The NZ Data Science & Analytics Forum presents an event exploring applications of AI in New Zealand.

This event is sponsored by Beca Digital Services. We’re delighted to welcome you to our venue and we look forward to meeting you.

Our Speakers

Peter O’Regan, Beca

Drones & Digital Services.

Peter is an outcome-focused Technologist who leverages spatial technologies to improve decision making and reduce client risk. Throughout his 25 year career, Peter has led a range of transformative projects within the Oil & Gas, Utilities, Mining, Agriculture, Local Government and Environmental Management sectors. Peter was the chief architect of the Saudi Arabian Oil Company’s enterprise GIS capability. In this presentation, Peter will demonstrate how Beca is fusing sensors (including drones) with GIS and reality capture technologies to improve the design and delivery of large capital projects.

Gareth Cronin, Ambit

Conversational AI - building digital employees

Gareth is co-founder and CTO of Ambit - a software startup that has created a platform for AI-enabled conversations. He is also an Executive General Manager at Xero, the cloud accounting and small business platform. Prior to founding Ambit and joining Xero, Gareth consulted for Air New Zealand and Vista Entertainment, led engineering at crime analytics software business Wynyard Group, at health software creator Orion Health, and at manufacturing software vendor Kiwiplan. Gareth left an earlier career as a piano teacher and musician to graduate with a BSc(Hons) in Computer Science, work as a software developer, and later complete an MBA at the University of Auckland.

Nick Hearn, Text Ferret

Beyond NPS and Sentiment, Understanding Customer Emotion

Nick is a proven leader well known for aligning teams and delivering outcomes. He has had success in local and international markets and achieved impressive results through managing diverse business problems and challenges in a way that harnesses the absolute potential of the teams he leads. Nick is now focusing his growth, leadership and strategic skills on Text Ferret - a NZ built AI platform that Nick part owns, which can understand both human thought and emotion. Before that he was the Chief Operating Officer at Flick helping navigate the performance of the business through transformation change and the M&A with Z Energy. He spent 12 months on contract at Contact Energy as their Head of Loyalty before joining Flick and led one of, if not, the largest customer transformation projects there and well exceeded the businesses expectations in regard to what was delivered. Prior to this, Nick headed the strategy, rapid growth, and expansion of Lab360; the data and analytically driven insights business within Loyalty New Zealand - the business that manages NZ's Fly Buys programme.

Paulo Gottgtroy, Air NZ

Use of Graph Databases in Airline Industry

Paulo is highly skilled Data Scientist and Analytical Thought Leader with an extraordinary background of success in leading the delivery of large digital strategy programmes and projects that significantly improve performance and give businesses a competitive edge. He has a record of proven ability to identify areas for improvement and successfully work through problems, implementing innovative and robust solutions based on current and changing business needs.

He uses his strong strategic acumen and decision-making skills, to successfully implement sophisticated plans and projects, achieve challenging business goals, influence stakeholders and effectively convey highly complex strategic vision and roadmaps.

Measles Outbreak Alert

Please be conscious of the measles outbreak in Auckland. Be aware that in the interests of your personal health and public health it is not advisable for anyone to attend public events if they are feeling any symptoms associated with measles or are pregnant.

We have other events coming in October and November. See

https://analytics.org.nz/