Before she was negotiating sponsorships and guiding elite athletes through career-defining moments, Alex Williamson was working inside Parliament House for Australia’s first female Prime Minister, observing how ambition, visibility, and scrutiny collide when women step into the public eye.

Today, Alex is one of Australia’s leading sports agents for female athletes, representing Olympians and Matildas at the highest level of competition. We sat down with Alex for our latest podcast episode to talk about who she is beyond the job title: the parts you don’t see on game day, in the brand campaign, or in the celebratory headline.

The unexpected route to sports

“I’ve had a pretty interesting journey. If someone had told me 10 or 15 years ago that I’d become a sports agent, I wouldn’t have believed them,” says Alex.

She began by studying PR and marketing, dabbling in junior communication roles, and working out what she liked and what she didn’t. Like many people who start in publicity with bright-eyed expectations, she quickly learned that the job is less glamour and more grind.

“It sounds glamorous, but it’s a lot of hard yards and underpay,” she says.

Then came a move that would shape the rest of her career in ways she couldn’t have predicted. Alex was offered an opportunity to move to Canberra to work for Julia Gillard, who at the time was Deputy Prime Minister.

“I came on as her media assistant,” Alex says. “I was very fortunate that I worked with her for five and a half years.”

It was a chapter of her life and career that had nothing to do with sports and everything to do with pressure, public scrutiny, and what happens when women operate in highly visible roles.

What pressure looks like when it’s gendered

Alex’s years in politics gave her a front-row seat to how the public treats ambitious women. She saw why scrutiny hits harder, confidence is policed, and being ‘too much’ is somehow still a career risk for women, and it applied no matter it be Parliament or sports.

“I saw firsthand the pressure and expectations placed on women in the public eye — what they wear, how they speak, how they behave,” she says. “You see the same expectations placed on female athletes, just in a different setting.”

“After question time, every single day, the phones just rang constantly. And it was not about policy. It wasn’t about anything of importance. It was about what she was wearing.”

It was the same playbook. Different stage, same rules.

The emotional cost of “personal touch”

Agents are often seen as transactional — you come in, you sign a contract, here’s your deal with brand X, see you in 12 months’ time. And Alex is clear that this was never the model she wanted to follow.

“I wanted it to be very personal,” she says. “The girls are constantly hearing from me and vice versa. I’m with them every step of the way.”

This choice meant her role extends well beyond contracts and campaigns, and a significant part of her work is providing emotional support, shaped by where an athlete is in their sporting life cycle and what’s happening off the field.

Alex currently represents 17 women at different stages of their careers. “There can be four or five of them having a really rotten time at once,” she says. “Some days you go home and you think, that’s been a lot today.”

It’s a side of the role that is less visible and where the stakes feel deeply personal.

A night that changed her inbox

The quarterfinal of the Women’s World Cup was a moment that encapsulated the speed at which women’s sport shifted from undervalued to unavoidable.

Alex’s agency manages Cortnee Vine, and she describes the moment with a kind of awe that still sounds fresh. “Cortnee is the woman who scored the penalty at the quarterfinal — the final penalty. Cortnee changed the trajectory of the Matildas,” she says.

After the match, emotions ran high, there were hugs, tears, and the electric feeling of being inside something bigger than sport… And that’s when Alex’s phone started to melt.

The scale of it all hit by the next morning. “I woke up in Brisbane and I had 700 new emails about Cortnee,” she says. “And I was like, what do I even do with this?”

At the time, it was only Alex and her business partner Leon running the agency. No big team or safety net for support. So, she got practical and a little old-school.

“I printed off every single email,” she says, trying to make the chaos manageable by protecting her athlete’s focus (especially mid-tournament) while turning a tidal wave of opportunity into something tangible.

Athletes first, brands second

In an industry driven by speed and access, Alex’s instinct is restraint. When brand opportunities arise mid-tournament, she is careful about how and when they’re raised with athletes.

“I try not to,” she says. “Nine times out of ten, they say tell me when it’s all over. If a brand doesn’t respect that, they’re not the right brand for an athlete anyway. Any brand has to respect the fact that the athlete’s craft is the priority. The rest of it is redundant.”

Simply, if that performance suffers, everything else falls away.

Particularly in women’s sport, where athletes are often expected to do more, carry more, and grow the game at the same time they’re competing in it, this is a recalibrated approach of what commercial opportunity should look like.

Politics is still her Super Bowl

Even after leaving Parliament House, politics never really left Alex.

“I love politics,” she says. “Election time — that’s my Super Bowl.”

She’s fascinated by personalities, strategy, and the visual storytelling behind public life — a natural curiosity within her work curating the look and feel of moments that would later lead the news.

That breadth of experience gives her a clear understanding of how much narrative matters. How perception shapes value. How women are judged on presentation as much as performance.

How far women’s sport has come

Ask Alex where women’s sport is at, and she gives you both optimism and a reality check in the same breath.

“It’s come a long way, but there’s still so much to do,” she says. “I remember Matildas games with a few hundred people in the stands — now they’re selling out stadiums.”

The progress is undeniable, but for Alex, growth isn’t the end point.

“The next step is real investment and parity — both in playing contracts and commercial outcomes,” she says. “When female athletes across sports become household names and are paid fairly, that’s when we’ll know real change has happened.”

More than just a sports agent

If you ask Alex what she wants to be known for, she says, “Supporting women to succeed on their own terms, and being a great mum. Those are the two things that matter most to me.”

For Alex, it’s all connected.

The patience learned under extraordinary pressure. The integrity that anchors her decisions. The instinct to protect people when the stakes are high. The loyalty people around her rely on. The empathy that shows up when an athlete is struggling. The boundaries that keep the craft first.

Alex is proof that careers aren’t always linear, and that the qualities that make you good at your job often have little to do with the title you hold.

Want to hear more of Alex’s story? Watch the full podcast episode on our YouTube channel.

Key takeaways

1. Candidate activity is intensifying, even as job ads level out
Applications per job ad continues to surge due to cost-of-living pressures pushing more people into the market. Employers will continue to deal with far higher application volumes per role (especially as both sides become increasingly AI-enabled), leaving internal TA teams swamped with CVs and slowing down sourcing and shortlisting times.

2. State hiring conditions are diverging
WA, QLD, and SA continue to show strong hiring demand, while NSW, VIC, and especially the ACT face softer hiring conditions and fewer job ads.

3. AI is reshaping job expectations and forcing employers to rethink capability building
Most roles are expected to change due to AI augmentation, and demand for AI skills in job ads has surged. However, the impact on hiring is based more on uncertainty than reality. For now, this means early-career hiring and internal upskilling matter more than ever.

Introduction

As 2025 draws to a close, workforce planning is front-of-mind for employers navigating steady inflation, slower economic growth, shifting candidate behaviour, and fast-evolving AI expectations.

To help map this out, we’ve combined our recruitment experts’ on-the-ground insights with SEEK’s latest market data — shared in our recent webinar with SEEK Senior Economist, Blair Chapman — to unpack what the macroeconomic indicators can tell us as we head into the new year.

Australia’s hiring landscape: The national trends that will shape 2026

Australia’s macroeconomic environment continues to reshape workforce dynamics heading into 2026, and while conditions aren’t extreme, they’re definitely shifting.

