Blair Stewart: Assistant Commissioner (Auckland), Office of the Privacy Commissioner

Blair Stewart is Assistant Commissioner (Auckland) with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. He joined the Office at its establishment in 1993 after employment as a lawyer in Auckland and London. Blair’s responsibilities include international privacy issues and in that capacity he is currently a member of APEC’s Electronic Commerce Steering Group Data Privacy Subgroup, Experts Groups to the OECD Working Party on Information Security and Privacy, an Administrator of the APEC Cross-border Privacy Enforcement Arrangement and on the Global Privacy Enforcement Network Committee. Blair was principally responsible for coordinating efforts over many years to have New Zealand law recognised as meeting the stringent European standards on data protection. This culminated in a positive decision by the European Commission which came into effect in March 2013.

Leonard Laub: President, Keryston Associates

An applied physicist, Leonard supports the entire lifecycle of intellectual property, working with businesses at a strategic and operational level to bring products to market.

 His overall focus for the last 30 years has been supporting technology companies worldwide of all sizes, maturities, and ambitions to understand their markets and their own capabilities. He helps them plan and execute their products and business moves to minimise dependence on continuing investment and to maximise opportunities for healthy growth and suitable mergers or acquisitions.

Candace Kinser: CEO, NZICT

Candace Kinser is the Chief Executive Officer of NZICT, the national association representing the Information and Communications Technology industry of New Zealand.  Prior to running NZICT, Candace led the successful software start-up Biomatters, which creates the award winning DNA sequence analysis software Geneious Pro.  

Candace has been named as a top 10 female CEO for New Zealand, currently serves on the Advisory Board for the School of Business at Massey University, has served on the Boards for NZBIO and the NZ Health IT Cluster, and is involved with a number of other government, sector and higher education technology advisory panels.  

It is her personal passion that the technology industry leads the way for New Zealand's economic prosperity in the future.

Hon. Steven Joyce: Minister for MBIE

In the National-led Government, Hon Steven Joyce is Minister for Economic Development, Minister of Science and Innovation, Minister for Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment, and Associate Minister of Finance. 

Wayne Norrie: Chair, NZ Hi-Tech Trust

Wayne has over 30 years IT industry experience. Ten of these were spent in technical and software development roles, while the rest were in sales and management. 

Wayne Chairs a range of organisations including the NZ Hi-Tech Trust (HTT), Team BLM (making the Bruce McLaren movie), Maven, Fronde and the NZTE Beachheads Programme. He previously served on the Hi Growth Board and is a Director of Revera, and ASPEQ Ltd.

Wayne is a member of the WCNZ (World Class New Zealander) network within KEA, the Institute of Directors and he is a Fellow of the NZ Institute of Management.

Lance Wiggs: Lance Wiggs Capital Management

Lance is an entrepreneur, advisor and investor and has invested in or co-founded over 17 companies. He was founder of PowerKiwi (2nd in the 2012 Fast 50), and co founder of Pacific Fibre, MyTours and Groupy Deals, amongst others. He is an investor in 2013 NZ Hi-Tech Awards finalist Vend, as well as Define Instruments, Pocketsmith, 200Square and others. He is an InternetNZ councilor and director for Cadimage.

Lance’s NZ advisory work has ranged from Trade Me in 2004 and 2006 to Book Me in 2013, and includes Syft, Fairfax Digital, ASB and StarNow, as well as Performance Lab, a 2013 Hi Tech awards finalist. He has been a Better by Design coach for over four years. Offshore he was with McKinsey in the USA, EBRD in London and has led plant turnarounds at BHP Billiton plants in 3 countries.

Lance has a B Tech (product development) and an MBA (finance, strategy) from Yale, and writes at Lancewiggs.com and Idealog. He is an InternetNZ Councillor, Director of Cadimage Group and member of two Return on Science investment committees

Stefan Preston: Owner, Ingenio

Stefan is owner and principal of Ingenio – an active investment company that manages several innovative early-stage companies. Ingenio also consults to other companies primarily in the area of business design and innovation.

