Our Speakers

Pooyan oversees Domain’s data, analytics, business intelligence, and AI strategies. Pooyan’s team is dedicated to providing seamless access to data and analytics across the business and supports teams to solve their complex problems with the help of data. His team also actively provides cutting edge AI and BI solutions to internal and external stakeholders. Before joining Domain in 2015, Pooyan was Director of Analytics Products for HLA Global, working with a number of high-profile healthcare organisations such as Cancer Council of Australia and centre of disease control (CDC) in the United States to provide cutting edge AI solutions for the medical sector.

I am a seasoned data leader with over 25 years of experience in data and analytics across various industries, including financial services, insurance, healthcare, and utilities. As the General Manager of Data Office at Allianz Australia, I am responsible for creating and executing enterprise data strategies that enable data driven insights and AI to deliver value through growth, efficiency, and risk management.

My core competencies are in data strategy, data governance, analytics, and emerging data management technologies. I have a proven track record of building and leading high-performing data teams, managing complex and diverse data ecosystems, developing stakeholder relationships, and delivering portfolio outcomes. I am also a TOGAF certified professional and an executive sponsor of gender equality. My mission is to help keep brands relevant in today’s dynamic digital environment, so they lead their industry in the digital transformation.

Jon Whittle is Director of CSIRO’s Data61, the digital and data science arm of Australia’snational science agency. With around 1000 staff and affiliates, Data61 is one of the largestcollections of R&D expertise in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science in the world. Data61partners with over 200 industry and government organisations, over 30 Universities, andworks across vertical sectors in manufacturing, health, agriculture, and the environment.Prior to joining Data61, Jon was Dean of the Faculty of Information Technology at MonashUniversity.

Samrat Seal is a seasoned Technology Executive and transformation leader, known for shaping enterprise-wide AI and digital “North Star” strategies that deliver secure, scalable, and measurable business outcomes. With deep expertise spanning across digital technology landscape including Unified AI Platforms-as-a-Service, Agentic AI, AI governance, AI FinOps, AI Security, he advises boards and executive teams on building trusted, cost-optimised, and regulation-ready AI ecosystems. He has led multi-million-dollar portfolios with full P&L accountability, translating complex business priorities into future-ready platforms across AI, cloud, cybersecurity, and digital engineering, generating multi-million dollar cash flow and enterprise value over the past decade. Samrat is recognised for embedding secure-by-design architecture, metrics-driven transformation, and strong platform governance into mission-critical environments, while orchestrating cross-functional ecosystems to optimise risk, value, and innovation at scale. A people-centric leader, he builds high-performance teams and sustainable operating models that consistently outperform enterprise benchmarks, enabling organisations to adopt AI with confidence, resilience, and long-term strategic impact.

Mike is the Chief Data & Analytics Officer at the Australian Digital Health Agency who is driving the agency’s data strategy, analytics infrastructure and research program to ensure everyone’s data is trusted, secure and used safely to improve patient accessibility, outcomes and experience.

Digital health has become a vital part of a modern, accessible healthcare system designed to meet the needs of all Australians. While Mike has been fortunate through his career to have worked on initiatives generating opportunities for people to realise their potential across various sectors, Mike recognises that without good health, people are unable to take on these opportunities.

Previously Mike was a senior executive with a portfolio delivering various research, digital and data initiatives for the NSW Department of Education’s Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation. Having seen the impact education and engagement have on both individuals and businesses alike, Mike brings a passion for helping learners, young and not so young, transition to a world through lifelong learning which is getting more and more complex with issues such as Industry 4.0 and the future of work.

Prior to joining the public sector, Mike worked for 10 years in the Australian Big 4 Banks in senior executive roles leading business lines undergoing major customer experience transformations in product innovation, omnichannel service delivery, organisational design, agile transformation, digitisation and data science strategy. His roles have encompassed leading end-to-end game changers, from the strategy, manufacture and service, of market-fit solutions that represent the voice of the customer.

A keen advocate in maximising the potential, well-being and activating leadership from every individual, Mike is also a SAFe Practice Consultant, Prosci Change Professional and IECL Accredited Coach.

John Roese is Global Chief Technology Officer and Chief AI Officer at Dell Technologies. He is responsible for establishing the company’s future-looking technology strategy, accelerating AI adoption for Dell and its customers and establishing Dell as the undisputed thought leader in the emerging area of Enterprise AI.

He fosters a culture of innovation keeping Dell at the forefront of the industry while anticipating customers’ technology needs before they arise. From multicloud to AI, 5G, edge, data management and security, John and his team are responsible for navigating the latest technology inflection points, accelerating AI-driven outcomes and scaling generative AI initiatives that lead to human progress.

