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.

Although it isn’t yet a tidal wave, the tide is turning on workforce planning.

In our latest AI survey with 864 business leaders and tech professionals, when asked whether AI was impacting workforce planning over the next 12-18 months:

• 12.1% said they’re already using AI to evolve roles or reduce manual work
• 23.3% said they’re exploring how AI may shift the skills they hire for
• 32.5% said it’s on their radar, but not yet a focus
• 22.9% said AI isn’t impacting their workforce planning at all

With more than a third of organisations actively exploring or implementing changes due to AI, it’s worth exploring what these changes are for both employers and candidates.

The roles rising first

According to JP Browne, Talent Practice Manager and recruitment expert in the Auckland market, “We’re not seeing a rush to hire ‘AI engineers’, but we are seeing demand for systems engineers, data engineers, and data analysts, because poor data breaks AI.”

Before deploying AI at scale within your business, you need solid data foundations. This means hiring for:

• Data quality and governance
• System integration
• Infrastructure build-out
• Security and compliance enablement

In other words, it’s those behind-the-scenes roles that make AI functional, reliable, and safe.

Recruitment reality check

AI is also changing recruitment itself, both in how candidates present themselves in the application process and how employers assess talent.

“Some candidates are using ChatGPT to craft flawless cover letters, but the actual CV doesn’t match the role. So it’s forcing recruiters to dig deeper and reintroduce more human screening,” observed JP.

We’re seeing:

• More AI-assisted job applications
• A shift away from simple keyword-matching tools
• Greater emphasis on human-in-the-loop hiring decisions

The personal productivity play

For some employees, they’re already using AI to improve their own output without waiting for top-driven organisational change.

From automating reporting to building project estimates, self-taught AI adoption is becoming a competitive edge for individuals. However, it creates uneven capability across teams, and potential risk if it’s unsanctioned.

“You can’t wait on your organisation to set the rules. You need to learn how to use AI yourself, but use it responsibly,” says JP.

Why leaders need to act now

If your workforce planning hasn’t factored in AI, you risk falling behind in:

• Skill readiness in both hiring and internal development
• Employee engagement as workers expect modern tools their industry peers are using
• Efficiency gains where your competitors will find them first
• Risk management as unsanctioned AI use is already happening

JP emphasises, “AI is here, in your phones, in your search engines, in your workflows. Ignoring it doesn’t make it go away, it just leaves you unprepared.”

The shift right now feels subtle, until it’s sudden. The organisations making small, strategic moves today will be the ones ready for the bigger shifts tomorrow.

If you need help building AI-ready hiring strategies, get in touch with our team.

Talent has been recognised at the 2025 APSCo Awards for Excellence taking home two wins; RPO of the Year for Solve by Talent and Back Office Team of the Year.

In the Back Office Team of the Year category, Talent was recognised by APSCo for the finance, compliance, legal, and operations teams that keep agencies running smoothly.

In the RPO of the Year category, Talent was recoginsed by APSCo for excellence in promoting and demonstrating a commitment to best practice in the RPO sector. Talent’s outsourced recruitment experts showcased their commitment to designing, building and managing Talent Acquisition functions that differentiate their clients from their competition.

Speaking on the win for Back Office Team of the Year, Megan Woodbury, Talent’s Global COO, said, “Every great story needs a hero and today, I couldn’t be prouder to celebrate ours. Our incredible Talent team have officially been recognised as the winners of the ‘Back Office Team of the Year’ award at last night’s APSCo Australia Awards for Excellence! Behind every seamless process, strategic decision, and exceptional client and candidate experience is a team of experts who empower others to succeed, protect our reputation, and bring our strategy to life every single day. From transforming our financial ecosystem, to achieving ISO27001 certification, driving automation through RPA, and evolving Engage into a market-leading platform, this team doesn’t just support the business – they amplify it. Their work is proof that true leadership isn’t always in the spotlight – it’s in the systems, insights, and dedication that make excellence possible for everyone else.”

Solve by Talent’s Managing Director, Tom Mackintosh, said, “This one’s for the team. Recognition for a relentless focus on customer service for our hiring leaders and candidates, the drive to make Talent Acquisition seamless and the team ability to outperform on every metric no matter how unique the role.”

The APSCo Awards — widely regarded as benchmarks of excellence in recruitment and workforce services — recognise firms pushing the boundaries of professionalism, innovation, and client impact.

It’s less about fearmongering and more about smart risk management.

In our recent AI survey, 46.2% of respondents named “security and compliance concerns” as the biggest barrier preventing wider AI use, and our experts say they’re absolutely right to be cautious.

