logo
Wild Tech hires Andrew Kirk to lead enterprise cloud growth

Wild Tech hires Andrew Kirk to lead enterprise cloud growth

Techday NZ7 days ago

Wild Tech has appointed Andrew Kirk as Senior Business Development Manager to drive the company's expansion in enterprise-grade managed services and digital transformation partnerships.
Kirk brings extensive experience from previous senior roles at Telstra and IBM, and comprehensive familiarity with Amazon, Microsoft and Google Cloud platforms. Wild Tech aims to leverage Kirk's expertise to assist organisations seeking to modernise operations and build robust, cloud-first environments.
Dan Whittle, General Manager – Managed Services at Wild Tech, stated, "Andrew's background working with Tier 1 enterprises makes him an exceptional fit for our next phase of growth. He has walked in the shoes of large, complex organisations and knows what it takes to implement scalable, compliant solutions that deliver real outcomes. His insight will be pivotal as we help clients transition from project-based deployments to ongoing service-led transformation."
During his tenure at Telstra, Kirk held responsibility for the profit and loss in Cloud Services and led the introduction of Microsoft, Amazon, and Cisco cloud offerings across Australia and the broader APAC region. Early in his career, he was involved in the development of managed desktop services at Advantra, a joint venture between IBM, Lend Lease, and Telstra. More recently, Kirk played a role in establishing Searce's Australian operations, with a focus on Google Cloud and AWS solutions for the retail and mining sectors.
In joining Wild Tech, Kirk steps into a role centred on expanding the company's influence across the enterprise and upper mid-market sector, concentrating on government, financial services, and retail. He will facilitate the alignment of long-term managed services with cloud, AI, and data solutions. "The appetite for transformation is strong—but the real challenge is productivity," Kirk said. "Wild Tech gets this. They're not just delivering tech projects, they're embedding long-term capability and service models that evolve with the client and drive the bottom line. That's exactly where I want to be."
Kirk's recruitment supports Wild Tech's approach of linking technology delivery with operational excellence through a managed services approach tailored to enterprise requirements.
Wild Tech states that its strategy for transformation is rooted in a comprehensive understanding of specific industry demands. The company asserts the importance of listening to clients to remain ahead of evolving requirements, and of taking into account how end-to-end business processes and organisational maturity interact with each technology platform's capability.
The company continues to position itself as an Australian-owned and operated entity serving clients across APAC, with a focus on building the next generation of digital operating models through partnerships and established market platforms.
Follow us on:
Share on:

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Taranaki Tourism Experiences Encouraging Long-Term Growth
Taranaki Tourism Experiences Encouraging Long-Term Growth

Scoop

time11 hours ago

  • Scoop

Taranaki Tourism Experiences Encouraging Long-Term Growth

Despite volatile short-term growth, the Taranaki tourism sector continues to outpace national trends, reporting a 3.9% uplift in tourism expenditure over the past five years based on the latest economic insights from Infometrics, sitting above the relatively flat national average of 0.7%. The sustained long-term growth highlights the region's resilience and appeal as a destination of choice, despite short-term fluctuations in visitor numbers and a tough domestic market. "Short term year-on-year data needs to be considered alongside the broader context of long-term trends to ensure we get the full, and correct picture. Looking across the last five and even ten years, it's pleasing to see that Taranaki is performing well, especially compared to the national average and some of the main centres," Flutey comments that tourism, like most sectors is a mid-long term game and success doesn't come over night. "While external factors can cause volatility year-on-year, the long-term data shows Taranaki is increasingly becoming a destination of choice, particularly as we see a continued shift in behaviour with visitors seeking out off-the-beaten-path destinations," Flutey adds. Over the same 5-year period, Auckland experienced a decline in tourism expenditure of -0.7%, Otago decreased -1%, and Gisborne, a relatively comparable region, saw a more modest increase of 2.8%. "The domestic market has been particularly challenging, with households feeling the pinch, and a reduction in business and corporate travel fuelling short term performance." Despite this, the mid-to-long-term sector outlook is encouraging. "Tourism continues to present a strategic growth opportunity for the region, with our businesses and communities looking to strengthen and diversify our economy." This sustained growth is particularly pleasing for Regional Development Agency and Tourism Organisation, Te Puna Umanga Venture Taranaki, who's role it is to engage in significant tourism growth-focused activity on behalf of the region alongside the sector and industry partners. "Over the last five years, we've been strategic and purposeful as to where we put our energy, and how we show up in market. From domestic visitor campaigns aimed at boosting off-peak arrivals, to the development of targeted promotions in the Australian market to build awareness with our largest international visitor arrivals. "Visitor trade has also played a key role in our approach, ensuring we prioritise key visitor trade events and initiatives, attending the likes of TRENZ, the largest tourism trade buyer-seller event in the southern hemisphere." Daniel Fleming, Co owner/General Manager, King & Queen Hotel Suites comments, "We've seen a steady rise in the number of international guests coming through our doors particularly from the American markets, who are uncovering all that our region has to offer." "There's great vibrancy building across the region, with a growing calendar of events, rich cultural experiences, a glowing dining scene, and strong collaboration happening across the tourism sector. We know tourism is a long-term game, and it's exciting to see this momentum gaining pace." "We're looking forward to attending the North Island Showcase in Australia later this year, alongside the team from Venture Taranaki to highlight all that Taranaki has to offer to key Australian travel sellers," Daniel Fleming adds. The recent bumper summer of major events has also reinforced the value of hosting large-scale events for the region's economy and visitor appeal, with the latest data confirming a collective $67 Million boost in economic impact for the region. Independent economic impact reports from the region's stacked summer line-up, including TSB Festival of Lights, two Summer at the Bowl concerts, Americarna, WOMAD, and Te Matatini o Te Kāhui Maunga, show that these six events attracted over 72,000 visitors from outside of the region, helping to drive over $48 Million in direct visitor expenditure. Americarna alone, attracted 34,600 guest nights and contributed $11M in visitor expenditure to the local economy over just four days of classic American car celebrations. "Major events are an effective lever to drive visitation and cultural vibrancy, helping to shine a spotlight on Taranaki as a must-visit destination for new and returning visitors, and providing far-reaching benefits from sold-out accommodation, to increased demand for transport, retail, and hospitality," Flutey says Despite a 6.3 % drop in visitor expenditure for the quarter end to March 2025, the long-term growth and future potential of the Taranaki tourism sector remains clear, as the sector looks to continue to build on its success to date. "In the immediate term we are well placed to continue to capitalise on stage one of the Government's Tourism Growth Roadmap as they invest in demand generation activities to drive international visitor attraction, and there's a lot more opportunity around the corner for us yet, with Central Government having already committed to supporting international campaign activities, and various projects and events," concludes Flutey.