Slower employment growth means hiring will feel more measured

Australia’s economy is “returning to trend”, but that trend means slower growth than pre-COVID. Employers are thinking harder about where roles sit, how teams are structured and what genuinely needs to be added. Hiring cycles may slow slightly as organisations prioritise clarity and ROI over rapid expansion.

Consumer activity is lifting, supporting hiring in key sectors

As discretionary spending returns, industries like retail, tourism, logistics and hospitality are feeling the uptick. For employers, this means renewed demand for customer-facing roles and increased competition for workers across trades, transport, supply chain and service sectors.

Matthew Munson, Managing Director at Talent Sydney, echoes this:

“The lift in consumer activity is a welcome shift and will absolutely drive more hiring across key service sectors. But it comes with a caveat: inflation is edging up again, and any further interest rate rises could cool spending just as momentum returns. It’s a positive trend, but one that still depends on broader economic stability.”

Persistent inflation is driving stronger salary expectations

Inflation is above the RBA’s target range, pushing candidates to be more pay-conscious. While wage growth has eased, SEEK advertised salaries are rising again – especially for job switchers. Employers should expect more salary-driven conversations and tighter candidate negotiation margins.

Job ads have stabilised, but candidate activity is rising fast

SEEK job ads are holding steady at sustainable levels, but applications per ad have surged due to increasing cost-of-living pressures. While this means hiring teams have more options when hiring, it also means applicant pools are much more competitive and screening becomes harder to manage.

Matthew adds:

“Across the corporate sector, we’re still seeing a steady flow of redundancies, and that’s likely to push unemployment higher in the months ahead. As more candidates enter the market, those already-growing applicant pools will expand even further. For employers, that means greater choice, but also a significant lift in the volume and complexity of applications to manage.”

AI is reshaping roles and accelerating demand for new skills

Most jobs will change in some way due to AI augmentation and SEEK job ads referencing AI skills have climbed sharply with more roles now designed with AI-enabled tools and productivity in mind. However, Blair cautions businesses not to cut junior or graduate hiring, which will create major capability gaps in the next three to five years, when experienced AI-literate talent will be far more expensive to secure.

Regional breakdown: Hiring outlook for 2026

While national trends point to a more balanced labour market, here’s how conditions are shaping up across the states we operate in.

Western Australia (WA)

Western Australia remains one of Australia’s strongest labour markets. Employment growth has been rapid since COVID, supported by strong population inflows and government incentives aimed at attracting tradies and boosting construction capacity. Demand remains high across trades, engineering, mining, logistics and infrastructure. Next year, expect tighter talent pools, fast-moving recruitment, and continued pressure for skilled workers.

South Australia (SA)

SA has been the standout performer over the past year, posting some of the strongest employment growth nationally. Relaxed building regulations are fuelling construction activity, and government efforts to attract innovation and professional talent are paying off. In 2026, we expect to see elevated hiring across construction, project services, emerging industries and professional roles.

Anthony Whyte, Managing Director at Talent Adelaide shares:

“SA has multiple ‘multi-generational’ builds running at once—AUKUS/Osborne shipyard expansion, major road projects (e.g. Torrens-to-Darlington), new hospital builds, big housing programs, plus energy investments. These are labour-intensive and will create spillover jobs in engineering, project services, logistics, and professional services.

In addition, Defence, space, cyber, and critical tech clusters (especially around Lot Fourteen and Defence SA precincts) are maturing, shifting from “startup vibe” to real headcount growth.”

Queensland (QLD)

Queensland’s post-COVID growth has cooled but remains solid. The state continues to benefit from interstate migration, which is expanding its labour force and supporting steady hiring demand, and job ads remain elevated in many regions despite recent moderation. Demand looks to remain stable across construction, community services, health, logistics, and regional roles for 2026.

New South Wales (NSW)

NSW has slowed more noticeably compared to other regions. Employment has moved sideways for around a year, and Sydney has seen one of the sharper drops in job ads compared to other metros. Hiring has become more measured with employers taking longer to decide. In 2026, expect bigger applicant pools, more competition for roles offering stability, and steadier hiring in tech, professional services, and government-adjacent sectors.

Matthew also shares:

“In NSW, we’re cautiously optimistic about the year ahead. Government spending appears to have stabilised, and with an election on the horizon in 2027, we’re expecting investment to gradually lift. The financial sector has spent much of this year tightening costs, but several critical projects are already lining up for 2026.

We’re also seeing encouraging signs in healthcare, construction and cyber, along with renewed activity in the private equity space with many firms sitting on capital they’re ready to deploy. If that translates into the technology sector, it could provide a meaningful boost to hiring momentum across the state.”

Australian Capital Territory (ACT)

The ACT is feeling the largest hit, driven almost entirely by a steep drop in Government & Defence job ads (down approximately 20% in the past year according to SEEK data). Ads are now well below pre-COVID levels, feeding directly into softer hiring conditions in Canberra. Next year, the signs point to larger applicant pools, slower hiring cycles, and improved access to talent for private sector employers.

Robert Ning, Managing Director at Talent Canberra, adds:

“Across the ACT, the most telling shift this year has been the way several departments have cancelled or scaled back projects mid-delivery. Despite this, we’ve continued to stay close to shifting priorities and helping organisations navigate tightened budgets.

SEEK’s data showing rising applicants per role versus fewer ads posted overall is also further exacerbating pressures for job seekers. However, for employers, it’s creating a window to access specialist capability that has traditionally been in short supply. Organisations that take a longer-range view in 2026 will be well positioned to strengthen critical teams, secure high-quality candidates, and build capability before demand rebounds.”

Victoria (VIC)

Victoria continues to add jobs at a consistent pace and its housing market has re-accelerated following rate cuts. The new year will continue to show steady demand across construction, education, health, community services, and technology roles.

As Simon Yeung, Managing Director at Talent Melbourne, puts it:

“Victoria enters 2026 with a broadly positive employment outlook, underpinned by strong demand in sectors such as healthcare, construction, education and technology. Demographic trends — including delayed retirements and Melbourne’s rapid population expansion — are reinforcing these opportunities.

With Melbourne now outpacing Sydney in growth and on track to become Australia’s largest city, pressure on talent demand will only intensify. However, the benefits will not be evenly distributed. Success will increasingly hinge on targeted skills, flexibility, and more precise alignment between talent supply and market need.”

What employers should prioritise in 2026

With a more balanced labour market, shifting salary expectations, and the rise of AI-enabled work, hiring managers and business leaders heading into 2026 will need to be sharper and more intentional in their workforce planning.

Build capability, not gaps

Don’t replace early-career hiring with AI. Cutting junior and graduate roles now will leave organisations scrambling and paying a premium for experienced talent in a few years. Maintaining your entry-level pipelines and building structured pathways for upskilling will set your business up for success.

Stay competitive on salaries

Candidates are more financially aware and more willing to walk for a better offer. With advertised salaries rising faster than wage growth, benchmarking will be crucial to securing and retaining strong talent.

Streamline hiring processes

Applications per job ad continue to remain high, and hiring teams will feel it. Clear screening criteria, fast communication, and a strong candidate experience will help ensure you don’t lose standout talent in the process.

