Christopher Laing has been promoted to the role of chief technology officer, accelerating the strategic direction of Spark Business Group's AI and data analytics specialist business and driving data-led transformation for New Zealand enterprise.

Qrious CEO Stephen Ponsford says Laing's software-and-systems approach to innovation will help New Zealand's largest data partner move more Kiwi businesses up the data analytics maturity curve.

"Qrious is a champion for data-driven innovation and true organisational transformation, and Christopher aims to fully embed an end-to-end mindset into our consulting, where the value of data is maximised, insights are unleashed, and tangible outcomes are actually realised," Ponsford says.

Laing hopes to embed the right 'systematic' mindset and culture into Qrious' customers.

"Some New Zealand businesses aren't realising their full productivity potential; my goal is to accelerate the data-driven productivity journey for as many Kiwi enterprises as possible," Laing says.

"Many companies struggle to use AI and convert data into actionable insight, too often they see the insight as the end game.

"We help them to instead adopt a systematic approach that leverages the capabilities of modern software engineering, artificial intelligence, and IoT (Internet of Things) to fundamentally transform their business. I want to help make the 'transformation' buzzword a reality for businesses across New Zealand."

Laing aspires to play a part in building world-class software engineering in New Zealand and to push the whole industry to produce technology that competes with the best in the world in terms of quality.

Laing is most excited about the power of data to further modernise New Zealand's traditional industries where 'raw' geographical elements pose challenges such as forestry, agriculture, aquaculture and viticulture – and believes bespoke software is vital for progress.