Autodesk names Dr. Haren Samarasekera as ANZ director
Tue, 26th May 2026 (Today)
Autodesk has appointed Dr. Haren Samarasekera as Regional Director for Australia and New Zealand, succeeding Andy Cunningham, who is retiring after nearly a decade in the role.
Dr. Samarasekera joins the software group with more than 20 years of leadership experience across Asia Pacific, including nearly a decade at Amazon Web Services in roles spanning Australia, New Zealand and ASEAN.
The appointment comes as Autodesk looks to strengthen its position in markets closely tied to construction, engineering and infrastructure activity across both countries. Those sectors remain significant parts of the broader economy, with construction accounting for about 7 per cent of GDP in Australia and 7.8 per cent in New Zealand.
Housing demand, data centre development, major infrastructure projects and, in Australia, renewable energy investment have supported activity in the sector. At the same time, businesses face labour shortages, higher oil and material costs, and pressure on project pipelines.
Digital tools are becoming more important as customers respond to those pressures while meeting demand. Autodesk's products are widely used in architecture, engineering, construction, design and manufacturing workflows.
Before joining Autodesk, Dr. Samarasekera held leadership roles at AWS, working across a range of customer segments and regional markets. That experience is expected to be relevant as Autodesk serves customers across Australia and New Zealand during a period of sustained demand in construction and related industries.
He holds a Doctorate in Business Administration from the University of South Australia, with research focused on cross-cultural leadership and organisational effectiveness.
The leadership change also marks the end of Cunningham's long tenure. Over nearly 10 years, he oversaw Autodesk's regional operations as demand for digital design and engineering software expanded across industries.
Haresh Koobchandani, Autodesk Vice President for Asia Pacific and Japan, commented on both executives in a statement accompanying the announcement.
"We deeply appreciate the dedication, insights, and exceptional contributions that Andy made to Autodesk throughout his tenure as Regional Director. With his extensive knowledge of the architecture, engineering, construction, and technology industries, he has made a significant impact to the organisation," Koobchandani said.
On the incoming regional chief, he added: "As we transition to new leadership, we look forward to the positive impact Dr. Haren Samarasekera will bring to Autodesk, particularly as demand grows in the region."
Market backdrop
Australia and New Zealand remain important markets for software suppliers serving the built environment, as construction groups, engineers and infrastructure operators face pressure to improve productivity and manage costs. Demand for housing and public works remains a central factor, while Australia's changing energy mix has created additional work tied to generation, transmission and supporting assets.
That backdrop has increased scrutiny of how companies manage design, planning and project delivery. Software providers including Autodesk argue that wider use of digital systems can help firms manage complexity in large projects and cope with labour and material constraints.
Dr. Samarasekera described the role as an opportunity to lead Autodesk in the region during a period of industry change.
"It is an honour to be leading Autodesk in the ANZ region during such a pivotal time in the industry. I'm really looking forward to blending my love for leadership, technology, and the architecture, engineering, and construction industries as we help some incredible organisations meet growing demand in the region," Samarasekera said.