Prepare teams for AI-enabled roles

More roles will integrate AI tools, automation, and augmented workflows. Employers who proactively build AI literacy will see stronger productivity uplift and better employee engagement as expectations shift, even if it’s only at a foundational level.

Adopt region-specific hiring strategies

A one-size-fits-all approach won’t cut it with WA and SA running hot, NSW and the ACT cooling, and QLD and VIC sitting in the middle. Tailor your hiring timelines, salary positioning, and EVP messaging to the realities of each region.

Looking ahead

Australia’s labour market is shifting into a more stable phase defined by strong candidate activity, varied hiring conditions across states, and the growing influence of AI at work. Salary pressure remains real, job applications are rising, and employers are becoming more intentional about where and how they hire.

For HR and TA leaders, the priorities for 2026 are clear: protect your early-career pipelines, benchmark thoughtfully, keep your hiring process sharp and build AI capability across your teams.

As you plan for the year ahead, having a clear view of salaries and local market conditions will be essential. Our online More than Money Salary Guide offers searchable data to help you shape competitive and confident hiring decisions for 2026.

Jason Waterhouse’s career and achievements as a two-time Olympian and competitive sailor all leads back to his family and childhood. Passionate sailors, his parents bought a yacht back when he was younger, and the family set out from Sydney’s Northern beaches to sail around the world for four years.

This unconventional childhood is what fostered his love of the ocean and helped him build an impulse for adventure and instinct for problem-solving that would eventually carry him through the most demanding environments on the global stage.

We sat down with Jason for our latest podcast episode to find out the person, process, and passion behind the trophies.

Dealing with pressure as a competitive athlete

Competitive sailing wasn’t love at first sight for Jason, at eight years old he competed for the first time filled with nerves and zero interest in doing it again. But he kept at it until it all became his new norm. At 14, he qualified to represent Australia in the UK and his first taste of competing internationally was what “lit the candle” for Jason.

“Meeting international competitors, being part of something bigger — it was addictive,” he says.

His first big lesson in pressure came early. In the final race of his first major event, he and his partner went from a silver-medal position to completely off the podium in a single race. He laughs about it now, but it stuck, “The early exposure to pressure was valuable. I kept competing internationally and eventually won gold in Brazil on my fourth attempt.”

His progress came in repetition: racing, reviewing, refining… Slowly getting more comfortable performing under pressure.

His time as an Olympian

Jason’s Olympic story spans across two Games with completely different atmospheres. Rio 2016 offered the classic Olympic experience: an electric city, dense crowds, families lining the foreshore, and a sense of shared excitement that athletes often describe as once in a lifetime.

Then came Tokyo 2020 in the middle of an unprecedented global pandemic. No spectators, no family, no movement outside the village. “It was a completely different experience,” he says. “But I was grateful it went ahead.”

Between the two Games he had become a consistent performer in mixed-gender catamaran racing with his cousin and sailing partner, Lisa Darmanin, and their ability to communicate clearly under pressure and adapt to each other’s styles became their edge.

After Tokyo, Jason began preparing for Paris but two things happened: he became a father, and he received an opportunity to join the America’s Cup in Barcelona. “It was the toughest professional call I’ve had to make,” he says, “but no regrets.”

SailGP and the art of flying a boat

While Olympic sailing focuses on technical skill, endurance, and tactical precision, SailGP is a high-speed, high-tech spectacle built for thrilling, rapid-fire racing.

SailGP races are tight and each person on board has a highly specialised role, and Jason’s is one of the most technical: flight controller. “I control the hydrofoils — lifting the boat, balancing it, and keeping it efficient,” he says. “It’s very precise.”

The difference between a smooth race and a costly mistake can be millimetres and milliseconds. Beyond the 20-minute race window, the sport is about the travel load, the weight requirements, the physical strain, and the need to think clearly while moving at speeds where the smallest miscalculation gets amplified.

People also often assume the biggest challenge is the racing, but Jason disagrees, sharing, “I’ve had injuries since I was 14 and managing them is a big part of the job.” So much of the elite sport sits outside of public view, and training becomes as much about staying mobile and pain-free as it is about strength or speed. Rehab becomes routine, and working with physios and sports psychologists becomes part of the support structure that keeps him performing at the level required.

Communication: the skill that holds it all together

Ask Jason what he considers one of his core strengths, and he’ll point to communication. Shaped by years of working with crews of different cultures from Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Switzerland, and Japan, he’s gained the ability to understand how different people read information, process pressure, and collaborate.

This showed up repeatedly in his partnership with Darmanin, and their contrasting communication styles were something they learned to leverage. It meant reading each other, setting each other up, and understanding what each person needed before stepping into high-pressure environments.

The same skillset helped him navigate a key moment in SailGP. Before a season-defining race in San Francisco, a poor training day left him feeling off. Instead of trying to conceal it, he told his teammates directly and it reset the tone. They regrouped, adjusted, and performed the next day with clarity.

In a sport where pressure is constant and decisions are instantaneous, he shares that those conversations often dictate outcomes as much as raw skill does.

Life on the move, and life as a dad

The reality of Jason’s life as a sailor is the amount of time he spends up in the air travelling, with SailGP having 12-13 events a year. A huge part of his behind the scenes is managing flight itineraries, hotel rooms, time zone changes, and a schedule that rarely looks the same month-to-month.

Among all of this, his family is an important centre of gravity for Jason, and becoming a father added a new dimension to his relationship with risk and routine. It also gave him a fresh appreciation for the decisions his parents made two decades ago.

“When I think about taking my daughter out the way my parents took me, I suddenly understand the courage it took,” he says. “It hits differently.”

Handling long stretches solo while he’s overseas, Jason shares that the moment he walks through the door, the handover is instant, “[My wife] just hands me the baby sometimes and goes, ‘Your turn.’ And you’re just like, what time zone am I on? But it’s such a privilege — these are such little small world problems.”

The work behind the wins

Strip away the titles and trophies and Jason’s career looks less like a straight line of achievements and more like a long stretch of disciplined behind-the-scenes work which is the very foundation of how he performs and lives.

Jason is an athlete shaped by an unconventional childhood, a skilled communicator, and a competitor who understands that the work off the water is often what determines what happens on it.

Want to hear more of Jason’s story in his own words? Watch the full podcast episode on our YouTube channel.

AI is not a strategy, but you still need one

When ChatGPT first hits the scene, it felt like magic. You typed in a question and out came paragraphs of seemingly human responses. That “wow” moment sparked a wave of experimentation across industries.

However, Jack Jorgensen, General Manager of Data, AI & Innovation at our IT delivery arm, Avec, points out:

“There’s a big difference between punching in a search query and building something deterministic and robust enough to run in production systems.”

And that difference is exactly where many businesses get stuck. According to our latest AI survey, nearly half (47.6%) of organisations are still in the experimental pilot stage. This isn’t inherently bad. Testing is critical, but it highlights a bigger issue: too many companies are running pilots without a clear strategy.

The hammer and nails problem

One of the most striking survey responses captured the mindset perfectly: “AI is a solution to some business needs. It’s not an objective or self-evident value proposition in its own right.”