In his earlier career as CEO, he successfully led a number of significant New Zealand retail and consumer companies including Whitcoulls, Noel Leeming/Bond and Bond and Bendon.

Stefan is also a director of the Comfort Group, Magic Memories and an Advisory Board member of the NZTE Beachheads Program and of KEA. He holds a BE (hons) from Auckland and MBA from Stanford.

Ken Erskine: ICE Angels Director

Ken has extensive sales and marketing experience working with a spectrum of organisations ranging from local start ups, to global multinationals. With over fifteen years of IT sales and marketing experience in New Zealand and Europe, Ken has held senior management/leadership roles at Hewlett Packard and Compaq.

He was also involved in the initial sponsorship of The ICEHOUSE. More recently, Ken has been working with local technology companies including IPFX (NZ based Unified Communications software developer) where he was responsible for worldwide marketing, channels and vendor partnerships for the past three years. He is also an active member of the Ice Angels network investing in Nexus 6, Biomatters and Optima Corporation.

Patrick McVeigh: General Manager Economic Growth, ATEED

Patrick has led the development of economic, employment and innovation strategies for a wide range of clients across the UK. He also led the preparation of London's Economic Development Strategy during his time with the London Development Agency. Prior to moving to Auckland to join ATEED, he worked with us to mould our Business Growth and Competitiveness Plan.

Andrew Simmonds: Partner, Simmonds Stewart

Andrew is a leading venture capital lawyer who represents both entreprenuers and investors on tech company investment and exit transactions. 

In addition to his day job as a corporate lawyer, he is director of a number of fast growing tech companies and is an active angel investor. 

Steve Corbett: CEO, ecentre

Steve Corbett is the CEO of ecentre, and has a special interest in pricing strategies and governance for technology companies. He’s on a number of boards, including the Establishment Board of CMC Technology Export Centre, CMCTEC, the NZ Software Association NZSA and NZ Incubator Association. Director positions include Unleashed Software Ltd, Perceptive Solutions Ltd, Wateroutlook, and Monitoring Technologies Ltd.

Simon Telfer: Founder, Appoint Better Boards, Co- Founder Springboard, Owner Stimulus

Simon established www.appointbetterboards.co.nz in early 2012 as a way of increasing the diversity and transparency of board appointments in New Zealand. He also co-founded SpringBoard NZ, a 2,200 member group that seeks to encourage and develop the next generation of New Zealand directors and trustees.

Simon is a non executive director and investor in Federation Media and Generator and a member of advisory boards including The Orange Group and in Pharmaceutical Solutions. With his other hats on Simon advises privately held businesses on strategy, governance and succession via Stimulus Consulting. He graduated from the University of Canterbury in Law (Hons) and Commerce and has lived and worked extensively overseas.

Matt Adams: Partner, AJ Park Law & AJ Park Patent Attorneys

Matt is a partner in the engineering and information communication technology team. Matt specialises in protecting, registering and licensing patents in the computer and information technology fields. Matt is also a copyright specialist.

Matt has presented at international intellectual property conferences and often presents seminars to clients on patent issues. Matt is a frequent guest lecturer at Massey University and is a regular presenter at trade, export and computer conferences. A number of his articles and commentaries on software patents have been published in magazines and newspaper columns.

He is a member of the Wellington District Law Society, New Zealand Institute of Patent Attorneys, Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia, Several special interest groups in the software field, and the American Intellectual Property Law Association

Duncan Shand: MD, Young & Shand

Duncan is an experienced marketer with over 20 years experience in a variety of senior management roles within New Zealand corporates including, General Manager Sales & Marketing ihug, Sale & Marketing Manager ICPbio and Group Brand Manager at Air New Zealand.

In 2009, Duncan partnered with Ben Young to form Young & Shand, a full service digital agency. Creating ideas and building systems to help their clients gain traction by making digital marketing work. Current clients include Goodman Fielder, Beam Global, Skinny, BNZ, Hallensteins, NZBlood Service, OfficeMax, and The Icehouse.

