Blog Archives

I’ve spent 20 years working in a fairly arcane area, only to watch it become mainstream. When I first started out as an industry analyst covering cloud computing, the whole idea of cloud was a mystery to most people.…

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The other day, I got into a situation where I pissed a bunch of people off. This is, of course, a not irregular occurrence, my ability to be outspoken is somewhat legendary. The combination of having strong opinions, a…

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Recently, I spent some time talking with some Government people in Wellington who are putting together a policy document on a new approach for cybersecurity within the context of New Zealand’s critical infrastructure. The thinking goes that in these…

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I’m a bit of a magpie in that I lack a certain attention span. What that means is that my CV looks a little like a possum that’s gotten into a discarded cask of wine – from electrician, to…

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I’ve got a fair amount of PTSD from dealing with what corporate types call “procurement” and what normal people might call “the department that can turn buying socks into a six-month psychological endurance test.” For those lucky enough never…

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New Zealand has a small population, a large geographical area and some dynamics that mean that, when it comes to core infrastructure, there’s lots to do. Whether you’re talking roads, hospitals, water, telecommunications or electricity, there are almost innumerable…

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A few years back, when I joined my first “grown-up” board, I ended up having a memorable chat with one of the executives. He told me, with absolute confidence, that his organisation would never, under any circumstances, move anything…

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One sad side-effect of getting older and, in particular, getting older as a white man, is that you slowly but inexorably turn into the caricature of a grumpy old man that you always laughed about in your youth. I’m…

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I never really got Allbirds. I mean, it had amazing marketing, I’ll give it that, but at its core it was selling a fairly mediocre product dressed up in the sort of moral virtue that lets well-heeled people with…

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There is a common refrain among professional board members that focuses on sausage rolls. Admittedly, it is very much “you had to be there” humour that appeals to only a limited number of people, but bear with me for…

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