“If I could rate that stat above 100%, I would. Security and compliance should be front of mind. Full stop,” says Jack Jorgensen, General Manager of Data, AI & Innovation at Avec, our project delivery arm.

AI is unlike any other tech shift we’ve seen. It’s fast-moving, largely unregulated, and capable of generating unexpected and sometimes dangerous outputs. And when sensitive company data is involved, that’s not a risk you can afford to take lightly.

The tools are already inside the business

If you haven’t formally adopted AI, your people probably already have.

• 38.3% of respondents said their organisations currently have restrictions or policies limiting AI use.
• But 28.9% said AI tools like ChatGPT are being used with minimal control or governance.
• And 8.9% said there are no policies at all.

For data-heavy, regulated environments like financial services, insurance, or government, that’s a recipe for disaster.

“The usage of AI is prolific in every single organisation. It kind of just happened and now execs are scrambling to catch up,” says our recruitment expert JP Browne, Practice Manager from our Talent office in Auckland.

Real-world fails: AI gone rogue

We’re already seeing examples of AI being used recklessly:

• A major NZ business uploaded their full CRM into ChatGPT to “get customer insights”
• A software platform built entirely with AI-generated code suffered a data breach leaking 700,000 passports
• Deepfakes and synthetic media are being weaponised, and legal systems haven’t caught up

“It’s such a fast-moving beast. You can make a critical mistake without even knowing you’ve made it,” says JP. The caution around AI isn’t about shutting adoption down but about saying yes in the safest way.

Why the AI risk is so unique

AI security isn’t just about infrastructure, but:

• Data exposure: What is your staff putting into AI tools?
• Model misuse: Can someone prompt the system to give access or misinformation?
• Compliance blind spots: Are you meeting industry requirements?
• Auditability: Can you trace how a decision was made by the system?

According to Jack, “We currently don’t know what the future holds in security breaches and attack vectors. The more people thinking about this, the better.”

What smart organisations are doing

Leading teams and businesses are:

• Establishing clear AI policies and risk frameworks
• Educating employees on what AI can and can’t do (and what to never input)
• Limiting exposure by controlling which tools are sanctioned
• Bringing data back on-premises in high-risk industries to reduce external risk
• Running regular training quarterly or biannually to keep up with the rapidly developing technology

“Security posture, policy, and training. That’s your baseline. If you don’t have those three, don’t go near production-level AI,” says Jack.

Security is not the brake, it’s the steering wheel

Too many organisations treat security as something that slows innovation. When in reality, it’s the only thing that makes safe and scalable innovation possible.

“When you’re managing billions in funds, or customer identities, AI can’t be a black box. It needs to be understood, controlled and governed,” says JP.

So, if you’re exploring AI without a security posture, you’re not innovating. You’re gambling.

If you’re looking to build internal AI capability or make your first AI hire, get in touch with our recruitment team. Or ready to launch an AI or data project? Partner with Jack’s team at Avec.

AI isn’t just changing how we work, but also how people feel about work.

Our latest AI survey revealed that while one in four professionals worry about job displacement, most concerns around AI go far deeper than that:

• 60% are worried about ethical or compliance risks
• 58% fear loss of human oversight
• 57% are concerned about inaccuracy or hallucinations
• 31% say integration is a challenge

What this tell us is people aren’t just worried about being replaced by AI, but many are concerned that the people running it don’t fully understand the risks.

Why workers are nervous

“You can’t bury your head in the sand. AI is affecting workflows and job design, and people are understandably unsure where they fit,” says JP Browne, Practice Manager at Talent Auckland.

Everywhere you look, there are bold statements about how AI will transform everything but in the real world, most employees are being left in the dark. Are they allowed to use ChatGPT? Are their roles changing? Will AI make their jobs harder, not easier?

The lack of communication is creating fear and can drive resistance among teams, potentially stalling AI adoption.

It’s bigger than just job loss

Jack Jorgensen, General Manager of Data, AI & Innovation at our IT project delivery arm, Avec, reassures, “We’re not seeing mass displacement. We’re seeing evolution. The risk is overstated but the change is real.”

It’s true that repetitive, manual, and rules-based work will go, but for most knowledge workers, the shift is about augmentation rather than replacement.

Still, that doesn’t mean people feel safe and JP shares that among workers, “The fear I’m seeing isn’t ‘I’ll lose my job’, it’s ‘I don’t understand this tech, and I don’t trust how it’s being used.’”