David Brebner: CEO, Unlimited Realities

David founded Unlimited Realities in 1996 while studying at Massey University and delivered innovative software IP and services within New Zealand and overseas. With strong capability in 3D, gesture and multi touch the company was able to win the contract to create the Dell Stage for all Dell consumer machines in 2009. David is now focused on the transition to being a product company with software shipping through partners including Dell, Acer, ASUS, Sony, Intel and HP.

Chris Boys: Director, Katabolt

As a business mentor, his mission is to help companies and entrepreneurs with his expertise in international trade and export.

Chris is the driving force behind KATABOLT, an export consultancy that helps companies turn on revenue in offshore markets. He is also an Executive in Residence at The ICEHOUSE.

Building relationships is his forte and the community of like-minded people he has cultivated around him is key to fast-tracking the export process for companies into foreign markets. Seeing his support enable businesses to grow and ultimately being witness to them fulfilling their full potential is the most exciting thing in the world for Chris.

Chris Harris: MD & Co-founder, Kaiparasoft Ltd

Chris co-founded Ninja Kiwi (then Kaiparasoft Limited) with his brother Stephen. Over the next 6 years Ninja Kiwi has grown from a small flash games site operated from a spare bedroom in Muriwai beach to a team of 36 people working from offices in Kumeu, Auckland and Dundee, Scotland with several hit mobile games under their belt.

Hazel Phillips: Editor, Idealog

Hazel Phillips is the editor of Idealog, New Zealand's leading business magazine, and the author of Sell!, a popular history of Kiwi advertising. She spent three and a half years reporting on the advertising industry for the National Business Review and in 2010 was host of The Ad Show, a chat show-style programme which took the record for the most downloaded show on TVNZ7 online. 

Frances Valintine: CEO Media Design School

Frances Valintine is the Chief Executive of Media Design School. She has provided the long-term direction for the development of the school and its programmes as well as ensuring the continuation of innovation and excellence that has shaped Media Design School into the world-class institute it is today. Frances’s career commenced in Europe where she worked in the design sector before returning to New Zealand in the early 1990s. 

Helen Robinson: MD, Penguin Consulting

Helen is the MD of Penguin Consulting, and Chair of The Network for Learning Ltd (N4L), a new crown entity charged with improving educational outcomes by transforming schools to technology-based learning environments. A theme of Helen's career has been a strong passion and drive to improve the quality of life for all, and to deliver value to stakeholders through innovation and technology.

Helen has led many technology companies over the past 25 years, including as CEO of Microsoft, NZ. Most recently Helen was the Founding CEO of the TZ1 Registry which was acquired by London based Markit Group Ltd in 2009.

She also acts as a Director for a variety of organisations including the National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA), the NZ Business Excellence Foundation, and Mondiale Technologies Ltd, a company formed by Ray Avery to develop radical medical solutions which change the world.

Rhonda Kite: Founder and CEO, Kiwa Digital

Rhonda Kite is the Founder and CEO of Kiwa Digital, a technology company producing global multi-lingual content for the digitisation of publishing in education. Kiwa has established a worldwide reputation as a respected leader in digital publishing and software innovation. It has representation in Middle East, China, USA and Brazil.

Rhonda has been named New Zealand’s Maori Business Woman of the Year. In 2008 she was named by North & South magazine as the New Zealander of the Year in IT and Communications and the recipient of the Eyeworks Entrepreneurship Award from Women in Film & Television. The company’s dubbing software VoiceQ has received a Special Recognition for Engineering Excellence by the Hollywood Post Alliance.

Barbara Anderson: Founder and MD bka Interactive

Barb is the owner and MD of bka interactive – an Auckland based digital agency established in 2000.  bka is renowned for world leading online initiatives and was recently the recipient of two Umbraco Code Garden international awards - top in the world in the technical integration category, and 2^nd place in design.

bka is the Official Sports Tipping Provider of New Zealand Rugby, and the digital partner of many of NZ’s top organisations including Fletcher Building, Giltrap Motors, Barfoot & Thompson, and many more. Recently the company has branched out into product development including the GoTeam b2b sports picking tool about to be used as an engagement tool for AIG throughout the world.