John has a passion for going places nobody else has been and his career has mirrored this passion with moves across almost every technology domain, from enterprise to telecom to semiconductors to security. Prior to joining Dell in 2012, John was the CTO,
CIO, CMO, GM and leader of several technology companies including Nortel, Broadcom, Futurewei, Enterasys and Cabletron systems.

John is an established public speaker, published author and holds more than 20 pending and granted patents in areas such as policy-based networking, location-based services and security. He was recently named #1 on AI Magazine’s list of Top 10 Chief
AI Officers. In addition to his leadership at Dell, John plays a significant role in the broader ecosystem, including company, industry, government and academic boards. He currently serves on the Xerox, Purdue Research Foundation and Open Source Software
Foundation boards. In the past, he has served as a board member for ATIS, OLPC, Blade Networks, Pingtel, Bering Media, Nexoya, Cloud Foundry, Federal Communications Commission CSRIC 8 and the NYU Wireless Industry Advisory Board.

Ajay has over 17 years of experience in the software industry, with a strong track record across the insurance, banking, and government sectors. Known for his ability to bridge the gap between technical teams and business stakeholders, Ajay acts as a conduit between strategy and execution. He has a deep interest in driving business transformation through emerging technologies and is currently focused on leading InfoTrack’s AI evolution journey through the delivery of MCP services. 

He began his career as a software engineer and has since acted in a range of roles, including Engineering Manager and Product Manager, giving him a well-rounded perspective across both technology and business domains. 

Simon is author of “The AI Empowered Customer Experience”, hosts podcasts on CX and AI, and was named in the 2024 CX Top 50 Global Influencers to follow. Based in Melbourne Australia, Simon is a CX and AI futurologist who presents to audiences around the world and works with company boards and C-suite executives to help them better understand where the AI opportunities lie for their businesses, and how they can get started with effective and ethical AI adoption. He is a divergent thinker who creates unique ideas and solutions, often finding the hidden opportunities for businesses to innovate now and win in the future.

The journey from a promising AI pilot to enterprise-wide industrialisation is the single greatest challenge facing data and AI leaders today.

Hear from Professor Danny Liu, the visionary behind Cogniti, who will unpack the story of how a grassroots movement in a university became a blueprint for scaling AI, with over 2,500 agents now deployed across Australia. He will share the critical lessons learned in identifying high-value use cases by focusing on a principle that transcends any single domain: empowering experts to scale their unique human capabilities.

Discover how this approach, first proven in education, is now inspiring solutions for public interest, community services, and complex professional fields. Learn how he fostered a culture of innovation and built a governance framework that empowers, rather than restricts. A practical look at how to close the AI readiness gap and operationalise AI for measurable ROI.

Jim is well known in the local market for delivering on his promise and his entire career has been spent connecting the right people at the right time in roles across Europe, China and Australia.

He founded ADAPT to deliver quality outcomes with integrity and now in our 8th year, growth has been consistent. Jim is still positioned across sales and account management where he delivers innovative results and programs and leads by example.

He also runs entrepreneurial product development and the evolution and clear differentiated value of ADAPT’s offerings. As well as a NSW Small Business Excellence nomination, ADAPT were 55th in BRW’s 2014 Top 100 Start Ups – Jim’s 3rd time there – previously as Founder of Strategic Path, an award-winning ICT publisher, he steered the company to make the list in both 2009 and 2010.

Gabby’s primary role is managing ADAPT’s overall strategy for Data Analytics. He has extensive experience in using data to identify trends in technology that help shape Australian organisations. Utilising modern Data Science techniques, he provides ADAPT and their customers with confidence in the accuracy and validity of the information used for ADAPT’s Research, Advisory, and Events.​

With a passion for creating stories with data, Gabby is consistently rated as one of the top speakers at ADAPT Events. In round table discussions, he specialises in using statistics to initiate thought-provoking discussions. Gabby is effective in translating information into insights, enabling ADAPT’s customers to become more data-driven.​

Gabby’s primary areas of expertise are: ​

• Advanced AI and ML practices, including AI ethics.​
• Building models to benchmark and predict IT performance.​
• End-user behaviour and human-centred design.​
• Cross-functional team design and value, such as DevSecOps.​

As Director of Strategic Research at ADAPT Matt Boon, is responsible for directing and developing ADAPTs research content and positions. In his role at ADAPT Boon advises C-Suite executives across the end-user and technology provider landscape. Boon is also responsible for bringing together groups of C-Suite leaders to discuss and prepare for the myriad of challenges and opportunities they face.

ADAPT host’s numerous industry leading IT focused events annually and Boon is responsible for hosting, chairing and delivering ADAPT independent content and positions to help attendees make informed IT decisions.