Ethics, oversight and deep uncertainty

One of the biggest risks leaders underestimate? The hidden ethics of AI.

• Is your model biased?
• Was your training data ethically sourced?
• Can a customer tell when they’re dealing with a bot?
• What happens when a mistake causes harm?

JP shares, “The ethics piece is huge. Especially in sectors like insurance.” And Jack echoes, “No one wants to end up on the front page because a bot denied someone’s surgery.”

Governments are slow to regulate, so this means ethical responsibility falls on individual organisations and most aren’t ready.

The more we automate, the more human oversight will matter and organisations will need people with critical thinking skills and not just the ability to prompt engineer.

“There was a company that deployed an AI-generated software stack. It looked great until it leaked 700,000 passports. That’s not innovation, that’s negligence,” shares Jack. Trust, transparency, and responsibility are necessary considerations for your AI strategy.

What leaders can do now

• Involve your people early in decisions around tooling, automation, and processes
• Invest in ethics and risk literacy, not just tech skills
• Ensure humans are in the loop especially where decisions impact people’s lives

According to JP, “You don’t have to be a guru. But you can’t bury your head in the sand. AI is different from anything we’ve experienced before.”

If your team doesn’t trust how AI is being used, they’ll resist it, avoid it, or worse, they’ll use it without telling you. For successful AI implementation you need to build buy-in, not fear.

Find out what else our AI survey revealed by accessing 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.

Ash London has spent much of her adult life with a microphone in front of her. She’s been a TV host, a radio presenter, and more recently, an author. But when you ask her who she really is, she doesn’t reach for her extensive resume. She describes herself on the couch, reading a book while her son builds Lego at her feet.

It’s an answer that might surprise anyone who has only known Ash as the professional she is—a vibrant and confident broadcaster who made her name in the music industry. But, to her, that distinction is important. The spotlight is her work, while the quiet is who she really is. We sat down with Ash on our latest podcast episode to chat about the person behind the many job titles.

Owning the title

When Ash published her debut novel ‘Love on the Air’, she found herself hesitant to claim the word “author”. “I’m just a person who wrote a book,” she says laughing, “But there’s real power in accepting that title.”

This tension between humility and ownership is something many women would recognise and Ash is quick to point out that if one of her girlfriends admitted to feeling unworthy of their achievements, she’d rush to remind them of their brilliance. Yet, like many do, she struggles to extend the same grace inward.

For her, writing became a way of both proving herself wrong and expanding her identity. After more than a decade of radio, it was an entirely different rhythm. Radio is instant gratification: hours of live content each day, with feedback arriving in real time. Whereas writing a book demanded patience and a willingness to sit with uncertainty.

“I didn’t think I had the discipline,” she admits. “But I wanted to prove to myself that I could.”

Perspective in the pause

Ash admits the novel might not have happened without the forced and chosen pause of her maternity leave that coincided with the Covid lockdowns; giving her the first real time and space to reflect on the last decade.

“I had put my whole identity into being a broadcaster,” she says. “Then suddenly, I was at home, and it was quiet. No interviews, no deadlines. I started realising, wow, that was actually a really cool thing I did.”

It’s that reflection on both her career and her identity outside of work that gave Ash the push she needed to write. And when her son proudly pointed out his name in the book’s acknowledgements, she felt the depth of what she had created. “It’s a legacy,” she says. “Something he’ll always know I did.”

The introvert behind the mic

Ash is the first to admit she’s not naturally an extrovert. “People assume I am because of my work, but I recharge at home. The truest version of myself is just reading on the couch while Buddy plays.”

Behind the stage presence, Ash is someone who finds peace in stillness, who carefully guards her energy, and who has learned to protect her sense of calm, especially while juggling the demands of breakfast radio, motherhood, and writing.

Doing the inner work

What Ash is truly passionate about is the less visible work: therapy, spirituality, and self-reflection, speaking passionately about the value of inner growth. During Covid, she began writing and voicing meditations for her radio audience and the feedback was overwhelming, receiving hundreds of messages a day.

“People are yearning for that deeper connection,” she says. “And when I do that kind of work, it’s what I get the most feedback from.”

Lessons from risk

If Ash has a pattern, it’s refusing to let fear of regret dictate her choices. She’s changed careers, moved countries, sold her house, and taken the leap into becoming an author. “I don’t want to look back and wonder” she says.

“We romanticise the idea of what would have happened if we’d chosen differently. But the truth is, you don’t know. You just make the best decision you can with the information you have, and you keep going.”

