Explore top strategies from ADAPT 2024 Edge conferences, tackling AI, cyber security, and modernisation to drive digital transformation and resilience.

Australia’s tech landscape continues to evolve, with organisations navigating rapid digital transformation, disruptive technologies, and growing expectations for innovation and resilience.

Against this backdrop, ADAPT’s Edge conferences have become a vital forum for industry leaders to share cutting-edge strategies and actionable insights.

ADAPT 2024 Top 10 Presentations showcase how experts are addressing critical digital challenges, offering a roadmap for organisations to thrive in an increasingly digital-first world.

Key themes from these discussions include harnessing AI for transformative results, aligning technology initiatives with broader business goals, and fostering data-driven organisational cultures resilient to change.

Leaders explored strategies for driving operational efficiency, adopting agile methodologies, and modernising across sectors ranging from finance to infrastructure and cybersecurity.

These presentations not only highlight challenges but also provide practical solutions, equipping organisations with the tools and approaches needed to stay competitive in today’s rapidly shifting environment.

1. Equifax’s CISO calls for cyber security transformation through transparency and AI caution

Jamil Farshchi, CISO and CTO at Equifax, advocates for a collaborative and transparent approach to cyber security, viewed open disclosures of organisational cyber health as essential to building trust and resilience.

In a conversation with ADAPT’s Head of Programs & Value Engagement at Security Edge, he stressed that no organisation can face nation-state or criminal threats alone, urging CISOs to embrace transparency over “security by obscurity.” 

Jamil’s approach includes rigorous transparency measures, such as annual security reports, which aim to establish Equifax as a trusted entity post-breach.   

He encouraged partnerships, highlighting collaboration with government and industry peers as crucial for sharing threat intelligence and refining cyber defences. 

In addressing AI’s role in security, Jamil warned of emerging threats like deepfakes and AI-driven phishing but remains optimistic about AI’s potential to improve alert handling and risk management.  

He advised a cautious, phased adoption of AI, incorporating pilot tests and maintaining transparency to build trust in these new technologies. 

A crucial part of Equifax’s strategy also involves elevating cyber security from an operational to a strategic priority.

Jamil advocated regular board engagement to secure funding and embed cyber resilience as a core business objective. 

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2. Infrastructure Masons drive sustainable expansion to meet digital infrastructure demands

Dean Nelson, Founder and Chairman of Infrastructure Masons, shared a transformative vision for digital infrastructure growth at Cloud & Infrastructure Edge.

He predicts global digital infrastructure capacity could double within five years and triple within a decade, driven by generative AI and pandemic-era shifts.

With over $200 billion in projects across 30 countries, Infrastructure Masons are tackling power access, workforce shortages, and environmental challenges.

Dean highlights a looming shortfall of 300,000 workers by 2025, underscoring the need for sustainable strategies to achieve net-zero carbon goals.

Collaboration with tech giants like AWS, Google, and Microsoft focuses on reducing emissions through sustainable construction, carbon labeling, and clean energy zones.

He also emphasised the “social accord,” advocating for community-aligned infrastructure that balances economic, ecological, and social priorities.

Dean envisions a future where sustainable infrastructure becomes a global standard, addressing both growth and environmental impact.

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3. Evolved.AI CEO outlines practical strategy for second-wave AI adoption

At CIO Edge, Dr Michael Kollo, CEO of Evolved.AI, presented a practical strategy for organisations to harness the second wave of AI, urging leaders to move beyond hype and focus on tangible outcomes.

He outlined a structured four-stage approach to integrating generative AI, designed to help CIOs navigate this transformative technology effectively.

The journey begins with discovery, where organisations explore advanced AI models like GPT-4 to identify opportunities to enhance workflows.

Next, Michael emphasised defining specific AI applications, targeting areas like customer engagement and document management while addressing the broader economic impact on workforce dynamics.

Development focuses on balancing risk and opportunity, prioritising impactful use cases such as administrative support and financial analysis.

Deployment centres on easing employee concerns about job security through tailored training, fostering a collaborative culture that sees AI as an enabler rather than a threat.

By aligning AI adoption with organisational readiness, Michael’s approach ensures integration enhances productivity and drives responsible innovation without disrupting workplace harmony.