Barb comes from a background in the visual arts and remains an active supporter. She is also an avid sports fan and is still occasionally spotted on court.

Richard Templer: GM Science, Engineering & Technology Delivery

Tim Prestero: CEO Design that Matters

Timothy Prestero is the founder and CEO of Design that Matters (DtM), a 501c3 nonprofit based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.  DtM collaborates with leading social entrepreneurs and hundreds of volunteers to design new products and services for the poor in developing countries.  

A former Peace Corps volunteer and MIT graduate, Tim has worked in 17 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. He is a Martin Fellow at the MIT Laboratory for Energy and the Environment, an Ashoka Affiliate and a Draper Richards Kaplan Fellow.  His awards include the 2007 Social Venture Network Innovation Award, and the 2009 World Technology Award. DtM's Firefly infant phototherapy device received a Silver Award for social impact design in IDSA's 2012 IDEA Awards.  DtM's NeoNurture Infant Incubator was named #1 of the "50 Best Inventions of 2010" by TIME Magazine.  In 2012, DtM was named the winner of the National Design Award in Corporate and Institutional Achievement.

Grant Ryan: CEO, YikeBike

YikeBike founder, Grant is an addicted inventor and entrepreneur. He has founded a number of companies including GlobalBrain.net (sold to NBCi), RealContacts, SLI Systems (profitable fast growing SaaS search company) and Eurekster (North America Red Herring 100 in 2006). 

He is on the board of Canterbury Development Corporation and has also served on the board of the New Zealand Government's $140 million Venture Investment Fund and $430 million Foundation for Research Science and Technology. Grant has a degree in Mechanical Engineering and a PhD in Ecological Economics from the University of Canterbury. The YikeBike perfectly combines his love of mechanics, environment and innovation.

Paul Sinclair: Co-owner, Maven

Vaughan Rowsell: CEO, Vend

Vaughan is a software engineer of 15+ years, veteran of several start-ups and well known Kiwi internet companies, including TradeMe. Vaughan founded, built, then publicly launched Vend in late 2010. The story of Vend draws inspiration from Xero, who took really bad software (like accounting), and made it sexy, cloud-based, and a pleasure to use. Vaughan took a step back, looked around, and found a lot of industries still use really bad software - probably written in the 90′s in Foxpro. A lot of it ugly, hard to use, offline and expensive. He knew the “cloud” was where things needed to be. It wasn’t hard to find a large vertical that really needed a new product. Retail was obvious.

Says Vaughan, “There are plenty of industries that still need to move to the cloud, just look around. Talk to everyone you know, and ask them what software they use in whatever line of work they are in. Chances are it isn’t cloud based, but sure as hell could be.”

Jason Albert: Associate General Counsel for IP Policy and Strategy, Microsoft Corporation (US)

Jason Albert is Associate General Counsel for IP Policy and Strategy in Microsoft Corporation’s Intellectual Property and Licensing Group. In his current role, Jason leads the company’s engagement on IP policy, helps formulate and execute the company’s IP-related strategic initiatives, and drives strategic planning. He has spoken at a number of conferences, including the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s Latin American and Caribbean Regional Seminar on Intellectual Property and Software in the 21st Century.

Prior to joining Microsoft, Jason was Senior Counsel for Data Privacy at Chevron Corporation and, before that, Assistant General Counsel – Data Privacy at Honeywell International Inc. In both roles, he was responsible for the companies’ compliance with data privacy laws worldwide. Before moving in-house, Jason was an associate with the international law firm of Covington & Burling, where he practiced in the firm’s Brussels, London, and Washington offices. At Covington, Jason’s practice focused on electronic commerce, data privacy, network security, and intellectual property.

Owen Scott: MD, Concentrate

Owen Scott is managing director of Concentrate, a strategic marketing consultancy that helps New Zealand companies with specialised technology products successfully grow their markets.

Owen has over 25 years experience in the New Zealand technology industry and has been involved in technology marketing for 15. A regular columnist on marketing in The Press, Owen is on the board of the New Zealand Hi-Tech Trust and Enable Services, the company responsible for building an ultra-fast broadband (UFB) network for Christchurch. He has previously held positions on the board of the New Zealand Software Association and the Canterbury Software cluster.

