Lumify names new chief executive to tackle skills gap

Lumify Group has appointed Darren Cook as Chief Executive Officer and named Ayisha Tufail and Joshua Cameron to Chief Operating Officer roles, expanding its executive leadership team across Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines.

The appointments come as employers increase spending on AI and other emerging technologies while facing a shortage of workers with the skills to use them effectively. Lumify said the changes are intended to strengthen its work in technical training, professional development and career pathways.

Cook takes over as Chief Executive Officer with more than 20 years of leadership experience across technology, consulting and advisory businesses. He will lead the group's effort to address the gap between technology investment and workforce skills.

Tufail has been appointed Chief Operating Officer - Professional Capability. She will lead the part of the business focused on workforce upskilling, professional capability development and organisational learning, including Lumify Work, Nexacu, City Desktop Training, Plain English Foundation, ENS, Lumify Work New Zealand and the group's Philippines operations.

Cameron becomes Chief Operating Officer - Careers, overseeing Lumify Learn and Lumify People. He will be responsible for accredited learning pathways, industry certifications and career-focused education linked to digital and technology jobs.

The appointments reflect a broader labour market shift as businesses adopt AI tools faster than they can retrain staff. Lumify cited findings from an IT skills and salary report showing that almost half of global IT decision-makers see AI and machine learning as their top investment priority, while more than a third rate their teams' current AI skills as low or somewhat low.

Another third said the pace of technological change is outstripping their existing skills development programmes. That mismatch has become a commercial issue for employers trying to turn software and systems spending into measurable returns.

Skills gap

Lumify operates across technology, digital and professional training, serving organisations, government bodies and individual learners. Its new structure brings together advisory work, technical training, professional learning and career development under a broader leadership team.

Cook outlined how he sees the company's role in that market.

"The next decade of technology will not be defined by tools alone. It will be defined by whether organisations can build the skills, behaviours and confidence needed to adapt. That is the opportunity for Lumify. We help organisations build capability, we help individuals build careers, and we help close the gap between technology ambition and practical execution. I'm incredibly excited to be joining Lumify Group at such an important time for the organisation and the market it serves," said Darren Cook, Chief Executive Officer, Lumify Group.

He said employers are also rethinking how they respond to AI and digital transformation.

"As AI, digital transformation and evolving workforce expectations continue to reshape the world of work, organisations are seeking partners that can help them build the capabilities needed to adapt, innovate and remain competitive. Lumify Group fills this gap, helping organisations translate their technology ambition into practical execution by connecting advisory-led conversations, technical training, workforce capability and career pathways," said Cook.

Operational focus

Tufail's remit centres on workforce development for employers that need both technical and non-technical skills. Her portfolio spans brands covering IT training, software applications, communication and workplace learning.

She described the challenge as one of constant adaptation rather than one-off retraining.

"While AI is accelerating the pace of transformation, sustainable competitive advantage will always come from people. The challenge for organisations is no longer simply keeping skills current, it's building workforces that can continuously adapt, innovate and embrace change. Our role is to help organisations achieve that by bringing together technology, professional capability and leadership development into integrated solutions that deliver measurable business outcomes," said Tufail.

Cameron's role points to another market pressure: the need to link learning more directly with hiring. Employers across the region have increased their use of certifications and structured pathways as they try to fill technical roles and broaden recruitment pipelines.

His division will oversee the parts of Lumify focused on certified education and employability.

"Our focus is on expanding access to high-quality certified learning, helping individuals build meaningful careers while ensuring employers have access to the skilled talent they need. By strengthening the connection between education, certification and employment, we're creating better outcomes for learners, industry and our partners," said Cameron.

The reshaped executive team gives Lumify separate operational leadership across professional development and career-focused education, alongside Cook's group-wide brief. Lumify said the model is designed to give customers, technology vendors and strategic partners access to expertise across its brands while retaining specialist knowledge within each part of the business.