Welcome back to Refactor for 2017! We have an awesome line-up to kick off the year: Nicole Ferguson, Alysha Delany, Rochelle Ivanson and Sian Simpson. Read on to learn more about them or grab your ticket now!
The event is presented in conjunction with our awesome sponsors AUT, Pushpay, Microsoft, and Catalyst!
Wednesday 15 March 2017, 6-8:30pm
Room WG308 at AUT, 55 Wellesley Street East, Auckland CBD
Tickets $25 – open to all
Speaker profiles
Nicole Ferguson
Nicole (@nicolerferg) is Chief Executive at REANNZ, the Crown-owned company that owns and operates the specialised, high-performance telecommunications network for New Zealand’s education, research and innovation communities. Initially trained as a Chartered Accountant, REANNZ was one of Nicole’s first clients when she took up the role of Senior Accountant at KPMG NZ in early 2008. Two and a half years later she decided to join them permanently, and, aside from a brief stint at Inland Revenue, has been with REANNZ ever since – the first five years as CFO, before stepping into the CEO role in November 2015. During that time, Nicole's developed a strong passion for tech and innovation, and become a staunch advocate for women and diversity in STEM industries - including recently driving the trial of a blind-hiring process for a number of executive roles. And she's picked up a number of insights along the way, on being a non-techie leading a high-performance tech organisation.
Alysha Delany
Alysha is a partner at MBM, New Zealand’s largest independent media agency, and has been pivotal in its growth, focusing the agency around technology led communications including data and analytics, digital insights, marketing automation, search marketing and digital PR with the overarching objective to deliver client business success through the power of media and technology. It took a long time for Alysha to find her passion, after working in IT, Strategy and Marketing roles before entering the advertising industry ten years ago, but this combination has been perfect for the role that she now loves.
Rochelle Ivanson
Rochelle (@ri) recently left a career in the fast paced world of advertising to work in the even faster paced local startup, Pushpay. In her spare time she organizes one of New Zealand's largest technology and design conferences, Gather.
Sian Simpson
Sian (@siansimpson) is the Global Community Manager of the Kiwi Landing Pad in San Francisco where she helps take NZ technology to the world. Sian started the well known and loved Sales and Marketing Jam (NZSMJ) which brings US start up and technology experts to share their experience and networks with Kiwi businesses. The KLP is supported by leading organisations, such as Air New Zealand, Vodafone, BNZ & NZTE. Sian is also a video director, interviewer and content strategist for media, technology and startup clients whom she works with in the US. In her spare time she mentors up and coming young entrepreneurs, and is currently setting up a youth innovation centre on the North Shore of Auckland where young people can achieve their excellence and learn about the future of work and connect with industry.