Jack expands on this:

“What we’re seeing is a shift from the traditional IT delivery model, where you start with the value proposition and business case, then source the right tool. With AI, too many leaders are saying, ‘We’ve got this new hammer, now where are the nails?’”

That approach leads to wasted investment, disjointed projects, and technology that doesn’t deliver value. AI may not be the strategy, but without a strategy, you’re setting yourself up to fail.

Why “no strategy” is not an option

Some executives have argued that AI doesn’t need a dedicated strategy, comparing it to something as basic as staplers or office chairs. But as Jack explains, this is dangerously short-sighted:

“AI is a tool, yes. But it’s a tool that comes with new cybersecurity threats, compliance challenges, and ethical considerations. Ignoring it leaves your business exposed.”

From phishing attacks to vulnerabilities in AI-generated code, the risks are real. Without a roadmap, companies open themselves up to reputational damage, compliance breaches, and spiralling costs.

As JP Browne, Practice Manager from Talent Auckland puts it bluntly:

“Burying your head in the sand is not an option. AI is here, one way or another, and every organisation will be affected by it.”

The IT department squeeze

Another dynamic uncovered in our research is the unusual role IT departments are playing in AI adoption. Traditionally, IT has been a service function, enabling strategy set elsewhere in the business. But with AI, the tables have turned.

“Executives are excited about AI and pushing hard to adopt it, but IT leaders are often the ones hitting the brakes,” JP notes. “They’re saying: yes, this is powerful, but we need to address security, infrastructure, and compliance first.”

That tension is leaving many organisations in limbo. The money is there. The executive interest is there. But without a strategic framework to prioritise use cases, align with business goals, and manage risk, progress stalls.

Building an AI strategy that works

So, what does an effective AI strategy look like? It doesn’t have to be a 50-page blueprint. In fact, Jack recommends starting simple:

1. Define the business problem. Don’t adopt AI for the sake of it. Be clear about the challenge you’re trying to solve.
2. Set guardrails. Establish data security, compliance, and ethical guidelines before scaling experiments.
3. Start small, but with intent. Pilots are valuable, but only if they feed into a roadmap for production-ready solutions.
4. Assign ownership. Decide who is accountable for AI adoption across the business. Avoid the “hot potato” problem where no one owns it.
5. Review and adapt. A strategy isn’t fixed. As AI evolves, so should your approach.

“Having no AI strategy is worse than having the wrong one,” says Jack. “At least a flawed strategy can be corrected. No strategy leaves you wide open.”

From fear to opportunity

Much of the fear surrounding AI, from job loss to ethics and compliance, stem from uncertainty. And uncertainty thrives where there’s no plan.

With the right strategy, AI becomes less of a threat and more of a force multiplier. It can streamline workflows, surface insights, and free people up from repetitive tasks to focus on higher-value work. But those benefits only come when you align AI projects with business objectives and set the right foundations.

As JP concludes:

“AI can absolutely change the game for productivity and competitiveness. But only if you stop reacting, start planning, and make it part of your business strategy.”

AI is not the strategy. But without a strategy, AI is just hype. Organisations that take the time to define their approach, even if it starts small, will be the ones that cut through the noise, manage the risks, and realise real business value.

If you’re ready to source in-house AI capability, get in touch with our team. Or, if you’re looking to kick off a data project, reach out to Jack’s team at Avec.

While government agencies have to carefully navigate AI changes while maintaining dependability, the private sector can move like a high-speed bullet train in comparison; faster, more agile, and ready to change direction. However, when it comes to AI, speed without strategy can be as dangerous as standing still.

Our latest AI survey with 864 business leaders and tech professionals shows that 48% of organisations overall are still in the experimental or pilot stage of AI adoption. In the private sector, this can be exciting with tools being trialled, data flows unlocked, and quick wins celebrated… But without clear ownership and governance, experimentation can quickly spiral into risk.

The private sector’s AI advantage

Private organisations have more flexibility than government agencies, which means they can:

• Pilot AI use cases without length approval processes
• Redirect budgets and talent more quickly
• Partner with vendors or start-ups to accelerate capability

In-house AI expert Jack Jorgensen, General Manager of Data, AI & Innovation at Avec, explains, “In the private sector, leadership can decide today that AI is a priority, and tomorrow there’s a project team in place.” This agility allows them to capitalise on emerging opportunities, from automating repetitive tasks to improving customer experience.

The strategy gap

It’s important to note that speed is an advantage, until it isn’t. Our survey data shows that:

• 41% of organisations cite “no strategy” as a major obstacle to AI adoption
• 41% say “unclear goals” are holding them back
• 34% cite “unclear ownership”

“We’ve seen this before with automation. Without a cross-business strategy, AI gets walled into a single department and it never reaches its full potential,” says Jack.

In many cases, the enthusiasm is there at the executive level, but ownership is unclear. Is AI a technology initiative? A business transformation project? A data function? Without a clear answer, adoption can stall or become fragmented.

Security and governance risks

Organisations in the private sector are split in their approach to AI security:

• 3% have restrictions or policies limiting the use of external AI tools
• 9% use tools like ChatGPT with minimal governance
• 9% are exploring secure, fit-for-purpose AI solutions
• 11% have implemented secure, in-house AI capability

Practice Manager from our office in Auckland, JP Browne observes, “You either lock it down completely or let it run free, and the private sector is doing both, often within the same organisation.”

The role of talent in AI maturity

AI success in the private sector is often tied to talent strategy, and the current roles in highest demand according to our recruitment experts include:

• Data engineers and analysts
• Systems engineers to build infrastructure
• Change managers to drive adoption across business units

But while technical capability is critical, so is critical thinking and the ability to bridge technical and commercial priorities.

What private sector leaders should do next

• Define ownership and accountability for AI strategy
• Prioritise secure data infrastructure before scaling
• Pilot AI projects with clear and measurable goals
• Invest in cross-functional teams that blend technical skill with business insight
• Develop a company-wide AI policy that balances innovation with risk management

The private sector’s ability to move quickly is a strength, but only if it’s guided by clear strategy, governance, and talent. The leaders in AI adoption will be those who can balance the hype and excitement of rapid innovation with the discipline to scale it safely and sustainably.

If you’re looking to hire AI and data talent, get in touch with our team. Or if your business is planning a high-impact data, AI or innovation project, drop a message to Jack’s team at Avec.

The insurance industry has long been a pioneer in automation. Fraud detection, claims processing, and risk modelling all lend themselves to technology, and AI is simply the next layer. However, it brings with it new complexities, risks, and opportunities.

In our recent AI survey, 40.3% of financial services respondents (including insurance) said their organisation is still in the experimental or pilot stage of AI adoption. And while early wins are clear, there’s a universal truth in insurance: you can’t take humans out of the loop entirely.

From automation to AI: An evolution, not a leap

JP Browne, Practice Manager from Talent Auckland says, “Insurance has been using automation for years and AI just extends what’s possible, from approving low-value claims instantly to extracting insight from thousands of documents.”

Examples of early AI adoption in insurance include:

• Automating claims approvals for low-value, low-risk cases
• Using AI to scan and summarise large volumes of customer documents
• Generating insights from call centre transcripts to improve service quality

These targeted use cases reduce cost, save time, and free human experts for more complex work.