For Ash, gratitude is the thread that runs through it all; the risks, the lessons, and the ability to reinvent herself when the moment calls for it.

Not just an author, TV host, or radio personality…

If you ask Ash what she wants to be known for, the answer isn’t fame, ratings, or bestsellers. It’s two-fold: being a great mum and helping others better understand themselves. “So many of us never really go on that journey,” she says. “If I can be part of helping someone figure out why they are the way they are, that would mean everything.”

For someone who has built a career out of connection, whether it’s through TV, radio, or her novel, each chapter of her story points to the same belief in the power of curiosity, courage, and gratitude. Ash London’s real legacy is the way she’s chosen to live: leaning into risk, redefining success on her own terms, and reminding us that who we are matters more than what we do.

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

“There is no ethical use of AI.”

That was one of the more sobering comments we received in our recent AI survey of 864 business leaders and tech professionals across Australia and New Zealand.

And while not everyone shares that view, it reflects a growing tension in workplaces as AI evolves from a smart tool to something more autonomous.

We’re now entering the age of Agentic AI: systems that can make decisions, take actions, and respond to outcomes with minimal human prompting.

And with that shift, the stakes are changing.

It’s not just about use anymore, it’s about trust

Unlike traditional AI tools that assist with tasks like drafting content or analysing data, agentic systems act on behalf of humans, proactively initiating tasks, making decisions, and learning from feedback loops.

But are organisations ready for that level of autonomy?

When we asked survey participants about their current engagement with agentic AI:

• Only 9.3% said they’re actively using it
• 27.9% are “exploring use cases”
• The majority (47.3%) are aware of the concept but not yet engaging with it
• Nearly 9% admitted they weren’t familiar with the idea at all

The hesitancy makes sense. Because this isn’t just about capability, it’s about risk.

The top concern? Ethics

Of all the barriers we asked about, the most pressing were:

• 60.1% cited “ethical or compliance risks”
• 57.6% flagged “loss of human oversight or control”
• 57.1% were concerned about “accuracy or hallucinations in autonomous actions”

“We are heavily regulated and hold large amounts of data,” one respondent noted. “We must be very careful with how any AI is implemented and ensure full compliance and transparency.”

Another put it more bluntly:

“Unethical use can cause confusion and poor decision making.”

These aren’t abstract fears, they reflect real-world scenarios that could impact brand trust, legal obligations, and people’s livelihoods.

Human-in-the-loop: From a nice-to-have to a non-negotiable

The further we move into agentic AI territory, the more critical governance becomes. The systems we build must be designed with ethical frameworks and clear escalation points, especially in sectors where harm, bias, or data misuse are real risks.

At the same time, we can’t let fear stop experimentation. Because the potential for agentic systems — whether it’s to automate workflows, reduce human error, or handle complexity at scale — is enormous.

It just needs to be done with clarity and caution, not hype.

The disconnect between interest and understanding

Even though nearly 40% of survey participants said they’re exploring or using agentic AI, we know from broader survey results that:

• Only 4.9% of professionals feel their organisation is responding “extremely well” to AI change
• Just 30.2% say their organisation have “dedicated teams working on AI initiatives”
• A significant 41% say their organisation has “no AI strategy at all”

This kind of gap is where poor decisions and outcomes happen.

Without leadership clarity, robust frameworks, and upskilling, agentic AI becomes a risk multiplier rather than a value driver.

So, what now?

If your team is starting to explore or implement autonomous AI tools, the question isn’t just what can they do, it’s:

• Who is accountable for their decisions?
• Where does human oversight begin and end?
• Are your people trained and supported to work alongside these systems?
• And most importantly, is your business ready for the cultural shift they bring?

Because working with AI, and not just using it, demands new thinking about roles, responsibility, and risk.

Want to understand how others are navigating this shift? Explore the full report for free.

Talent today has announced the launch of its new podcast, Not Just A…, a fresh, uplifting series that shines a light on remarkable people focusing on not just what they do, but who they are beyond the job title. Subscribe to listen to the episodes Here

Not Just A… invites listeners to discover the unexpected stories, passions, and sides of well-known figures and industry leaders that rarely surface in their professional bios. Across candid, conversation-driven episodes, guests reveal what drives them, the lessons they’ve learned, and the personal moments that shaped who they are.