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4. Former Jetstar CIO and HivePix CEO explores AI and quantum computing’s potential to solve complex challenges

At Data & AI Edge, Claudine Ogilvie, former CIO at Jetstar and CEO of HivePix, highlighted how combining AI and quantum computing can address critical global challenges.

While generative AI has made significant advancements, its capabilities are limited by classical computing constraints.

Quantum computing, leveraging qubits and superposition, offers a path to overcome these barriers, enabling faster data processing and solving intricate problems.

Despite current hurdles like scalability and infrastructure requirements, Claudine anticipates breakthroughs within five years, driven by Australian government investments.

Key areas of impact include drug discovery, climate modelling, and financial optimisation.

She envisions hybrid models integrating quantum and classical systems to tackle pressing issues effectively.

Claudine predicts quantum computing will initially be offered as a service due to its complexity and cost, gradually becoming more accessible and transformative over the next decade.

With national security considerations accelerating progress, quantum computing is set to reshape industries and drive innovation globally.

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5. EU banking data leader outlines AI and data strategies for financial transformation

Dr Shivaji Dasgupta, Group Chief Data and Intelligence Officer for several EU banks, discussed at Data & AI Edge how modern data strategies can drive revenue and enhance customer experiences.

He stressed managing the entire data life cycle to control costs and improve quality while advocating for Chief Data Officers to take on broader responsibilities, enabling a shift to data-driven architectures powered by AI.

Dr Dasgupta highlighted AI’s role in financial applications like AML and ESG compliance, using anomaly detection to improve fraud prevention and monitoring.

He urged organisations to bypass traditional practices, invest in generative AI technologies, and build future-proof skills to position themselves as leaders in the evolving financial landscape.

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6. ADAPT’s Senior Research Director shares data-driven strategies to build resilient, AI-ready organisations

Matt Boon, Senior Research Director at ADAPT, shared pivotal findings from ADAPT’s 2024 surveys at Cloud and Infrastructure Edge, focusing on modernisation, collaboration, and resilience.

He revealed that only 52% of Australian companies consider themselves fully modernised, with barriers such as funding constraints, technical debt, and competing priorities hindering progress.

Matt emphasised aligning cyber and business resilience through unified strategies to strengthen organisational readiness.

Key priorities include cloud adoption, AI strategy development, and cost optimisation, areas where leading organisations demonstrate advanced capabilities.

He encouraged a proactive approach to overcoming challenges, leveraging data and AI strategies to enhance operational efficiency, profitability, and long-term resilience.

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7. Microsoft ANZ CTO shares strategies for building organisational agility for continuous innovation

Sarah Carney, National CTO at Microsoft ANZ, presented insights at ADAPT’s CIO Edge on fostering organisational agility in a rapidly evolving business landscape.

She emphasised the importance of embracing continuous innovation, adapting proactively rather than waiting for stability.

Highlighting Microsoft’s decade-long cultural transformation, Sarah credited their growth mindset culture—prioritising inclusivity and purpose-driven innovation—for fostering breakthroughs like Project Silica.

To embed innovation, she recommended empowering employees with tools like Power Apps to enable non-technical staff to contribute to solutions.

Sarah also advocated for creating structured spaces like hackathons and incubation teams to encourage collaboration and experimentation.

Addressing governance, she proposed placing flexible structures behind innovation to maintain security and ownership without stifling creativity.

This approach allows organisations to balance technological advancement with cultural adaptability, ensuring they remain agile and competitive in a fast-changing environment.

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8. Bendigo & Adelaide Bank drives transformation to strengthen customer value and digital innovation

Ryan Brosnahan, Chief Transformation Officer at Bendigo & Adelaide Bank, detailed the bank’s multi-phase transformation at ADAPT’s Digital Edge.

The bank restructured eight separate entities into a single streamlined operation, reducing redundancies and building a modernised foundation to enhance customer experiences.

A key innovation is Up, Bendigo’s digital neobank, which serves as a testing ground for customer-focused features like the Financial Sound System, resonating with younger audiences and boosting engagement.

Ryan emphasised that agility and customer-centricity enable Bendigo to compete effectively with larger banks, particularly through partnerships with fintechs in areas like home ownership and financial well-being.

The bank’s approach underscores its ability to meet diverse customer needs while maintaining flexibility.