Why human oversight still matters

AI may be fast, but it can’t (yet) replace human judgement in high-stakes decisions.

“If somebody’s house is on fire, you can’t let a bot decide whether to let the claim go through,” says JP.

In regulated industries like insurance, compliance, ethics, and customer trust demand human sign-off for:

• Large or complex claims
• Disputed cases
• Situations with incomplete or ambiguous data
• Potential fraud indicators

The security and compliance factor

As part of the broader financial services sector, insurance organisations share similar AI adoption challenges, particularly around security and compliance.

Our survey findings show:

• 2% said security or compliance concerns are their biggest barrier to regular AI use
• 3% said their organisation has restrictions or policies in place limiting the use of external AI tools
• 9% are exploring secure, fit-for-purpose AI solutions
• 11% have developed or implemented their own secure, in-house AI capability

Some insurers are even moving back to on prem to maintain tighter control of sensitive data and meet stringent regulatory requirements.

The data quality challenge

Insurance leaders know that AI is only as good as the data it’s fed. “We’re seeing a big rise in demand for data engineers and analysts, because poor-quality data kills AI performance,” observes JP.

This focus on data readiness is driving workforce changes in:

• Systems engineering
• Data engineering and analytics
• Data governance and compliance roles

What insurance leaders should so next

• Identify low-risk AI use cases that deliver measurable ROI
• Maintain human oversight for complex or high-value claims
• Strengthen data governance and quality
• Build secure infrastructure for AI deployment
• Create clear policy frameworks for AI use across teams

AI can process claims in seconds and surface insights no human could spot, but it can’t replace the trust built through human expertise. In insurance, the leaders won’t be those who hand decisions over to machines, but those who combine AI’s speed with human empathy, ethics, and accountability. The winning formula? Let AI handle the heavy lifting, while people make the calls that truly matter.

Want to find out what else our AI survey revealed? Access the full report.

If you’re looking to build internal AI capability or make your first AI hire, get in touch with our team. Or if your business is ready to kick off a data, AI or innovation project, drop a message to Jack’s team at Avec.

When budgets tighten and sustainability goals loom large, most councils zero in on headcount, procurement, and property costs.

But what about your fleet?

For many organisations, the fleet is the ultimate blind spot, an invisible cost centre quietly draining millions. Yet, with the right data and meaningful insights, it can become a powerful lever for savings, sustainability, and smarter decision-making.

That was the key message from our recent webinar with Fleetonomics™ experts Karen Whitehouse and Melvin Worth, who joined our Head of Government here at Talent, Steve Tompkins, to unpack how councils can transform their fleet from a hidden expense into a strategic advantage.

The hidden value sitting in your data

GPS logs, activity reports, booking systems… Most councils are swimming in vehicle data, but few are truly using it. Karen and Melvin call this the “untapped goldmine” of fleet management.

“We’ve helped councils uncover an average of 20% optimisation opportunity in their fleets, without disrupting business-as-usual,” said Karen.

The trick isn’t to collect more data, but to make sense of what you already have. When you connect your telematics, finance, and asset management systems into one source of truth, patterns emerge: underused vehicles, inefficient routing, even “ghost” cars sitting idle for months.

Busting fleet myths that cost you millions

The Fleetonomics team often sees the same misconceptions play out again and again:

• “We need more vehicles.”
• “If it’s depreciated, it’s free to keep.”
• “Our Hiluxes are essential.”

Sound familiar?

In reality, many fleets are overcapitalised and under-utilised. One council discovered their vehicles were only used a handful of times a week, yet were fully assigned to individuals.

Another realised that peak summer “demand periods” didn’t actually exist once they analysed utilisation data.

“The operational voice can be loud,” Melvin noted. “Without evidence-based analysis, it’s easy for anecdotes to drive costly decisions.”

Where to start: Your ‘why’

Before you optimise anything, start by asking: why now?

• Is it cost reduction?
• Sustainability goals?
• Public perception or compliance pressures?

Getting alignment on the ‘why’ across leadership is critical. Fleet optimisation is a change program, not a procurement exercise. Once that purpose is clear, you can bring your people, and your data, on the journey.

Turning data into action

Good fleet data tells a story: where vehicles go, how often, and why. When that story is clear, conversations shift from assumptions to actions.

Karen and Melvin recommend:

1. Consolidate your data – Create one version of truth that includes GPS, finance, booking, and maintenance records.
2. Interrogate the patterns – Identify waste (idle vehicles, over-spec’d models, duplicate assets).
3. Engage your stakeholders early – Optimisation only works when fleet users are part of the solution, not the surprise.

“When data meets dialogue, that’s when real change happens,” Karen said. “Once users understand the ‘why,’ you get faster adoption, less pushback, and better long-term results.”

Case in point: One Council’s $4.5m wake-up call

A district council approached Fleetonomics after senior leaders realised they couldn’t answer basic questions like: “How many vehicles do we have?” or “Are they fit for purpose?”

After a full fleet audit and utilisation review, the results spoke for themselves:

• 27% fleet overcapacity identified
• 17% reduction achievable with no operational impact
• $4.5M in long-term savings unlocked
• 87% transition to EVs planned, plus infrastructure fully funded from savings

By challenging assumptions and unifying data, they turned confusion into confidence and built a blueprint for others to follow.

Keep the conversation moving

Fleet optimisation isn’t a one-and-done project. It’s a living process.

As technology evolves, staff change, and sustainability targets accelerate, your strategy should too. Karen and Melvin suggest revisiting your data quarterly, especially in the early stages.

Because the councils that stay agile, those that question entrenched thinking and act on evidence, are the ones turning fiscal waste into measurable progress.

You can’t manage what you can’t see

But when you make your fleet visible, you don’t just save money, you create capacity for innovation, sustainability, and smarter decision-making.

So, is your fleet costing you more than you think?

There’s only one way to find out: start with the data.

Want to discuss how we can help? Reach out today.

Warm, grounded, and self-aware, musical theatre performer Shewit Belay immediately dismantles any assumptions you might have about who she is and how she got to where she is.

On our latest podcast episode, we sat with Shewit to get to know the woman behind the stage lights and trace back her journey that didn’t begin with dance classes or elite drama schools but in a hospital ward, working 14-hour shifts and caring for patients as a junior doctor.

Quite literally a doctor-turned-performer, she tells us the story behind the surprisingly natural leap into her musical career.

From wards to world-class stages

Before she stepped into the Hamilton universe or took her place in MJ the Musical, Shewit was a medical intern in the middle of a rigorous year required to become a fully registered doctor.

Medicine was a path that carried meaning and purpose, appealing to her curiosity, discipline, and desire to contribute to society. But even as she moved through hospital rotations, something else was growing louder: the pull of performing.

“I’d been singing and performing for as long as I can remember,” she says. “Music was always there. Even in medical school.” The desire to take it seriously didn’t come from a dramatic epiphany but a long-buried truth that rose gradually.

Eventually, she realised she needed dedicated time to pursue it properly. So she did something unexpected but intentional: she chose herself, and it opened the door to one of the biggest musicals of the decade.

Manifesting Hamilton (literally)

Hamilton was both her breakout show and her first professional musical ever, a fact that still astonishes her.

