Events Agenda 6D AI Auckland 2026
9.00am – 9.10am
Welcome by MC: Mark Jones, Author, Journalist and Entrepreneur
9.10am – 9.45am
CHIEFS Panel: CXO Leaders Panel
- Super-AI – what leaders must do to balance innovation with long-term safety, privacy and trust
- The Buck Stops Where? – accountability, governance, and ownership when AI gets it wrong
- Sovereign AI – how national data control, regulatory compliance, and locally governed AI infrastructure is a strategic enabler for trust, resilience, and market differentiation
- Leading Organisational Transformation – redesigning operating models, leadership and decision-making for the AI era
Panellists:
- Toby Granwal, Chief Information Officer, Fonterra
- Roxanne Salton, Chief Digital Officer, TSB New Zealand
- Michael Butler, Chief Information Officer, Fletcher Building
- Craig Lauchlan, Executive General Manager (CIO) Technology, Suncorp Group
- CXO, Snowflake
9.45am – 10.00am
Keynote Address
10.00am – 10.15am
Fireside Chat
CXO, Splunk
10.15am – 10.30am
Keynote Address: Guess What? Designing Customer Journeys for an Uncertain AI Future
Simon Kennedy, Chief Digital Officer, Foodstuffs North Island
10.30am – 11.15am
Morning Tea
11.15am – 11.30am
Fireside Chat
CXO, TechData
11.30am – 12.15pm
THE STAND OUTS: Best Use Cases Panel
- Competitive Edge – how future-ready enterprises are leveraging AI-enabled products, services and operations to outperform rivals
- From AI Ambition to Enterprise Value – what separates measurable outcomes from expensive experimentation
- The Next Frontier – harnessing agentic AI, Large Language Models, small language models, and synthetic data at scale
- Beyond the Horizon – Automated Super Intelligence, quantum, immersive enterprise collaboration and other frontier technologies set to redefine the next 5 years
Panellists:
- Peter Kennedy, Chief Data and Technology Officer, New Zealand Post
- Megan Tapsell, GM Enterprise & Pacific Technology Delivery, ANZ Bank
- Scott Pyles, Chief Technology Officer, Fonterra
- Luke Longney, Chief Technology Officer, AIA
- CXO, OneNZ
12.15pm – 12.30pm
Fireside Chat: Preparing for the Quantum Era
12.30pm – 1.30pm
Lunch
1.30pm – 1.45pm
Fireside Chat
1.45pm – 2.15pm
THE AGE OF AGENTS: Autonomous Enterprises & the Future of Work Panel
- The Human-Agent Enterprise – real-world cases where people and AI agents work together to improve productivity, reduce costs and enhance decision-making
- Careers Rewired – the rise of new roles, operating models and the skills and recruitment processes that leaders can’t afford to ignore
- Future-Proof Leadership – why investing in AI fluency and talent pipelines secures tomorrow’s edge
Panellists:
- Brian Northern, Group Chief Information Officer, Fulton Hogan
- Kari Jones, Executive Director – Operational Excellence and Enablement, Financial Markets Authority
- Jeremy Rooke, Group Chief Digital Officer, Turners Automotive Group
- Monique Mallon, Chief Information Officer, Gallagher
2.15pm – 2.30pm
Fireside Chat: Cyber in the Age of AI – Defending and Counterattacking at Machine Speed
2.30pm – 3.00pm
THE ACCELERATORS: The Data Readiness Panel
- Data Priority One – how to manage retention, cost, risk and accessibility and what to prioritise when everything can’t be stored, governed or used
- Human-in-the-Loop Governance – how leading organisations are enforcing data and AI policies in real time
- Sovereign Data Control – balancing data residency, regulatory requirements and model strategy, and what it means for ownership, risk and long-term architecture
Panellists:
- Wayne Kingi, Head of Operational Data Services, Westpac
- Stephanie Creasy, Chief Technology Officer, NZ Automobile Association Inc.
- Peter Radich, Group Chief Digital Officer, New Zealand Health Group
- Marc Hale, Global Chief Information Officer, Restaurant Brands
3.00pm – 3.30pm
INDUSTRY VOICE: Audience Questions Answered
Pose your burning AI questions on the registration form and have them answered live from industry experts in this dynamic Q&A session.
- How to Generate Value from AI – beyond AI tools to true capability uplift
- Human-Agent Workforces – preparing for 10 years from now
- Techonomics – managing AI spend while still funding growth
- What’s Next – the emerging opportunities and hidden blind spots to watch
Panellists:
- Alistair Vickers, Chief Information Officer, Horizon Energy Group
- Angela Henderson, Chief Information and Delivery Officer, Fidelity Life
- Andrew Ramsay, Chief Information Officer, T&G Global
- Paul Natac, Chief Information Officer, Provident Insurance
3.30pm – 4.00pm
Prizes Giveaway, Canapes, Music & Networking!