Ryan highlighted ongoing priorities like tech debt management, AI integration, and data governance, all aimed at delivering a resilient, digitally-driven banking experience.

These initiatives position Bendigo as a forward-thinking challenger in the Australian financial sector.

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9. ADAPT’s Head of Analytics & Insights reveals data strategies to boost AI readiness

Gabby Fredkin, Head of Analytics & Insights at ADAPT, shared actionable insights from ADAPT’s latest survey on enhancing AI readiness through stronger data practices.

The findings highlight that while modernisation and security are top priorities, only 20% of CIOs feel prepared to fully leverage AI, exposing a significant readiness gap.

Organisations with robust data governance processes are four times more likely to be AI-ready, emphasising the importance of standardised practices.

Gabby also stressed the critical role of data literacy, noting that organisations with mature data literacy are nine times more prepared for AI adoption.

He recommended prioritising leadership-level literacy initiatives to create a data-fluent culture across the organisation.

Practical challenges like data quality and architecture need to be addressed to support AI initiatives.

Gabby urged organisations to adopt governance frameworks, foster executive relationships, and build cross-functional teams to align data strategies with business objectives. These steps can help organisations prepare for a more secure and efficient AI-driven future.

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10. Macquarie Bank’s multi-cloud strategy accelerates digital evolution in financial services

Jason O’Connell, CTO of Banking and Financial Services at Macquarie Group, detailed the bank’s advanced multi-cloud strategy, positioning it as a leader in digital banking innovation.

Operating 96% in the public cloud, Macquarie utilises Kubernetes and microservices to enhance agility and align cloud services with business goals.

Macquarie’s approach prioritises cloud-native services from multiple providers, enabling strategic flexibility to maximise resource efficiency.

Jason highlighted their adoption of a “no-ops” model, leveraging serverless and automated cloud-native services to minimise operational tasks and focus on higher-order innovations.

The bank’s internal developer platform enhances the developer experience, enabling teams to integrate AI technologies and scale them effectively across the organisation.

Macquarie also enforces a 90-day rebuild cycle to keep systems automated and optimised for performance.

By embedding features like vulnerability management and adopting a product-centric mindset, Macquarie ensures security and resilience while driving innovation.

This comprehensive strategy underscores Macquarie’s commitment to maintaining a dynamic and forward-thinking cloud infrastructure.

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ADAPT’s 2024 presentations highlighted the critical role of technology in addressing today’s business challenges.

From harnessing AI for innovation and sustainability to modernising infrastructure and aligning cloud strategies with business objectives, these discussions provided practical strategies for leaders across industries.

Themes of collaboration, resilience, and data-driven decision-making emphasised the need to integrate technology with organisational culture and strategic goals.

As industries face ongoing disruption, these insights offer a clear framework for driving innovation, growth, and agility in a rapidly evolving landscape.

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Contributors
Jamil Farshchi Chief Information Security Officer at Equifax (USA)
Named one of the most influential and innovative Chief Information Security Officers, Jamil has successfully addressed some of the industry’s most significant... More

Named one of the most influential and innovative Chief Information Security Officers, Jamil has successfully addressed some of the industry’s most significant security events (@HomeDepot), protected some of the government’s most sensitive information assets (@LANL), the economy’s most critical systems and networks (@VISA), and the world’s most innovative technologies (@NASA).

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Dean Nelson Chairman & Founder of Infrastructure Masons
Dean Nelson is the Founder and Chairman of Infrastructure Masons, an independent industry group of executive and technology professionals entrusted with building... More

Dean Nelson is the Founder and Chairman of Infrastructure Masons, an independent industry group of executive and technology professionals entrusted with building and operating the physical and logical structures of the Digital Age.

Dean has led $10B in infrastructure projects in 9 countries. His extensive architecture, engineering and operations experience includes 29 years in Hardware, 22 years in Network, 17 years in Infrastructure Software and 17 years in Data Centers. He has produced numerous award winning innovations in mission critical facilities and compute environments. He also holds four US patents.

Until 2019, Dean was Head of Uber Compute, at Uber. His team is responsible for Metal as a Service (MaaS) technical infrastructure (data center, compute, storage, network and infrastructure software) and business functions serving Uber’s global leading ridesharing business, as well as UberEats, UberFreight, UberHealth, UberForBusiness, and Autonomous vehicle and UberAir development.