Owen is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Management and the New Zealand Institute of Directors.

Hal Josephson: CEO, MediaSense

Hal is CEO and president of MediaSense, a San Francisco firm specialising in strategic marketing planning, international business development and special project management services for high-tech industries. MediaSense clients have included Apple, IDG, Motorola, The Electronic Industry Association, Reed-Midem, InternetWire, Australia Multimedia Enterprise, InfoTech Canada, Australasian Access, Hong Kong Cyberport and China Access — an economic development consultancy that specialises in building alliances and partnerships to do business in China.

Hal is a partner in Tynax, the leading technology trading exchange, as well as the annual chair and programme director of Hong Kong’s Digital Entertainment Leadership Forum (DELF) and the Hong Kong Cyberport Venture Capital Forum (CVCF).

Deborah Bailey: VP Human Resources, F&P Healthcare

Deborah is the Vice President Human Resources of Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited. Deborah joined the Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Division of Fisher & Paykel Industries in 1994. Prior to joining Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, Deborah worked in human resources for a large Facilities Management Company in the United Kingdom. Deborah has more than 20 years of human resource experience, predominantly in the medical device industry, spanning local and international jurisdictions.

Fisher & Paykel Healthcare is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of innovative products and systems for use in respiratory care, acute care and the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. The company’s medical devices are available in over 120 countries.

Martin Harvey: Divisional Manager, Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade

Martin Harvey is the Manager of the Trade Negotiations Division in the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade since August 2012. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1984 and has served in Canberra, in Geneva as New Zealand Deputy Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and as New Zealand High Commissioner to Singapore from 2008 to 2010. From September 2010 to August 2012, he was Director of the Europe Division.

Mat Bolland: Director of Corporate Affairs & Wholesale, 2degrees

Mat has worked in customer facing, infrastructure-intensive organisations for more than 15 years, joining 2degrees three years ago, when everyone was saying it couldn’t succeed. He manages the company’s external & internal relations, wholesale and international roaming functions. His previous senior management experience includes TelstraClear, Watercare and Vector/Mercury Energy.

Paul Cameron: CEO, Booktrack

Paul Cameron is CEO and co-founder of Booktrack, a company that is revolutionizing reading through technology that provides synchronized movie-style soundtracks to eBooks. With Booktrack, music audio and ambient sounds are automatically paced to an individual's reading speed to match the story line creating a new genre of entertainment content and a totally immersive experience that pulls the reader into the author’s world. Backed by PayPal founder Peter Thiel, Facebook's director of global creative solutions Mark D'Arcy, The Hyperfactory's Derek Handley, Park Road Post Productions (Lord of the Rings), and others

Prior to Booktrack, Paul founded a division of a high tech electronics and software company that provided products and services to the global defense industry, and for over a decade Paul flew as an officer with the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Bill Buckley: Owner, Buckley Systems

Bill Buckley, is an engineer, entrepreneur and the founder and sole owner of BSL Buckley Systems Ltd and Buckley Systems International. In the 1970s, Bill Buckley was manager of a general engineering firm. He contributed to the making of accelerator magnets for universities and other research laboratories, as well as building magnets and ion optics for the silicon chip industry.  In 1986, Bill incorporated Buckley Systems Limited (BSL), with the intention of pursuing global opportunities.

After spending 35 years building a world-beating business, 67-year-old Bill Buckley is “still in his overalls” and loving every moment on the shop floor.

Sir Ray Avery: Pharmaceutical scientist, inventor, and social entrepreneur

Sir Ray Avery, is a successful scientist, inventor and social entrepreneur and is a founding member of the Auckland University School of Medicine's Department of Clinical Pharmacology, former Technical Director of Douglas Pharmaceuticals and founder of Medicine Mondiale.

His work has been recognised by his peers and he has received numerous awards including a The Bayer Research and Development Innovator Award 2008, World Class New Zealand Award for Biotechnology 2009, TBWA Disruption Award 2010, Kiwi Bank New Zealander of the year 2010 and The Blake Leadership Medal 2010.

