City of Sydney’s Digital Chief on delivering outcomes through predictive data and lean execution

For many digital leaders, digital excellence is not the result of perfect strategy. It is the outcome of practical action, fast experimentation, and cross-functional momentum.

Tom, Chief Tech and Digital Services Officer at City of Sydney, believes digital transformation succeeds when organisations shift from planning to delivery.

His team focuses on building small, working solutions that prove value early, then scaling what works.

“Digital transformation thrives when practical innovation moves ahead of extensive planning,” says Tom.

“Define clear goals quickly and execute small projects that immediately show measurable results.”

At City of Sydney, this has meant delivering predictive tools, AI pilots, and integrated data systems that address real service needs without waiting for the perfect conditions.

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Join 150 Heads of Digital, Product, and CX at Digital Edge on 24 June in Sydney to explore practical strategies, debate the future of AI and experience design, and unlock new approaches to delivering measurable digital outcomes.

Link data governance to product and service results

For Tom, data governance must move beyond compliance and become an active enabler of better services.

He frames governance as a strategic tool that helps connect systems, track outcomes, and inform decision-making.

“Data governance should be practical and results-oriented,” he explains.

“Prioritise initiatives based on their ability to directly enhance products and services.”

His team ties governance efforts directly to measurable benefits for users, whether it is faster applications, more targeted services, or proactive communication.

Use predictive insights to anticipate needs

Tom’s digital strategy puts predictive capability at the core of customer experience. His team uses behavioural data and forecasting to shift from reactive support to anticipatory service.

“The goal of predictive analytics is to actively anticipate resident and stakeholder needs,” he says.

“By understanding trends before they fully emerge, we can offer more intuitive and relevant services.”

From city planning to service delivery, the focus is on meeting expectations before they become issues, saving time, building trust, and improving equity.

Break silos and unify cross-functional effort

Tom emphasises that digital programs cannot sit with IT alone.

Success depends on collaboration between product, digital, service, and operations teams with clear alignment on outcomes.

“Digital transformation requires coordinated effort across departments and functions,” he says.

“This integration ensures seamless experiences and avoids fragmented delivery.”

He embeds joint ownership across teams, linking shared goals to shared data and joint delivery accountability.

Experiment with agentic AI in practical use cases

Tom sees agentic AI as a reality, not a theory.

His team is actively exploring ways AI can augment decision-making and improve internal workflows without replacing human judgement.

“We focus on practical applications of agentic AI, implementing tools that augment staff decision-making, improve accuracy, and reduce routine workloads,” he explains.

City of Sydney has trialled conversational agents, automated triage systems, and self-learning algorithms to accelerate response times and improve resource allocation.

Build capability through active delivery

For Tom, capability does not come from more training or more frameworks, it comes from doing.

He believes that action builds confidence, sharpens direction, and develops lasting digital muscle.

“Digital leaders succeed by rapidly adapting and delivering,” says Tom.

“We prioritise solutions that quickly demonstrate clear value, building momentum and credibility.”

Key takeaways:

• Start with small, focused delivery to unlock transformation momentum.
• Treat data governance as a tool for improving services and outcomes.
• Use predictive insights to proactively meet customer and community needs.
• Embed cross-functional collaboration to avoid fragmented delivery
• Test agentic AI in real settings to gain clarity and capability.
• Strengthen digital readiness by executing, not waiting.

Hear more from Tom and other expert speakers at Digital Edge, 24 June at the Fullerton, Sydney.

Collaborate with 150 digital transformation leaders to fast-track your initiatives and build a more adaptive, customer-ready enterprise.