC in Telecommunications Engineering and Business Management, and is a Director of Kordia Solutions.

Tony Skelton - ACE Training and Development

Tony is the Managing Director and co-owner of ACE Training and Development Ltd and has been with ACE over ten years. Tony has a marketing and accounting background and prior to joining ACE he was one of the pioneers of the Kiwifruit Industry and has held senior management positions with Fletcher Challenge. Tony established a multilingual New Zealand wide tourism radio network, which was sold prior to joining ACE.

ACE, who is celebrating its 22nd year, is the largest and most diversified private computer training company in New Zealand with branches in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. ACE is an NZQA accredited PTE and is approved by the TEC for student loans and by the government for international student enrolments and is a signatory to the Ministry of Education Code of Practice.

Tony is on the policy and employers forums of the EMA (Northern) and is a member of the Directors Institute Inc.  

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