Rapid Circle announces new leadership for ANZ region

Rapid Circle has announced new leadership appointments in Australia and New Zealand, aiming to bolster its growth in the region.

George Stavrakakis has been appointed as the Managing Director for Australia and New Zealand, while co-founder Daniel McPherson returns to assume the position of Chief Technology Officer. Stavrakakis brings more than 20 years of experience in the technology sector, notably spending 19 years at Microsoft, where he held significant posts such as Director of the Education Sector and Public Sector for Australia.

In his previous roles, Stavrakakis focused on utilising cloud technologies to enhance education and public services and collaborated closely with clients and stakeholders to build strong partnerships. Subsequent to his Microsoft tenure, he served as General Manager Victoria at Cevo Australia, dealing with AWS solutions. His recent venture involved founding InnovateGPT, a studio dedicated to the creation and scaling of generative AI start-ups, using Microsoft Azure OpenAI Services.

Harold Punter, Global CEO and co-founder of Rapid Circle, expressed confidence in the new appointments, stating, "These are exciting times for Rapid Circle as we scale across the region with expanded offerings and stronger expertise to help our clients innovate and extract maximum value from their Microsoft and AI investments. I am confident that with George and Daniel's experience, their focus on people, and their accessible and approachable leadership style, they will help deliver outstanding outcomes."

Stavrakakis commented on his new role, saying, "Rapid Circle is a team of talented ANZ pioneers. It is rewarding to work with individuals who are dedicated to helping clients maximise their investments in Microsoft technologies, particularly with the levels of AI investment and Copilot adoption forecast for 2025. Together, we will continue to set high standards in delivering transformative and impactful solutions for our clients."

Alongside his appointment, Daniel McPherson returns from the Netherlands to join the Australian team as CTO. Punter added, "We believe Daniel's deep expertise, dedication, and leadership will guide us to new heights."

McPherson stated his enthusiasm for the role, "As a co-founder of Rapid Circle, coming home from the Netherlands, I'm eager to collaborate with our peers at Microsoft to drive new outcomes for our clients. My focus will be to help organisations adopt and operationalise AI while mitigating risks and reducing costs."

With its new leadership team, Rapid Circle is set to enhance its Microsoft services, aiming towards increased growth and innovation in the region. The company continues to progress on its impressive growth trajectory, supported by strategic hires with notable expertise in AI adoption and operationalisation, aimed at helping organisations gain measurable value and competitive advantages.

Rapid Circle maintains its position at the forefront of AI innovation, demonstrated through initiatives like its AI Centre of Excellence. These efforts underscore the company's commitment to leveraging Microsoft technology to drive business transformation and offer significant value to local clients.