2024 saw earnings growth for Datacom, our largest home-grown IT services firm (55% owned by the rich-list Holdsworth family and 45% by the NZ Super Fund) as its 6328 staff helped customers navigate emerging technologies.
How would you describe 2024 for your business?
It’s been a year oftransformation. Not only have we streamlined our operations, making Datacom simpler and more efficient to work with, we’ve also evolved our service offerings to ensure they meet the changing needs of our customers.
This year has been about resilience, adaptability, and laying a strong foundation for our future success, and I’m incredibly proud of the way our team has come together to create a more future-fit Datacom.
What will be your biggest business challenges in 2025?
The biggest challenge for 2025 will be ensuring we recognise and seize the opportunity for relevance and growth.
We’re coming off the back of some challenging years due to the pandemic and constrained economic environment.
Now more than ever, we believe technology has a significant role to play helping to boost the economy and support local businesses – whether that be by enhancing customer engagement and experiences, driving improved performance through smart use of tech, better use of data to extract valuable insights and support strategic decision-making, or providing the support organisations need to help defend themselves against the growing number of online threats.
View from the top: Staff in Datacom’s office in the Asteron Building in Wellington. Photo / Mark Mitchell
What opportunities do you see in 2025?
The major opportunity we have as a company, sector and a country is to seize the opportunity we have with artificial intelligence (AI).
AI has the potential to transform New Zealand economically with much-needed and significant gains in productivity.
We’ve been focused on developing the capability to drive AI-enabled efficiency in the services we provide to our customers (largely automation and experience-focused), but also help customers navigate their own AI journey, helping with selecting the right value-focused use cases, deploying the right technology, managing the risks and building their own capability.
2025 is the year in which we can see the value from deploying AI.
What will it take to kick-start New Zealand’s economy?
Firstly, we need confidence, and it’s building. We must set bold productivity ambitions to drive progress and the right economic settings to drive growth.
AI and automation can be major drivers for productivity, so my biggest call – following on from the AI opportunities outlined above – is to make sure New Zealand is not being left behind, and that requires industry and Government to get on board.
Our State of AI Index research this year showed that of those companies which had implemented some form of AI, 80% were seeing a tangible positive impact on operations.
If 2024 was about consolidation, efficiency and strong foundations, now we need to strive for growth. We need businesses expanding, Government investing, and we should back ourselves to get the economy growing and put in the mahi.
How will a Trump presidency affect the geopolitical dynamics?
I think the only certainty in geopolitics is more uncertainty. There is a lot of debate about whether the Trump administration will deliver on what was promised in the campaign; regardless, what we can see is an administration forming that will be different to anything we’ve seen before.
It’s potentially a time when being a small nation in a remote part of the world has its advantages. We can’t control the broader geopolitical landscape, we just need to be ready with agility to respond to what comes.
Inside Datacom's new Wellington offices, opened in November 2023 with an emphasis on meeting spaces. Photo / Mark Mitchell
What are the concrete actions your company has taken to reduce climate change?
We’ve committed to be net carbon-zero by 2030. We have relocated and refurbished multiple facilities to 5 Star Green Star office designs, which involves environmentally sustainable design principles in the water, heating, lighting, ventilation and energy management systems.
We’re powering our data centres with 100% renewable energy, and we’ve recently upgraded our fleet to hybrid electric cars. Since pre-Covid business operations, we have been reducing our travel emissions.
And as a technology company, we also place a strong emphasis on managing e-waste responsibly. Through our Datacom Asset Recovery Services, we assist our customers in meeting their sustainability targets by securely repurposing, donating, or disposing of e-waste.
How are you increasing diversity in your business?
I’m passionate about having a team at Datacom that mirrors the diversity of our communities in New Zealand.
I’ve learned over many years the key is pathways. We need Kiwis from all backgrounds and corners of our communities to be able to find a pathway from where they are in their life into a career in technology and places like Datacom.
They must also see the breadth of opportunities for them. They look at “tech” and think coding – we love our engineers but that’s not all we are. We have designers, data analysts, researchers, customer service roles and so much more.
One element of our approach is to partner to open up as many pathways into tech as possible. For example, we have an amazing long-term partnership with TupuToa, a collaboration that supports our shared passion for diversity, equity and inclusion, focused on young people from Māori and Pasifika backgrounds.
Another partnership helping to create pathways into tech and broader education opportunities is with First Foundation, which provides mentoring, access to paid work experience and funding support to help talented young Kiwis gain access to university – and we have a number of their talented scholars in our business.
It is not about ticking boxes – we’re seeking to build a vibrant culture in our industry where every voice is heard, and where our teams reflect the diversity of the communities we are serving and are part of the decisions and solutions that we’re making.
What is your New Year’s resolution?
I like to stay flexible and try to adjust my goals throughout the year as needed when it comes to New Year’s resolutions.
The key for me, really, is remaining motivated in whatever I decide, whether it’s to exercise more, eat healthier, or learn a new skill.
I do admire those who are able to stick to their resolutions despite the challenges life throws their way.
Where and how are you holidaying this summer?
This summer, I’ll be enjoying some time at our family bach on the Kāpiti Coast just north of Wellington.
It’s a special place for us, with the sound of the waves and no screens in sight. I think the beach at Peka Peka is one of Wellington region’s best-kept secrets, which I’ve now given away!
It’s a perfect blend of relaxation and adventure, paddle-boarding, swimming and surfing with perfect views of Kāpiti Island.
For me, it’s a chance to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of work and daily life, and reconnect with family, friends and the ride-on mower.
US actor and podcaster Dax Shepard. Photo / Getty Images
What would you recommend as a good podcast to listen to over summer?
I love a good podcast; one of my favourites this year has been The Rest is Politics, but in such an important political year globally, that’s probably a bit heavy for the summer.
A couple of other recommendations are The Armchair Expert, for which actor Dax Shephard interviews a broad range of interesting people, and The Howie Games. If you love sport, this is a good one.
