In a pivotal move, Inde, an employee-owned and operated IT services company, has announced the induction of Mike Smith, a highly respected figure and former IBM Managing Director, to its Board of Directors as an independent Chair and Director. Mike, who also served as a member of the NZTech Board, brings a rich repository of experience garnered from his various leadership roles across prominent firms in the tech sector, including Spark Digital and Oxygen Business Systems.

Dave Veronese, CEO at Inde, conveyed the company’s high hopes and ambitions for this new chapter. “We’re honoured to welcome Mike as our first independent Chair and Director. With his expertise and industry knowledge in leading and advising technology companies, he will be invaluable as we continue to innovate, expand, and strive to provide great solutions and customer outcomes,” states Veronese.

This strategic alignment comes at a time when Inde is gearing up to augment its presence throughout Australasia. The inclusion of Mike is foreseen to inject fresh perspectives and novel ideas, challenging the existing paradigms and bolstering the company's competitiveness in the fast-evolving market. Veronese adds, “Mike will have a range of new ideas and perspectives to challenge our thinking and keep us competitive, and so by appointing Mike to our Board, we’re ensuring Inde has the best possible governance and that we’re well positioned to drive the business through its next phase of growth.”

Mike Smith is no stranger to steering businesses through tumultuous economic climates, offering him a dual lens of strategic and operational insight. This will be instrumental as Inde embarks on navigating the fluctuating economic landscape. His collaboration with the team, comprising company founders Dave Veronese, Mike Fowler, and Rik Roberts, promises a harmonious blend of experience and innovation.

On his part, Mike conveyed his eagerness to commence this journey with Inde. “Inde is one of New Zealand’s best quiet achievers and the growth of the business over the last eight years is testament to that. I think Inde has the potential to grow even more, and I’m excited by what I can bring to the table to help Dave and the team accelerate the business even further,” he says.

He further highlighted his anticipation to delve deep into the company’s existing strategies, and employ his expertise to propel them towards realizing their set objectives. “I’m keen to get under the skin of how they’ve formed the current strategy for the business, and then see how I can use my experience to guide them towards achieving those objectives,” he notes.

Praising Inde's commitment to excellence and innovation, Mike mentions, “Inde is unique in many ways, it’s employee-owned, it’s got its own unique culture and it’s proven time and again it can deliver technically-led solutions and great customer outcomes that enhance the security, productivity, and efficiency of a wide range of customers across New Zealand and the world.”

As Mike joins forces with CEO Dave Veronese, the pair are set to synergize their efforts to furnish high-level governance and operational guidance, further cementing Inde's mission to spearhead the tech sector with renewed vigour and strategic direction. “We’re confident that with the addition of Mike to our Board of Directors, it will strengthen Inde’s governance, accelerate growth, and provide invaluable operational support. This appointment represents a significant step forward in Inde’s mission to lead the tech sector,” Veronese affirms.