Featured guests include:

• Mark Tanner – Founder & CEO of SaaS success story Qwilr (Not just a tech founder)
• Ash London – Author & Australian radio/TV personality (Not just an author)
• Emma Chow – Australian radio personality (Not just a radio announcer)
• Alex Williamson – Leading sports agent and champion of women’s sport (Not just a sports agent)

In the debut episode, Mark Tanner, CO-Founder and CEO, Qwilr, shares, “Many founders think they can’t balance both, but that’s not true. Kids forced me to set boundaries, delegate more, and raise my standards. I can’t just pull 80-hour weeks anymore. If something isn’t done properly, I hold people accountable instead of fixing it myself on the weekend. It’s made me sharper at prioritisation and more protective of my time. And honestly, I’m a better leader for it.”

Each episode blends insightful conversation with a lighthearted tone, offering listeners a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the diverse lives and passions of its guests.

Not Just A… will release new episodes fortnightly on Spotify, YouTube, and other major streaming platforms.

Mark Tanner never imagined himself following in his father’s footsteps as an architect. While sketchpads and building sites were a backdrop to his childhood, he was already looking elsewhere, and what drew him wasn’t design but the idea of running something of his own.

That instinct carried him through an unlikely arts degree, into the chaos of an e-book startup just as the Kindle and iPhone were launched, and then onto the global stage at Google. Along the way, he discovered the thrill of new markets, the frustration of corporate politics, and eventually, the pull of home.

Today, as co-founder and CEO of Qwilr, Mark is running a business that spans thousands of customers worldwide. But as we sat down with him for our latest podcast episode, it became clear his story isn’t just about building a company. It’s about the boundaries he’s learned to draw as a father, the books that fuel his curiosity, and the policy debates that unexpectedly keep him up at night.

Escaping the family blueprint

Mark grew up surrounded by architecture, but it wasn’t a career path he ever saw for himself.

“My dad was an architect with a relatively big firm, and from a young age I knew I definitely didn’t want to be one,” he says. “I had absolutely no interest in that path. But something did draw me towards running a business. That was always in my brain.”

Instead of law or medicine, he drifted into an arts degree, a decision he describes as “a complete tangent” but one that left room for curiosity. An internship at a consulting firm gave him corporate exposure, but it was a lucky break into a small e-book startup in 2007 that changed everything.

Books as portals to other worlds

Away from business, Mark’s passions are grounded in ideas. He reads voraciously, usually reaching for history or science fiction.

“Right now I’m reading Robert Caro’s epic biography of Lyndon B. Johnson. Once you’ve read those, every other biography feels pale in comparison. And alongside that, I love sci-fi that imagines what life might be like 2,000 years in the future.”

Books, for Mark, are both a switch-off and a way to think differently. “I really love history and biography, but also people who do a great job of imagining the future. It’s such a great way to switch off from work.”

An obsession with housing

Perhaps unexpectedly for a tech CEO, Mark is deeply engaged with Australia’s housing crisis.

“I’ve become totally obsessed with it—the economics, the policy, all of it,” he says. “Sydney is an amazing city. On almost every vector, it’s wonderful, except for how insanely expensive housing is. If we could fix that, life here would be even better.”

He follows public policy closely, attending talks and debates on zoning and supply reform. For him, it’s not just abstract economics.

“Many of my employees are in their late 20s to 30s, earning really good salaries, but still struggling to buy a house. It matters. And while no one intended for housing to become so unaffordable, that’s what’s happened. I genuinely believe it’s fixable, but only if people fight for it.”

Hidden talents

Not everyone would guess that Mark is a natural public speaker. For him, it feels second nature, though he recognises it’s rare.

“I did debating and some acting at school, and early in my career I just put my hand up for conferences. More people should say yes to those opportunities. The audience is rooting for you, and the bar isn’t as high as people think.”

It’s a skill he continues to lean on as a founder. “One of the greatest gifts a leader can give is clarity; helping everyone know where we’re going and why. Communication is central to that.”

Not just a Founder

For all his achievements in tech, at home, Mark is a dad first—doing school pick-ups, cooking pesto pasta for the kids, and becoming, in his words, a “pancake king.”

When asked what he’d like to be known for outside of tech, he aims high: “Miracle solver of the housing crisis would be an unbelievable thing to be known for,” he says.

It’s a tongue-in-cheek answer, but it reflects something deeper: a drive to contribute beyond the walls of Qwilr. Whether it’s public policy, people, or products, Mark is motivated by the idea of making thing work better for the broader community.

And that outlook spills into how he approaches his company too. As a leader, it shows up in his clarity and drive, and as a person, it’s in the values he brings home. Mark is not just a founder, but also a father, a reader, a citizen, and a believer in building things that last, both inside and outside the startup world.

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