Sir Ray is a compelling motivational speaker with great stories to share on innovation, philanthropy and entrepreneurship.

Sam Johnson: Founder, Student Volunteer Army

Sam Johnson is an energetic social entrepreneur who focuses on community development and finding innovative ways to alter social perceptions.  

Sam is the founder of the internationally acclaimed Student Volunteer Army, that mobilised 9000+ students via Facebook to clean up Christchurch following the devastating earthquakes. Sam is a British Council Global Changemaker, and has received many awards for his leadership including a leadership award from the Sir Peter Blake Trust. 

Tim Bennett: CEO, NZX

Tim is the CEO of NZX and has had extensive capital markets and commodity market development experience in Asia, the Middle East and North America. Prior to joining NZX, Tim was a partner at Oliver Wyman in Singapore, and previously was a partner with the Boston Consulting Group in Asia and Australia. Tim holds an MBA in Strategy and Finance from Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and a B Comm in Computer Science and Business Administration from Victoria University of Wellington.

Phil Norman: Managing Director, Nortek Management Services

Phil is the Managing Director of Nortek Management Services Limited, a boutique business advisory firm providing mergers and acquisitions advice and business development services for growth companies.

Phil has over 30 years experience in the ICT sector, having been an owner, manager, director and investor in a number of local and international companies.

Phil also has considerable venture capital and investment banking experience. He was Chairman of the New Zealand Venture Capital Association during 2002 and 2003, and was a member of New Zealand Trade & Enterprise’s Beachheads Advisory Board for six years.

Brooke Bone: Senior Investment Analyst, Milford Asset Management

Brooke has a broad range of investment and business experience, recently working for Macquarie Securities in New Zealand as a Senior Research Analyst. In London he was a Vice President at Morgan Stanley and worked for Marks & Spencer within the Corporate Finance and Property Teams.  Prior to this Brooke worked for Cap Gemini as a Management Consultant in the US and qualified as an accountant with Ernst & Young in Wellington.  He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

Milford Asset Management is focused on delivering superior returns for its’ clients through the business cycle.  One of the investment strategies Brian Gaynor, who manages the Active Growth Fund, is pursuing is to invest in a range of developing NZ companies with the potential for strong growth and a desire to list (for further growth, not to exit the investment).  Brooke is a key part of this strategy and works across a range of investments for Milford, including unlisted and pre IPO, IPO’s, listed company analysis and corporate governance work focusing on the construction of high performing boards of directors. 

Phil McCaw: Managing Partner, Movac

Phil is the Managing Partner of MOVAC and a cornerstone investor in all the MOVAC Funds. He was a founding partner of MOVAC, and one of the first investors in Trade Me. He has at times been director, chairman and chief executive of different MOVAC-backed ventures, and is currently Chair of Kaynemaile, ReelClever and Minimonos and a director of Mesynthes and Crema Capital.

Phil is also the current Chair of the Angel Association New Zealand. Prior to MOVAC, he served a 10 year apprenticeship with Deloitte Consulting in New Zealand and the United States. He was awarded a Senior Scholarship from Massey University and has a Bachelor of Business Studies majoring in Accounting & Finance and Information Systems.

Rod Drury: CEO, Xero

Rod the CEO of Xero and one of New Zealand's leading technology entrepreneurs. A member of the New Zealand Hi-Tech Hall of Fame, NZ Hi-Tech Entrepreneur of the Year in 2006 and 2007, World Class New Zealander for ICT in 2008 and an Honorary Fellow of the NZ Computer Society.

Rod is a Director of the New Zealand Stock Exchange and is a member of Victoria University of Wellington Faculty of Commerce Advisory Board.

Selwyn Pellett: CEO, Imarda

Currently the founder and CEO of Imarda Ltd. Selwyn is focused on improving the standing of living in New Zealand by building companies, and creating jobs that can help deliver a sustainable, High Wage, High Growth, Hi Tech economy. As the former CEO and co-founder of Endace, Selwyn led Endace to be the first New Zealand registered company to list on the UK's AIM stock market in June 2005.

