5 AUGUST 2026 | NZICC, AUCKLAND
Where enterprise
tech gets real.
Built for technology professionals, join us for a full day of live demonstrations, candid talks and the conversations that actually move organisations forward — Discover solutions and join the TechTalk sessions completely free.
— WHY ATTEND
five hours, endless opportunities
Built for senior tech professionals, the New Zealand CIO Innovation Expo bringsdecision-makers and practitioners shaping enterprise technology across NZ’s public and private sectors.
real insights -
NZ perspective
Case studies grounded in New Zealand context — our scale, our constraints, and our unique opportunity as an early-adopter nation.
live tech
demos
See emerging technologies in action across AI, data, quantum readiness and digital infrastructure. Not slide decks — working solutions.
NETWORK WITH TOP TECH PROS
Connect with CIOs, CDOs and technology leaders from across NZ’s public and private sectors in a focused, high-trust environment.
Solutions & giveaways
Walk the expo floor, get hands-on with solutions built to solve your biggest challenges. Leave with more than just ideas – score some giveaways and offers you won’t find anywhere else
— CASE STUDIES & TECH SHOWCASE —
TECHtalk STAGE
The TechTalk Stage is where real-world innovation takes centre stage.
Tech Talk Stage is a dynamic platform within the expo area, designed for short, practical sessions that bring real-world technology stories to life. It showcases how organisations are applying digital, data and emerging technologies to solve problems, improve operations and drive innovation. Focused on experience-led insights rather than theory — short, sharp and zero filler.
Rishad Paul Smartt
Senior Manager | Risk & Compliance
Fidelity Life
Jason Wood
Chair
ISACA Auckland
Sarah Cawsey
General Manager Data Services
Auckland Council
Abbie Stevens
Digital Transformation Manager
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners
ANDY HIGGS
Executive Director
Digital Identity New Zealand
TECHtalk agenda
9:30am
Know Your Agent: Identity, Delegated Authority and Trust in the AI-Driven Enterprise
Andy Higgs
Executive director
DIGITAL IDENTITY NEW ZEALAND
9:50am
industry insight - To be confirmed
- The rise of AI-enabled attacks and autonomous threat actors
- The convergence of cyber, financial and operational risk
- What boards and executives now expect from cyber leaders
- The interplay of cyber risk with geopolitical events across the globe
AMIT GUPTA
CEO & FOUNDER
ECOSYSTM GROUP
10:10am
TRUST BY DESIGN: HOW DO WE ASSURE AI WITHOUT SLOWING INNOVATION?
This session explores how technology and innovation are reshaping economies, industries, and competitive advantage. Drawing on insights from high growth companies, global markets, and emerging innovation ecosystems, the session highlights what CIOs should be paying attention to now, from shifts in digital capability and AI adoption to the evolving role of technology leadership in driving organisational success. The session offers a forward-looking perspective on where technology is heading in 2027 and what it means for CIOs shaping strategy today.
Rishad Paul Smartt
Senior Manager, Risk & Compliance
Fidelity Life
JASON WOOD
Chair
ISACA Auckland
10:30am
MORNING BREAK
11:00am
MAKING DATA USEFUL BEYOND THE ANALYTICS TEAM
- How leading NZ organisations are quantifying cyber risk
- Communicating risk to boards, executives and regulators
- Aligning cyber risk with enterprise risk management frameworks
sarah cawsey
General Manager Data Services
Auckland Council
11:20am
series of industry insights - to be confirmed
- Managing risk across cloud, SaaS and hybrid environments
- Governing AI use without slowing innovation
- Building secure-by-design digital ecosystems
tbc
CEO & FOUNDER
ECOSYSTM GROUP
12:20pm
Platinum sponsor address
- Managing risk across cloud, SaaS and hybrid environments
- Governing AI use without slowing innovation
- Building secure-by-design digital ecosystems
tbc
CEO & FOUNDER
ECOSYSTM GROUP
12:40PM
LUNCH BREAK
1:40Pm
industry insights - to be confirmed
Peer-to-peer discussions with practical, real-world insights.
Round 1: 1:30 – 2:10
Round 2: 2:15 – 2:55
Example topics:
- Managing third-party and supply chain cyber risk in NZ
- AI governance: balancing innovation with control
- Cyber risk in critical infrastructure and essential services
- Ransomware resilience: preparation, response and recovery
- Embedding cyber risk into enterprise risk and audit functions
- Building a cyber-aware executive and board culture
- Data protection, privacy and regulatory readiness
2:00Pm
Quantum Readiness: What technology leaders need to know before the next wave
How do leaders build tech teams that not only keep up with rapid innovation? This session looks at the structures, skills, and ways of working that enable teams to deliver results in a fast-moving, high-pressure environment.
Jevon Longdell
QTA Science Lead and Principal Investigator
Te Whai Ao - Dodd-Walls Centre
2:20Pm
industry insights - to be confirmed
- What actually happens in the first 24–72 hours
- Decision making at executive and board level
- Managing legal, regulatory and reputational fallout
Vinod Bidarkoppa
Former EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & CTO
WALMART INTERNATIONAL
2:40Pm
Transformation Fatigue: Keeping teams engaged through continuous change
- Designing for resilience, not just defence
- Business continuity in digital-first environments
- Aligning cyber, legal, communications and operations in real time
- The leadership behaviours and signals that define resilience in 2026 and beyond
Abbie Stevens
Digital Transformation Manager
The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners
5 AUGUST 2026 | NZICC, AUCKLAND
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Spots fill fast. Secure your place at New Zealand’s premier technology expo and join hundreds of senior leaders for a day that cuts through the noise.
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