Prior to Uber, Dean worked at Ebay Inc for 6 ½ years as the Vice President of Global Foundation Services, which served over 300 million active users enabling over $250Bn of enabled commerce volume annually. At end of his tenure at ebay, his team successfully integrated, then split ebay and paypal infrastructures into two independent internet companies. Prior to ebay, Dean worked at Sun Microsystems for 17 years in various technical, management and executive leadership roles in Manufacturing, Engineering, IT and Real Estate. His final project was the consolidation of Sun’s multi-billion dollar global technical infrastructure portfolio of over 1,000 facilities.

Dean is creator of the Digital Service Efficiency methodology, the first miles per gallon measurement for technical infrastructure, used to measure ebay.com as a single system. He served as the Chair of the Technology Business Management Council High Tech Workgroup, and Chairman & Founder of Data Center Pulse in 2009 – an exclusive datacenter owner community with over 9,000 members in 100 countries. In 2016, Dean founded Infrastructure Masons, an industry association where infrastructure professionals connect, grow and give back. Dean was identified by SearchDatacenter.com as one of the top five people who changed the data center. Dean is also the recipient of Sun’s prestigious Innovation Award, Modular DC Deployment award and Best DC Design award from Uptime Institute as well as the Operational Excellence and Infrastructure Trailblazer awards from The TBM Council and Outstanding Contributions to the Data Center Industry award from Data Center Dynamics.

In his personal time he gives back by building schools and dorms providing access to education for impoverished children through his Mother and Son Just Let Me Learn Foundation. He also enjoys spending time with his wife and performing with his daughter.

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Dr. Michael G. Kollo CEO at Evolved.AI
I am the CEO of Evolved Reasoning, a Generative AI – based company that provides education materials for conferences, workshops and presentations... More

I am the CEO of Evolved Reasoning, a Generative AI – based company that provides education materials for conferences, workshops and presentations for executive business leaders looking to understand, trust and deploy artificial intelligence solutions, especially Generative AI models like ChatGPT in their businesses.

With offer a pragmatic business lens on what is otherwise a deep experience set in the algorithmic component and capabilities of complex AI systems. My co-founder and I are both experienced technical business leaders, and we love working with organisations at all levels of competence. In fact, we really enjoy bringing high performing executive teams on the AI journey from a business strategy perspective.

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Claudine Ogilvie CEO at HivePix, ADAPT Advisor, and former CIO at Jetstar
Entrepreneur, CEO and board director with 20 years’ experience in strategy, technology leadership, and innovation. Claudine is the Managing Director of O&O... More

Entrepreneur, CEO and board director with 20 years’ experience in strategy, technology leadership, and innovation. Claudine is the Managing Director of O&O Consulting, co-founder and CEO of HivePix, and a Non-Executive board Director for Cuscal and Scyne Advisory. Claudine was awarded Top CIO50 in Australia in 2016. She has expertise in data, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, cyber security governance and risk management.

Previously, Claudine was a Non-Executive board Director for Youi Insurance. Claudine led the Digital and Data businesses and innovation for Compass Group Asia Pacific, and was the Group Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the Jetstar Group of Airlines (Jetstar’s Branded Airlines include Singapore, Japan, Vietnam, ANZ businesses & JVs), and Ridley Corporation; She led Consumer and Industrial Markets (CIM) at KPMG; and broad industry experience in sales, marketing, and product management.

She is a 2015 graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD). She has completed a Quantum Computing course at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has a Bachelor of Business from the University of Technology Sydney, Australia (B.Bus) and a Diploma of Business Management from the Ecole Supérieur de Commerce Reims, France (Dip.Mgnt).

Claudine is also an advisor and coach to innovative and bold leaders from a variety of industries. She is a champion for diversity, inclusion, ESG and the role it plays in business and leadership effectiveness.

