The New Zealand Tech Alliance is a group of independent technology associations from across New Zealand that work together to ensure a strong voice for technology.
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Championing diversity and inclusion
Kia ora,
Thanks to COVID-19, we are amid a digital revolution and changing the way the world does business. Technology is supporting the industries and people who are being disrupted throughout society. However, the tech sector fails to reflect the diversity of the world it is enabling.
In a committed move to address this long standing issue, NZTech campaigned for more diverse candidates to consider standing for its Board. The message was well received and NZTech’s new board is now the most diverse the sector has ever seen. This puts us in a better position to help the tech ecosystem, and New Zealand, adapt and evolve in the COVID era.
The new board members are Delphine Ducaruge from Orbica, Duane Grace from Edusystems, Jannat Maqbool from Ecosystm and Mahsa Mohaghegh from AUT.
They join Anand Ranchord from Kiwibank; Anthony Watson from ANZ; Belinda Allen from Orion Health; Eva Sherwood from Deloitte; Kaye Maree Dunn from Āhau; Mike Smith from IBM; Nicole Upchurch from Centrality; and Mitchell Pham from the Augen Software Group and chair of the Digital Council for Aotearoa New Zealand.
With three Maori tech leaders on the board – Kaye Maree Dunn, Belinda Allen and Duane Grace – the organisation is well placed to continue evolving, to support better inclusion in the sector. The NZTech board also includes seven women, with three in their 30s, spread across New Zealand including Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch.
Maori and Pasifika tech success will be a critical driver of economic wellbeing for all New Zealanders in coming years, presenting opportunities for the development of new tech businesses, new jobs and the creation of globally unique New Zealand tech. It is critically important that our tech ecosystem is diverse and inclusive as we enable the Kiwi’s that are trying to embrace digital empowerment and transformation.
NZTech is working with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) on the development of an Industry Transformation Plan designed to further increase the growth of the tech sector, to help our economic recovery by increasing exports and jobs. Work is currently underway to support the development of digital skills, Maori tech success, Government use of technology, developing an AI strategy, data driven innovation and telling the New Zealand tech story to the world.
We would love to see more people from throughout New Zealand involved in these initiatives, so if you believe in the opportunity for tech to create a prosperous New Zealand, please reach out.
Next week, we will be running the national digital skills survey (last surveyed in 2017) to establish a new baseline of current digital skills in the market and identifying required skills. Your help is essential, so please look out for the survey and share your story.
Have a great week!
Ngā mihi
Graeme Muller
CEO
NZTech
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