Selwyn has worked in the electronics industry in New Zealand, Australia and Asia for over 20 years. His extensive experience in international sales, marketing, strategic planning and supply chain management in small start-ups through to multi-billion dollar corporations gives Selwyn a unique perspective on New Zealand into global markets.

Seeby Woodhouse: CEO, Voyager Internet

Seeby was the Founder, CEO and owner of Orcon Internet – one of New Zealand’s largest ISP’s – up until 2007, at which time he completed a successful sale of the business to Kordia for NZ$25M. During his tenure at Orcon, he oversaw the acquisition and integration of approximately 40 smaller ISP’s in a 5 year period.

Seeby oversees Voyager’s commercial strategy, negotiations with suppliers, and loves to engage key customers on a personal level. Seeby is passionate about the Internet and Telecommunications, and has been a part of the industry from it’s early beginnings, having over 15 years experience.

Sir Peter Maire: Chairman, Tahia Investments

Peter is a co-founder and former President of Navman NZ Limited. He sold his shareholding to Brunswick Corporation in 2004 and resigned from his position as Chairman at the end of 2005. He is currently a Director of Rakon and is Chair of Fusion Electronics, Fusion Transactive and Tahia Investments. 

Peter is a past board member of New Zealand Trade and Enterprise and is an Honorary Fellow of the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand. Peter has made significant investment into New Zealand Technology companies. Peter was made a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (DCNZM) in the 2008 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

His latest adventure is Fusion Electronics, a supplier of revolutionary marine and car entertainment to the world. Fusion’s New Zealand-designed marine head units are hailed as the “reinvention of marine entertainment”.

Mark Thomas: CTO, SAP (Formerly Right Hemisphere)

Mark Thomas is the former founder and CTO for Right Hemisphere which was recently acquired by SAP and now makes up the SAP Visual Enterprise Solutions Group. Mark has experience with raising and deploying development capital and funding from a wide range of sources including Angel, VC (Local and US based) as well as Government.

He is also experienced in presenting company vision to both investors and high profile companies such as Sequoia capital, Sutter Hill ventures, Boeing, Nike and Chrysler to name a few. Mark has broad engineering, business and IT background that includes both IT and field experience and passion for innovation and entrepreneurship.

Paul Adams: CEO, EverEdge IP

Paul Adams is the CEO of EverEdge IP, New Zealand’s largest intangible asset management and commercialisation firm.

Before founding EverEdge IP in 2003, Paul served as Intellectual Property Manager for Brunswick New Technologies (formerly Navman New Zealand). Other career highlights include developing and managing The Icehouse Incubator, the University of Auckland's technology incubator.

In 2012 Paul led EverEdge IP to win the New Zealand International Business Award for Best Commercialisation of Intellectual Property and he was also awarded the “Global IP Leader” Prize at the Intellectual Property Focus Forum in Shanghai, China. In 2013 he was selected as one the IAM 300 – the unranked list of the Top 300 Intellectual Property Strategists in the world.

Jason Albert: Associate General Counsel for IP Policy and Strategy, Microsoft Corporation (US)

Jason Albert is Associate General Counsel for IP Policy and Strategy in Microsoft Corporation’s Intellectual Property and Licensing Group. In his current role, Jason leads the company’s engagement on IP policy, helps formulate and execute the company’s IP-related strategic initiatives, and drives strategic planning. He has spoken at a number of conferences, including the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s Latin American and Caribbean Regional Seminar on Intellectual Property and Software in the 21st Century.

Prior to joining Microsoft, Jason was Senior Counsel for Data Privacy at Chevron Corporation and, before that, Assistant General Counsel – Data Privacy at Honeywell International Inc. In both roles, he was responsible for the companies’ compliance with data privacy laws worldwide. Before moving in-house, Jason was an associate with the international law firm of Covington & Burling, where he practiced in the firm’s Brussels, London, and Washington offices. At Covington, Jason’s practice focused on electronic commerce, data privacy, network security, and intellectual property.