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Dr. Shivaji Dasgupta CDO and Analytics experience from multiple large European Banks and other industries
Multi-year strategic and operative experience in digital transformation and operations in cloud-based business models at large and mid-sized corporations, public-sector Implementation of... More

Multi-year strategic and operative experience in digital transformation and operations in cloud-based business models at large and mid-sized corporations, public-sector

Implementation of large end-to-end data-driven products, including architecture and processes with business and technology cross-functional, cross-geographic teams

Implementation of cloud solutions for financial, risk and ESG solutions

6 years as McKinsey Digital consultant with focus on digital transformation in finance and online business-models

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Matt Boon Senior Research Director at ADAPT
Matt Boon is the Senior Director for Strategic Research at ADAPT, responsible for directing and developing research content and positions. For over... More

Matt Boon is the Senior Director for Strategic Research at ADAPT, responsible for directing and developing research content and positions.

For over 30 years, Matt has worked in research and advisory, including senior leadership roles at Gartner as Principal Analyst, Research Director, and Managing Vice President, where his 18 year history included working with Dell, Microsoft, and many others.

Throughout his career, Matt has been a sought after and highly respected authority on the local and global IT landscape.​ He interacts with executives daily, bringing together groups of C-suite leaders to discuss and prepare for the challenges and opportunities they face.​
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At ADAPT, Matt hosts numerous industry-leading business and technology events which Matt chairs, including the yearly Security Edge conference, delivering unique market trends and white-papers, advising executives across the technology provider landscape to make informed IT decisions.​

When he is not working, Matt enjoys walking the many trails of the NSW Southern Highlands, travelling and listening to music. He is also partial to a good steak and nice glass of red wine.

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Sarah Carney National CTO at Microsoft
With over 20 years of work experience across three continents and a multitude of industries, I am currently the Chief Technology Officer... More

With over 20 years of work experience across three continents and a multitude of industries, I am currently the Chief Technology Officer for Enterprise Commercial at Microsoft, where I lead the technical strategy, vision, and execution for our largest and most strategic customers. I have a strong background in business strategy, analysis and development and I am also a certified Prosci change practitioner.

I currently serve as the co-chair of the Military Employee Resource Group Board at Microsoft, where I support the recruitment, retention, and development of veterans and their allies. I am passionate about delivering innovative and impactful solutions that enable digital transformation, empower customers, and drive business growth. I am always looking for new opportunities to learn, collaborate, and contribute to the technology community and beyond.

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Ryan Brosnahan Chief Transformation Officer at Bendigo and Adelaide Bank
At Bendigo and Adelaide Bank I’m responsible for driving the Group’s digital transformation program, a key enabler of the bank’s strategy. I’m... More

At Bendigo and Adelaide Bank I’m responsible for driving the Group’s digital transformation program, a key enabler of the bank’s strategy. I’m privileged to lead a talented team across our digital, data, payments, and technology functions.

With more than 20 years’ international experience in the financial services industry in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, I’ve led complex growth and transformation change initiatives across multiple functions and businesses in financial services.

I’m passionate about harnessing the power of technology to improve the way we live and work, driving improvements in customer experience, business operations and performance.

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Gabby Fredkin Head of Analytics & Insights at ADAPT
As the Head of Analytics and Insights at ADAPT, Gabby Fredkin’s primary role is managing analysis to produce ADAPT’s actionable insights to... More

As the Head of Analytics and Insights at ADAPT, Gabby Fredkin’s primary role is managing analysis to produce ADAPT’s actionable insights to identify trends supporting organisations in Australia.

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

Using modern data science techniques, he provides ADAPT and its customers with confidence in the accuracy and validity of the information used for ADAPT’s research, advisory and events.

Working across artificial intelligence, machine learning, AI ethics, DevSecOps, end-user behaviour, and human-centred design, Gabby’s vast experience continues to grow, supported in part by a Master of Business Analytics from Deakin University.

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Jason O’Connell Chief Technology Officer - Banking & Financial Services at Macquarie Group
Jason O’Connell is Chief Technology Officer for Macquarie Bank. Macquarie Bank is the Australian retail banking arm of Macquarie Group. As a... More

Jason O’Connell is Chief Technology Officer for Macquarie Bank. Macquarie Bank is the Australian retail banking arm of Macquarie Group.

As a Digital only bank, Macquarie has invested heavily in technology, and has close to 100% of its systems running on public cloud. Jason has a strong focus on the power of platforms to improve developer experience, as well as automation at scale. Strategically Macquarie Bank is moving towards cloud-native higher order services, to reduce operations, increase scale and unleash innovation for the business.

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cloud security data