The Ultimate Guide to Digital Transformation
A curated Kiwi edition of IndustrialDay news, analysis, interviews, reviews, job moves, and related resources for Digital Transformation.
What to know about Digital Transformation
Digital Transformation is a pivotal topic shaping the future of business, technology, and society. This extensive collection of stories highlights how organisations across industries and regions are navigating the complexities of digital change, leveraging emerging technologies such as AI, cloud computing, IoT, and automation to enhance operations, customer experiences, and competitive advantage.
From global expansions and strategic partnerships to AI-driven innovations and challenges involving legacy systems, skills gaps, and cybersecurity, the narratives offer deep insights into the multifaceted nature of digital transformation. Readers can explore case studies of enterprises revamping their infrastructure, government initiatives accelerating digital services, and the evolving roles of leadership in driving technology adoption.
Engaging with these stories will provide readers with a broad understanding of current trends, practical strategies, and forward-looking perspectives essential for thriving in an increasingly digital world. Whether you’re a business leader, IT professional, or technology enthusiast, this tag offers valuable knowledge on embracing transformation to foster resilience, innovation, and growth.
Kiwi Digital Transformation News
Regional stories with direct local relevance
NZ CIO of the Year 2026 - Tighe Wall on trust, culture and the cost of holding to strategy
Trust and culture, not technology, powered Contact Energy's transformation, delivering a 30% cost-to-serve cut and 100,000 new customers.
Salesforce & Anthropic launch Claudeforce partnership
Sales teams will soon be able to query live Salesforce data inside Claude as the pair deepen an AI tie-up across CRM and Slack.
MSP buyers focus on margins as AI reshapes M&A market
Private equity buyers are valuing managed service providers on recurring revenue and gross margins as AI uncertainty slows technology dealmaking.
Inde appoints Nish Sudhakaran as AI & data director
The hire bolsters Inde's push into AI and data services as New Zealand firms grapple with governance and security before deployment.
Architecture doesn't need AI to transform it; it needs AI to make it calmer
Routine design admin is where AI is already easing pressure on architects, leaving more time for judgement, care and client work.
Workday joins New Zealand government digital marketplace
Eligible New Zealand agencies can now buy Workday software through a pre-vetted channel, potentially speeding procurement and reducing risk.
Analyst Insights
Research and market analysis connected to Digital Transformation
Gartner sees securing AI market hit USD $4.8bn in 2027
Certinia study finds integration key to AI success
SRE teams take on wider AI oversight in production
Progress survey finds firms lose USD $60,000 yearly
Everpure named Gartner leader for enterprise storage
Featured News
Trusted identity cuts across physical and logical systems
Unified identity systems can cut admin overhead and shrink attack surfaces as remote work and cyber threats blur physical and digital access.
Rimini Street offers AI magic without the forced ERP migration
CIOs can keep existing ERP systems and still adopt agentic AI, as Rimini Street pitches a cheaper path away from vendor-led migrations.
Customers at the centre of Adobe's new AI evangelist role
Adobe is using the post to help customers navigate AI adoption while feeding regional priorities back into its global product strategy.
Jamf launches AI Governance to enhance visibility, security
IT teams can now track AI models on Apple fleets to curb data leaks and token spend as businesses wrestle with shadow AI.
Zendesk's outcome-based pricing balances AI with human touch
Businesses will pay only for closed support cases under Zendesk's new model, as the software group ties AI automation to human fallback.
Cvent says event success lies in genuine human interaction
Hybrid formats are helping organisers broaden reach without losing the in-room relationships that still drive trust, leads and donations.
AI will fade, says Dell Technologies' ephemeral Chief AI Officer
Dell says agentic AI should shift routine tasks below the machine line, freeing staff for expert work while making the role temporary.
Schrodinger's ERP both dead and alive, says Rimini Street
Businesses can avoid costly ERP rip-and-replace projects by layering AI and automation onto existing systems, Rimini Street says.
AI adoption races ahead of governance in businesses
Only one in six staff are getting enough AI training, leaving firms exposed to poor decisions, shadow tools and weak returns.
ClickHouse customer base soars on back of AI demand
AI agents are driving a sharp rise in demand for the real-time data platform, which added 1000 customers early in 2026 to top 4000.
SUSE targets Australia's industrial edge to drive growth
Australian miners, shippers and utilities could be next to benefit as SUSE pushes edge computing and AI inference beyond data centres.
Measure/demonstrate: TechnologyOne boosts council digital transformation
Councils are being urged to track savings and focus on improvement after software roll-outs, as one New Zealand authority cuts ERP ownership costs by 38%.
Fresh perspective: New Gentrack CTO on AI-driven utility future
AI tools could cut utility costs and reduce customer friction as Gentrack's new Chief Technology Officer pushes a more proactive service model.
Check Point CTO on AI's double-edged sword
AI is shrinking the gap between vulnerability disclosure and real-world exploitation to hours, forcing security teams to adapt fast.