She tells the story of a piece of paper she wrote “Audition for Hamilton” on in her third year of medical school, filed away and mostly forgotten. Years later, on the day she travelled to her first rehearsal, that same piece of paper slipped out of her folder and fell into her lap. “I looked at it and thought, oh my God — I’m here.”

In Hamilton, she served as a standby for all three Schuyler sisters — Eliza, Angelica and Peggy — and for a period also covered an ensemble role. The role of standby demands rigorous vocal technique, emotional agility and an extraordinary level of preparation; needing to be performance-ready with almost no notice, often stepping into incredibly complex tracks with precision and confidence. For Shewit, the experience was both exhilarating and humbling.

And yes, she met Lin-Manuel Miranda, “He was exactly how you’d imagine — animated, generous, a bit goofy. But so warm. It was surreal.”

The discipline behind standby life

Standby performers have to live in a heightened state of readiness, where you might not perform for a week, and then suddenly find yourself on stage with two hours’ notice — or less. And this unique rhythm demands an almost meditative discipline.

For Shewit, her background in medicine unexpectedly became an asset. “Hospitals are full of uncertainty,” she says. “You still have to show up sustainably within that.” And she brings that transferrable skill of steadiness and consistency into her theatre work.

Her pre-show rituals are practical: a cup of tea, hydration, makeup done early, vocal warm-ups in her car where she can make odd noises without worrying about strangers on buses. She listens to DJ sets on YouTube to avoid overthinking and keeps her body warmed up regardless of whether she’s on that night. It’s unglamorous, meticulous, and the reason she can deliver when the call comes. The psychological calm is where her medical training and artistic intuition meet.

MJ the Musical and the women who shaped her

Today, as part of MJ the Musical, Shewit covers two contrasting roles: Kate, Michael Jackson’s mother, and Rachel, the journalist who guides audiences through the narrative. The roles require a blend of emotional weight, stage presence and vocal control; a combination she links back to the women who shaped her.

“I was raised by strong women — my mum and my older sister,” she says. Growing up as one of five children in Tasmania, she learned how to navigate big personalities, hold space for others and stand her ground. Those early lessons now influence her character work. She portrays women with nuance, resilience and emotional accuracy because she grew up witnessing those qualities every day, demonstrating performances that are both technical and lived.

Balancing two identities: Performer and Doctor

Despite her musical career taking off, Shewit hasn’t left the world of medicine behind, and women’s health remains a deep passion. She speaks candidly about issues like female genital mutilation (FGM) and how misunderstood, underreported, and under-resourced it is, including in Australia. “It still happens — even here,” she says. “People think it only happens elsewhere, but it can lead to gynaecological emergencies in Australia, too.”

During her master’s degree, she began a research project on education around FGM but paused it when she booked Hamilton. Yet she speaks about the work with the kind of clarity and commitment that suggests this chapter isn’t over. Remaining both an artist and a clinician, both intuitive and analytical, her two identities continue to inform each other.

The quiet side people don’t see

On stage, Shewit is expressive, commanding and emotionally open. Off stage, she’s reflective, private and intentionally quiet. She describes herself as an “introverted extrovert” fully capable of engaging and performing, but deeply reliant on solitude to recharge. “I recharge by being alone, thinking about my day, being in nature,” she says.

She’s also mindful about what she consumes, especially online. “The internet isn’t a real place,” she notes. “You have to be conscious of how it affects your self-esteem and attention.”

This grounded self-awareness is one of the reasons she survives the demanding pace of musical theatre. Eight shows a week, constant rehearsals, inconsistent hours and the emotional load of performing can erode performers quickly but Shewit approaches her work with the discipline of someone who has lived two high-pressure careers. Her self-care is entirely strategic.

Navigating spaces as a Black woman in Australia

Perhaps the most resonant part of Shewit’s story is the honesty with which she speaks about identity, and growing up as a Black woman in Australia inevitably shaped her sense of self. “I grew up often feeling like I had to be small,” she says. “Not always because people made me feel that way — but because that’s the experience.” She learned early how to read rooms, how to adjust, how to maintain safety in spaces that weren’t always designed to include her.

Yet she doesn’t frame this as a limitation. She says it’s a skill that requires awareness, intuition and impact. “It’s not about being less myself. It’s about knowing when it’s safe to be fully myself. And when it is, I show up.” Her success, then, is not just about talent or discipline. It’s about the emotional intelligence required to navigate multiple worlds simultaneously.

What people don’t see about musical theatre

Audiences see the spectacle: the lighting, the harmonies, the costumes, the curtain call. What they don’t see is the relentless stamina required to deliver it night after night. “We rehearse at least twice a week — eight hours total — on top of eight shows,” she explains. “Your weekends don’t exist.” For standbys, the challenge is doubled. They must remain in peak condition without the regularity of nightly performances to keep their voices, bodies and timing active.

Her approach is consistent and methodical: hydration, nutrition, rest, vocal technique and an unwavering respect for her craft.

Not just a Musical Theatre Actress

While calling Shewit Belay a musical actress is technically accurate, it’s also simultaneously insufficient. She’s a doctor with a passion for women’s health, a researcher advocating for vulnerable communities, an artist with emotional intelligence, a daughter raised by strong women, a quiet thinker, a disciplined performer, and a woman navigating identity in spaces where representation is still catching up.

When asked who she hopes she’s becoming, her answer is reflective and centred. “Someone who is compassionate and brave. Someone who makes choices intentionally, not out of fear. Someone who doesn’t shy away from the fullness of who she is.” It’s a vision rooted in integrity and presence rather than image and performance, and it’s clear she is already well on her way.

As someone who builds her career onstage while carrying lived experiences that strengthens work off the stage, Shewit is, in every sense, not just a musical actress but a multidimensional person who brins her full self into every room she enters.

Want to hear more of Shewit’s story in her own words? Watch the full podcast episode on our YouTube channel.

The financial services sector has never been shy about technology, from automated trading to fraud detection, the industry has used advanced tools for decades. So it’s no surprise that when AI entered the mainstream, finance started experimenting early. 

In our recent AI survey, 40.3% of financial services respondents said their organisation is still in the experimental or pilot stage. And while that might sound slow for such a tech-forward sector, the reality is more nuanced. 

Grassroots AI adoption 

According to JP Browne, Practice Manager from our Talent office in Auckland, “AI adoption in financial services hasn’t been a top-down strategy. It’s started with individuals experimenting and then leadership scrambling to wrap governance around it.” 

This first wave of AI in finance has come from analysts automating data reviewal processes, teams using AI to parse documents and support in decision-making, and customer service teams testing AI-powered call transcription and insights. 

In many cases, these use cases weren’t part of a formal plan but were initiatives driven by curious employees. 

The security and compliance squeeze 

Financial services hold some of the most sensitive data in the economy, so it makes sense why security and compliance concerns are front and centre. 

“You either let people dabble under controlled conditions or you lock it down completely. In financial services, both approaches are happening and sometimes within the same organisation,” observes JP. 

And our survey data backs this: 

• 46.2% said security or compliance concerns were their biggest obstacle 
• 38.3% said their organisation has restrictions or policies in place limiting the use of external AI tools 

Some organisations are also bringing services back on-premises to reduce external risk and exposure and maintain control over sensitive data flows. 