Premium Pet Food Is Booming: Petdirect Reveals What Kiwi Pet Parents Are Buying In 2025
Premium Pet Food Is Booming: Petdirect Reveals What Kiwi Pet Parents Are Buying In 2025

Scoop

time13 hours ago

  • Scoop

Premium Pet Food Is Booming: Petdirect Reveals What Kiwi Pet Parents Are Buying In 2025

Press Release – Petdirect From freeze-dried to breed-specific formulas, Petdirects growing customer base spanning every corner of the country is choosing food that supports longevity, wellbeing and individual pet needs. Auckland, NZ – Monday 30 June – As New Zealanders increasingly treat their pets as cherished family members, demand for premium pet food is rising sharply. Petdirect, the country's largest Kiwi-owned specialist pet supply retailer, has today released new insights into the evolving purchasing habits of modern pet owners, revealing a strong shift towards health-conscious, ingredient-led feeding in 2025. From freeze-dried to breed-specific formulas, Petdirect's growing customer base – spanning every corner of the country – is choosing food that supports longevity, wellbeing and individual pet needs. 'We're seeing a growing focus on nutrition that's not just complete and balanced, but tailored – whether that's by life stage, ingredient sensitivity or feeding style,' says Dean Kippenberger, Head of Merchandise at Petdirect. 'Pets are part of the family, and their diets are now being treated with the same care and intention as our own.' Petdirect's Pet Food Growth Trends Freeze-dried and air-dried formats see accelerated growth Raw-inspired options from brands like Ziwi Peak, K9 Natural and Feline Natural continue to gain popularity. Driven by whole-prey benefits and high digestibility, this category has seen over 50% growth in the past year, based on Petdirect's internal sales data. Raw Feeding Goes Mainstream: Frozen Food Demand Surges One of the fastest-growing segments in 2025, frozen raw food is seeing an average growth rate of 13% per week in-store. Local suppliers such as Purely Pets, ROAR and Raw Essentials are helping fuel this rise, giving customers more choice in minimally processed, nutrient-rich formats Life-stage specific formulas are gaining share While everyday puppy food demand is softening post-COVID boom, senior and functional nutrition segments are growing by around 4% year-on-year. Petdirect is seeing clear customer movement toward age, breed and condition-specific foods, with brands like Black Hawk and Royal Canin leading the trend. This reflects a broader shift as customers become more educated about how to support their pets' changing needs over time. Hypoallergenic and limited-ingredient diets on the rise Pet parents managing food sensitivities or intolerances are increasingly seeking out single-protein and grain-free options. Brands such as ACANA, Taste of the Wild and Addiction are up 30% compared to the same period last year, as demand rises for clean-label, simplified nutrition. 'As the trusted destination for thousands of Kiwi pet parents, we're proud to be leading this shift toward more informed, health-first choices,' says Kippenberger. 'Our role is to make premium nutrition more accessible, and that starts with expert guidance, flexible service, and a range we truly believe in.' Petdirect's commitment to premium nutrition is reflected not just in its product range, but in the support provided in-store. The team at Petdirect Takapuna plays a hands-on role in guiding local pet parents through their feeding decisions, offering real-time support rooted in care and experience. 'One of the most enjoyable and rewarding parts of working at Petdirect is meeting our customers and their pets face to face. These everyday interactions are at the heart of what we do. Whether it's helping someone choose the right food for a pet with allergies, finding a supplement to support their health, or picking out a special treat for a birthday, we love being part of those moments. More and more, we're seeing local pet parents taking a thoughtful approach to their animals' wellbeing — adding variety through healthy treats, supplements, and high-quality everyday foods. It's a trend we're proud to support, with advice and products that reflect each pet's unique needs.' — Trish Harris, Store Manager, Petdirect Takapuna About Petdirect Petdirect is New Zealand's leading Kiwi-owned speciality pet supply retailer, helping thousands of dogs and cats live healthier, happier lives. With a purpose-built offering that includes premium nutrition, veterinary-grade health products, expert support, and curated accessories, Petdirect is redefining what it means to care for pets in New Zealand. To help pet parents feel confident in every decision, Petdirect provides a growing library of over 100 expert-written blogs, tailored recommendations based on pet profiles, and complimentary 15-minute consultations with its Pet Expert Team. Customers benefit from fast nationwide delivery, no rural surcharges, Airpoints rewards, and personalised advice both online and in-store at the flagship location in Takapuna.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store