Meet the man behind the Saas-Pocalypse: Emergent's Mukund Jha
The new cash will help Emergent broaden from coding tools into an operating system for small and medium businesses as demand surges.
Resilience over prevention as AI reshapes security landscape
Rising ransomware speed is pushing ANZ firms to increase spending on recovery strategies as AI gives attackers new ways in.
Check Point: Be the best, or get out the way
Rising AI-driven attacks are compel security buyers to cut vendor sprawl, though Check Point warns over-consolidation can still raise risk.
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Check Point: Hackers are already in. Act accordingly
Hackers are exploiting vulnerabilities in hours or minutes, leaving many organisations compromised before defenders spot the breach.
Future of enterprise software is agentic apps, says Oracle
Oracle is targeting a common blocker to AI adoption by adding governance, human checks and audit trails to its agentic app builder.
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OnBoard says board AI policy key, but lags behind in adoption
Most boards are using AI, but formal guidelines are still missing as adoption races ahead of governance, OnBoard's survey found.
Archaic payment processes costing SMEs time and money
Australian SMEs are missing working capital gains as manual invoicing and EFTs leave payments slower and less secure.
SiteHive gains traction with unblinking eyes on the job
Construction firms can now monitor dust, noise and weather remotely, helping avoid delays and environmental breaches across hundreds of sites.
Agentic AI creates enterprise challenge beyond LLM boom
Enterprises face rising costs and governance gaps as thousands of AI agents begin operating alongside staff across multiple systems.
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CorPlan launches CoreEPM: Rapid return AI-powered Business Intelligence
By replacing spreadsheets and manual finance work, the new platform aims to cut months-long implementation times and free staff for higher-value tasks.
AI reshaping cybersecurity - on defence and attack
Criminals are using AI to scale phishing and hunt flaws faster, forcing firms to harden defences as alert volumes and risks rise.
Reducing cyber risk is still hard: Why CTEM stalls at action
Security teams are still struggling to turn vulnerability alerts into fixes, leaving companies exposed for months when IT and operations must act separately.
Don't lose the human connection in AI-supported recruitment
Human judgement is becoming more valuable as AI screens CVs, with candidates wary of being reduced to data points and overlooked for potential.
UiPath assisting One NZ on journey to become AI leaders
Strict controls are now central to One NZ's AI push as it guards customer data and avoids costly errors in billing and finance.
'Lack of support' as Australia lags behind on blockchain
Years of regulatory delay risk leaving Australia behind as tokenised assets and digital investment platforms gather pace.
Data storage gets profitable as Exaba targets US expansion
Exaba's local cloud storage pitch could give US managed services providers higher margins as it challenges AWS and Azure in a crowded market.
Banks face AI balancing act as regulation tempers uptake
Australia's banks are steadily increasing their use of artificial intelligence, but regulation and data security fears are tempering adoption.
Data-driven transport: The future is here
Australia's truck driver shortage is set to triple by 2029, pushing fleets towards data tools that could make autonomy viable.
How the 'human hour' mentality influences the future of tech
AI pilots are faltering where firms still judge success by hours saved, leaving customer value and workforce design unresolved.
Tech reinvent as Hejaz teases 'Wahda' superapp launch
Weeks before a planned August debut, the app aims to entice more than 2 billion Muslims with chat, video and faith-based AI tools.
Hype growing - but SMEs still face barriers to AI adoption
Small firms risk falling behind unless they adopt AI for practical gains, as SMEC AI says many are still confused by the technology.
'Smart people changing': How humans and agentic AI co-exist
Governance fears and skills gaps are pushing businesses to deploy agentic AI in secure systems while protecting staff from disruption.
Exabeam: Ruthless efficiency can make agentic AI malicious
Behavioural analytics is becoming essential as AI agents can pursue tasks so efficiently that they may cause damage without any malicious intent.
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Digidentity helping companies navigate AI fraud challenges
AI-driven fraud is pushing healthcare, government and carmakers to tighten identity checks as remote transactions spread worldwide.
New Zealand 'ingenuity' driving Lightspeed's global success
Auckland's engineers are shaping Lightspeed's products worldwide, as the company expands AI tools and keeps key leadership in New Zealand.
Visibility can shield you against $15k/min downtime
Blind spots in monitoring are pushing outage bills higher, with Splunk estimating average downtime now costs USD $15,000 a minute.
How Invetech and McGrathNicol modernised with SAP S/4 HANA
The move has cut month-end work and lifted invoice processing, while avoiding costly customisation and easing future upgrades.
Workday GO offers growth potential for mid-sized enterprises
Australian and New Zealand mid-sized firms will gain faster deployments and real-time people, payroll and finance insights from Workday GO.
Clean Core and governed AI enable SAP success
Australian firms can avoid costly upgrade pain and AI risks by pairing Clean Core with governed data and trusted partners.
Conference Room Audio Should Be Managed Like Enterprise IT
Better network oversight is letting firms scale meeting rooms, boost uptime and add AI captions, transcription and analytics.