Productivity gains are real but targeted 

The early AI wins in the financial services industry aren’t flashy and focused on speeding low-risk repetitive processes, freeing human experts for high-value and complex decision-making, and improving data analysis and insight generation. 

JP shares, “Insurance has been using automation for years and AI just extends what’s possible, like approving low value claims instantly or extracting insights from thousands of documents.” 

The AI strategy gap 

Despite early adoption, many financial organisations still lack a unified AI strategy and this gap creates risk; tools proliferate without integration, data duplication drives up cloud costs, and security and compliance posture can’t keep up with usage. 

According to Jack Jorgensen, General Manager of Data, AI & Innovation at Avec, “Leaders see AI as the golden ticket but getting there means having to build secure data foundations first, and that’s where the real work is.” 

So, what should leaders in financial services do next? 

• Map existing AI use across the business, including shadow AI 
• Set clear ownership for AI strategy 
• Invest in secure data infrastructure before scaling 
• Pilot with measurable outcomes in customer experience, operations, and compliance 
• Train teams regularly to keep pace with the evolving risk landscape 

Financial services leaders know the stakes: move too slow and you lose competitive edge, move too fast and you risk regulatory breaches. The winning path is deliberate innovation by balancing productivity gains with ironclad risk management. 

Want to explore what the survey discovered? Access the full report. 

If you’re looking to build secure AI capability or hire financial services tech talent, get in touch with our team. Or if you’re ready to deliver a secure and compliant AI or data project, drop a message to Jack’s team at Avec. 

When Michelle Hutchison reflects on her career, she doesn’t point to a five-year plan or a neat set of steps that led her to become Chief of Staff at Finder. Instead, she describes a series of leaps, some accidental and some instinctive, which were always underpinned by curiosity and a willingness to dive into the unknown. 

“I’ve always looked for opportunities to help in random areas,” she says. “Sometimes it didn’t fall into PR, but I’d see something that needed to be done and just start working on it.” 

It’s a pattern that has defined her career, from her early days as a journalist, to running PR teams, to being the person who launches new company policies or designs entire internship programs. Today, Michelle is at the heart of Finder, helping steer its people, projects, and future-facing ventures in crypto and emerging tech. But, as we discovered on our podcast, behind every career is a story you’ve never heard. 

From art dreams to media reality 

Long before leadership roles and innovation projects, Michelle’s sights were set on a creative path. 

“I wanted to open an art gallery and be an artist,” she recalls. “But my parents discouraged me and wanted me to have a fallback plan. So I studied media and put my art on hold.” 

And journalism was her way into storytelling. Internships at newspapers, radio stations, and magazines (including a stint at Dolly!) gave her an insider’s view of how the media machine worked. Eventually she landed in radio news, filing bulletins for two stations on the Central Coast, before moving back to Sydney for a role at Property Council Australia magazine. 

When the editor suddenly departed, Michelle was thrust into the role. “I had to pick up the pieces and work out how to do it. But that’s how you learn when you’re thrown in the deep end.” 

That hunger to learn soon pulled her beyond journalism. PR caught her attention, then the fast-growing world of comparison sites. “I fell into it, and I haven’t looked back.” 

A career built on curiosity 

At Finder, Michelle helped establish the PR function, but she rarely limited herself to her job description. She built analytics support teams, scaled strategies into new markets, and even drafted the company’s first parental leave policy. 

“I organised our first offsite, one of our first Christmas parties. I’d see something that wasn’t being done and think, ‘What about this? I’ll go do it.’ That’s how I fell into the Chief of Staff role.” 

Her remit only grew. She was part of Finder Ventures, the innovation arm experimenting with new ideas, launching apps and crypto projects. When the company began trading large amounts of crypto, she stepped in as compliance officer. “I thought, let’s work out how to build a compliance program and deal with Austrac. I just figured it out.” 

Again and again, her career has been defined not by a pre-set ladder but by saying yes to challenges and then working out the rest. 

The human side of leadership 

For all the ventures into crypto and compliance, what comes through most strongly is Michelle’s approach to people. 

“I’ve been told I’m very nurturing, like a mother goose,” she says with a smile. “I always look after my team, and really anyone near me. Having kids probably amplified that.” 

That empathy has shaped her impact on Finder’s culture. She benchmarked policies against global tech giants but also made them uniquely suited to Finder. “I asked a colleague for examples from big tech companies, but when I put it forward, Frank [co-founder of Finder] said: ‘Don’t worry about what they’re doing. What’s the best thing we can do?’” 

She’s also passionate about opening doors for the next generation. Partnering with Macquarie University, she built structured internship programs in PR and social media. “We get these fresh, digital-native perspectives, and they get real workplace experience. It’s a win-win.” 

Crypto, AI, and the future of work 

For Michelle, emerging technology isn’t abstract, it’s something she works with daily. She’s been immersed in crypto projects since 2018 and sees enormous potential, especially for global money transfers. 

“You’ve got millions of people sending money overseas every week, losing so much to fees. Then bitcoin came along and you can send it instantly for a fraction of the cost. That was the first use case that really clicked.” 

And she’s just as enthusiastic about AI: “I love ChatGPT. I use it when I’m overwhelmed or need to get my creative juices flowing. Some people like to draft first then refine with it, but I start with it—it helps me think.” 

At Finder, she’s part of weaving AI into workflows, from search and comparison to creative production. For her, it’s about efficiency and possibility: “What did we do without it?” 

Not just a Chief of Staff 

Despite her achievements, Michelle doesn’t separate her professional and personal selves. “I feel like I am the same person outside of work,” she says. At home, she’s a mum of two, chasing kids and balancing family life. On the side, she still nurtures her art roots though one half-finished painting has been waiting two years for her to return to it. 

“If I could be known for something completely different, it would be as an artist. Painting brings so much joy and freedom.” 

And this creativity runs through her leadership too. Whether drafting policies, launching experimental projects, or mentoring interns, Michelle treats every challenge as a blank canvas. She brings care, curiosity, and a readiness to experiment; qualities that have shaped her career far more than any job title ever could. 

As she puts it: “I’ve made so many mistakes, but that’s how you learn. You jump in, you figure it out, and you keep moving forward.” 

Want to hear more of Michelle’s story? Watch the full podcast episode on our YouTube channel.

When it comes to AI adoption, government is in no hurry. And that’s exactly the point.

In our latest AI survey, 50% of respondents working in the public sector said their organisation is still in the experimental or pilot stage of AI use. Compared to many private-sector industries, where early adoption is already shifting workflows and job design.

While at first glance, it might look like governments are falling behind, there’s good reason they move differently.

Why governments move slowly on AI

Government agencies aren’t built to “move fast and break things”. According to our in-house AI expert, Jack Jorgensen, General Manager of Data, AI & Innovation at our project delivery arm Avec, “There’s a big difference in the way governments need to operate versus private enterprise. They’re designed to be stable, reliable, and robust.”

A government body’s core responsibilities of public services, infrastructure, safety and regulation demand caution, reliability, and trust. So, when your ‘customer’ is the entire population, the stakes are high. Errors can impact millions, data breaches can threaten national security, and AI decisions must stand up to legal and public scrutiny.