Exclusive: Reco COO on securing the AI inside your SaaS stack
Reco COO Zoe Hillenmeyer says enterprises typically underestimate their AI agent exposure by a factor of ten and that gap is widening.
Certes says be ready to protect data before Q Day hits
Only 3% of Australian businesses have started preparing for post-quantum cryptography, leaving sensitive data exposed to harvest-now, decrypt-later attacks.
Dext: Transformative AI made easy for accountants and bookkeepers
Accountants could cut errors and save time as Dext AI Assist brings prompt-based automation to bookkeeping workflows.
Expert Columns
Architecture doesn't need AI to transform it; it needs AI to make it calmer
Why data management will make or break your RISE with SAP migration
Why adding more security tools could make businesses less secure
AI is testing the limits of Zero Trust
The energy advantage: The next growth opportunity for Australia and New Zealand
5 common data governance pitfalls and how to fix them
Why the next phase of industrial AI will be measured in uptime, energy savings and output
Trusted, real-time customer context: The foundation for faster decisions
Breaking through the spreadsheet ceiling: Why growing export businesses need better tax solutions
Modern data teams: key roles, structures and data quality
Interviews
Interviews and video coverage from the networkRecent Digital Transformation News
Slack launches code channels for AI software teams
Shared code channels could keep AI-assisted development visible to whole teams, with human sign-off still needed before production releases.
iGoDirect names Greg Duncan to lead New Zealand push
The appointment comes as iGoDirect targets faster growth in New Zealand's expanding corporate gift card market, forecast at NZD $2.25 billion by 2028.
The human side of being future ready
Cyber defences falter when staff know the rules but still fail to act, making psychology as important as software for resilience.
New Zealand health providers face rising care pressures
Ageing demand, labour shortages and higher costs are forcing providers to tighten planning and reporting to keep services sustainable.
ClubManager launches New Zealand platform for clubs
Independent clubs in New Zealand can now access local support as ClubManager targets operators seeking tighter admin and higher member retention.
AI search answers vary widely across major platforms
A New Zealand study found users can get markedly different brand recommendations from ChatGPT, Google AI Mode and Microsoft Copilot.
Accenture Song finds Kiwi brands still failing promises
A new survey suggests customer frustration is nudging more New Zealand shoppers towards AI tools, even as brands struggle to rebuild trust.
REANNZ signs cyber resilience pact with Asia-Pacific
Cross-border research could face slower recovery from cyber attacks, as network operators agree to share contacts, lessons and support before crises hit.
NRC explores how AI could boost council services and decision-making
The review could identify quick wins for Northland residents, while weighing privacy, security and ethical risks before any rollout.
New Zealand data centre strategy backs AI expansion
Growing use of cloud and AI is driving demand for local processing, as the sector warns New Zealand risks relying on offshore systems.
Companies must adapt to rising AI costs, tech CEO says
Rising token-based charges and compliance risks are forcing firms to monitor AI agents more closely, Fusion5's chief executive says.
Xero cuts phone bill by USD $500,000 after Dialpad switch
Unified cloud telephony has saved the accounting software group about USD $500,000 a year and simplified calls for 1,400 staff worldwide.
BoardPro launches AI Minutes for board meeting drafts
Board secretaries could cut hours of post-meeting admin as the new drafting tool works from Zoom and Teams transcripts, with human approval still required.
Aderant & First AML link compliance into law firms' workflow
Law firms using both systems can now cut handoffs and duplicate data entry as AML checks move inside their core practice management workflow.
New Zealand adds Applied Intelligent Systems subject
Students will learn to work with AI tools across multiple industries as New Zealand broadens senior secondary options to match labour-market demand.
Microsoft appoints Nick Walton as NZ Managing Director
The appointment strengthens Microsoft's push in New Zealand as businesses weigh AI adoption, cloud investment and data-residency demands.
New Zealand lenders adopt AI amid data readiness gap
Most lenders still lack the data quality and governance needed to trust AI, even as 76% use it for credit and fraud decisions.
Civil Contractors New Zealand conference heads to Wellington
With more than 600 delegates expected, the event will put transport, procurement and pipeline concerns in front of election-year politicians.
SiteHost launches local AI platform for New Zealand
Businesses wary of offshore AI will be able to keep requests in New Zealand, with usage-based billing and no upfront fee.
Your biggest competitor may have already launched, you've just never heard of them
Banks risk being blindsided by new digital finance firms that are already moving money faster and attracting users beyond the old model.
Job Moves
Inde appoints Nish Sudhakaran as AI & data director
iGoDirect names Greg Duncan to lead New Zealand push
Microsoft appoints Nick Walton as NZ Managing Director
One New Zealand names CFO, CTO in executive succession
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Tax Traders appoints Chloe Kyrke-Smith as Head of Product
Dentsu Aotearoa launches technology practice with Knox
HP New Zealand appoints Daniel Roberts as Head of Enterprise
Spectrum Consulting names Darryl van Rensburg for AI drive
Inde appoints Matthew Flatt as Technical Director of Data