The reality on the ground

In many agencies, AI is still in the exploratory stage:

• Small, controlled pilots
• Internal tools tested in low-risk areas
• Strong focus on compliance and security requirements
• Longer approval cycles for procurement and deployment

“Policy-making roles are challenging to automate and in highly regulated environments, finding relevant and safe use cases understandably takes time,” says Jack.

Security and compliance non-negotiables

Government respondents ranked “security and compliance concerns” on par with financial services and is no surprise given the sensitivity of the data they hold.

Some agencies are also grappling with:

• Lack of relevant applications – 20.2% said AI doesn’t apply to their current work
• Ownership uncertainty – it’s widely unclear who should lead AI initiatives
• Siloed operations – meaning slow cross-department collaboration

Why this pace makes sense

Jack says, “If anyone’s surprised government is slow on AI adoption, they don’t understand the role. The systems are meant to be dependable, not bleeding edge.”

While speed matters for the private sector in competitive markets, stability matters more than anything in public service. AI in government must work every time, be explainable and auditable, serve the public interest, and align with legislation and policy.

So, what can government do next?

• Continue piloting in low-risk and high-value areas
• Invest in AI literacy for leadership and frontline teams
• Create clear ownership and governance frameworks
• Learn from private-sector implementations without importing their risk appetite
• Build secure, compliant infrastructure before scaling

The private sector can afford to experiment, and government can’t, so caution at this stage isn’t failure. In an era where public trust is fragile, deliberate and well-governed AI adoption is the only responsible path.

Want to explore the sector-by-sector data? Access the full report.

If you need to hire talent for AI or data roles in public service, get in touch with our team. Or if you want to plan a secure AI pilot, partner with Jack’s team at Avec.

Titles can be deceiving. “Global CEO” might conjure an image of suits, boardrooms, and strategy decks, but behind every title is a much richer and more surprising story than what any resume can suggest.

In our latest episode of Not Just A…, we sat down with our very own Mark Nielsen, Talent Global CEO, to chat about Mark’s journey. Born and raised in South Africa, he’s been a judo competitor, a small business owner, and an investment banker. He’s navigated the challenges of coming out in conservative environments, rebuilt his life after major heart surgery, and still finds time for passions like travel, fashion, and his love of dogs.

What emerges is a portrait of a leader who’s defined not just by his title, but by resilience, authenticity, and a restless drive to step beyond his comfort zone.

Roots in South Africa

Mark grew up in South Africa in a lower middle-class family and a public-school education. Nothing about his early years pointed to global leadership, but his curiosity and drive emerged quickly.

“By 16, I was already working my first job at a nursery,” he recalls. “It wasn’t just for the money. I loved the interaction with people and learning new things.”

At university in Cape Town, he studied accounting, maths, and law, but also dabbled in business ventures. With friends, he launched a beach café serving hotdogs, cocktails, and playing (at the time) the latest Milli Vanilli tracks. “We made about $10,000 in two weeks,” Mark laughs. “Not bad for students.”

From judo to jumping career paths

Sports was another constant. Mark represented South Africa in judo under-18s and trained from the age of six right up until university. Though he stepped away for a while, he later returned to competitive training, only to break his arm.

“I’ve always had the philosophy that as soon as you get into your comfort zone, you’ve got to jump,” he says. “That’s how I approached my career, from accounting to investment banking to global leadership.”

Living authentically

Mark’s professional trajectory wasn’t without personal challenges. Coming of age as a gay man in conservative South Africa and later working in finance in the UK in the late 90’s, meant he often kept his identity hidden.

“At work I was pretty much in the closet,” he admits. “Outside, I was having lots of fun but it was difficult to connect with colleagues because I couldn’t be true to who I was.”

Everything changed in one pivotal interview: “In the final round, I told the CEO: ‘I’m gay. Does it faze you?’ He replied, ‘Well, I’m Jewish and I’m married. Does it faze you?’ It was like a weight lifted off my shoulders.”

Mark now champions authenticity in leadership. “If you can’t bring your whole self to work, it’s a huge burden. My advice to young people is to find the environment that suits you. Ask questions in interviews, about culture, flexibility, change. It all makes a difference.”

A life-changing wake-up call

In 2025, Mark received news that would alter his perspective forever. A routine medical check-up uncovered severely clogged arteries, leading to urgent open-heart surgery.

“I had a quadruple bypass at 55,” he says matter-of-factly. “It was stressful, but my mindset was: it is what it is. You can’t change it. Just solve it.”

And his recovery became a personal and professional lesson. “It taught me patience and persistence. You don’t go from A to B in one day. You get a little better each day, push yourself a bit out of your comfort zone. That’s true in business and in life.”

Remarkably, just months later, Mark competed in Hyrox (the latest global fitness obsession), “That was my motivator to get out of bed and rebuild my fitness. Incremental steps add up.”

Passions beyond the boardroom

Travel is one of Mark’s greatest joys. He’s visited more than 60 countries and relishes the thrill of new experiences. “Arriving somewhere for the first time is such an amazing feeling,” he says. “Travel is about learning and celebrating differences. Imagine if we all looked the same or wore the same clothes, how boring that would be.”

Mexico City, Portugal, and Chilean Patagonia are among his favourites, and Antarctica remains on his list. “We don’t do camping,” he laughs. “Always a lodge, a suite, a bathroom, and a glass of champagne.”

Closer to home, dogs also hold a special place in his heart. “I just love dogs. Their loyalty, their simplicity. They don’t care about material things; they love you for who you are.”

If life had taken a different path, Mark might have pursued fashion design. “As a kid, I made costumes for friends in plays and fashion shows. Imagine creating clothes that give people the confidence to shine. That would be incredible.” His admiration for designers like Tom Ford and Alexander McQueen reveals his appreciation for creativity, complexity, and artistry.

The CEO lens

So, what does Mark’s role as CEO really involve? Far more than numbers and boardrooms.

“It’s a juggling act,” he explains. “You’ve got to balance short- and long-term priorities, keep stakeholders aligned, and motivate people, even when you don’t feel like it yourself. It’s about emotional intelligence as much as strategy.”

Pre-board preparation, open communication, and building trust underpin his approach. “Everything comes with risk. In today’s business world, if you don’t take risks, you won’t survive. The key is managing risk and starting small before scaling.”

His hidden talent? A photographic memory for numbers. “I still remember phone numbers from when I was a kid,” he grins. “It keeps the finance team on their toes.”

Not just a CEO

Mark Nielsen’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and authenticity. From judo mats in South Africa to investment banks in London, from fashion dreams to Hyrox, from hiding his identity to leading with openness… His path shows the power of stepping beyond comfort zones.

He’s proof that leadership isn’t just about titles or strategies. It’s about bringing your whole self to the role, learning from setbacks, and finding joy outside of work—in travel, dogs, or simply reading the paper at night.

As he puts it: “If you focus on being a little better each day and push yourself out of your comfort zone, in a year you won’t even recognise yourself.”

Mark is not just a CEO. He’s a traveller, a mentor, a dog lover, a would-be fashion designer, and a leader who knows the value of authenticity.

Want to hear more of Mark’s story? Watch the full podcast episode on our YouTube channel.