Spectrum appoints Marty Bennett to lead new era of growth

Spectrum has appointed Marty Bennett as its new Country Manager, marking a shift towards stability, governance and renewed focus for the IT services company in New Zealand.

The move introduces a leadership change aimed at reinforcing Spectrum's service to essential sectors across the country. With over two decades of technology sector experience, Bennett brings a background in operational oversight and a clear understanding of the local market. The company, based in Auckland, has positioned this appointment as a reset for its direction and priorities.

Bennett commented on his appointment, highlighting the history and aims of the company. He stated, "I am incredibly honoured to lead Spectrum into what is a new chapter for our company. Spectrum has a proud 24-year history as a Kiwi business started out of a tiny office in west Auckland. My plan for Spectrum's immediate future is to build upon this strong heritage with renewed vigour​ we will continue to operate with the highest standards of governance, champion our 'People First' approach, whilst remaining agile and innovative. We have a compelling story of resilience that has brought us to this point. Our journey started building and managing 'big tin' infrastructure for some household names; banks, trains, power companies, manufacturers & government agencies. Whilst we've had a few bumps along the way, and who in IT hasn't in the last 18 months? Things at Spectrum are going from strength to strength. In terms of the details of the bumps, I am 100% focused on looking forward, so I'll leave it to our owner, Paul Tomlinson, to elaborate in the coming weeks."

Spectrum's new leadership seeks to assure stakeholders of its strategic continuity, commitment to local operation and investment, and continued focus on staff and clients. Bennett made clear the company's ownership status and future plans, saying, "Regardless of what you may have heard, Spectrum is unequivocally not for sale. We are a proudly Kiwi-owned and operated company, and we are making significant investments in our future here in New Zealand. A key part of this investment is in our people, having met all our staff and clients over the last few weeks, I'm delighted that we are built on an incredibly talented, dedicated and hard-working foundation. Our team has stuck with us through the recent changes and continue to give our clients their all. We have embarked on a significant hiring drive, seeking talented individuals, especially engineers, to join our exceptional team as we gear up for growth and new projects. From a client perspective it was heartening to hear first-hand such positive feedback, considering the challenges this business has faced. Looking forward, we'll focus on our key pillars: Platform-as-a-Service, Network-as-a-Service, Data Protection, Systems Engineering, and IBM Power/AIX. Keep an eye out for more announcements; our new CTO will soon elaborate on the exciting technological opportunities this expansion will support."

Governance and people

Bennett has announced plans to strengthen the company's board and advisory structures, aiming to maintain best-practice corporate governance. The Country Manager noted a particular emphasis on Spectrum's continued commitment towards data stewardship. He restated, according to the company's ethos, that data would continue to be treated "with dignity and respect," and described data as a taonga (treasure).

The management team recently involved all employees in planning the business's strategy for the coming year, using what they refer to as Group Wisdom and Radical Candor, an approach that Bennett indicated would be expanded upon at a later date. He commented, "Last week during our all-hands day we set our Strategy Initiatives for this year using Group Wisdom [all staff voted] and Radical Candor [more about that later]. We are looking forward with great optimism. Our team is energized, we are expanding, and we are ready to deepen our partnerships across New Zealand."

Future direction

Spectrum stated it is focusing on five core technology pillars: Platform-as-a-Service, Network-as-a-Service, Data Protection, Systems Engineering, and IBM Power/AIX services. The company has begun recruiting for several roles, with a particular focus on engineering capabilities.

"Spectrum has a proud 24-year history as a Kiwi business started out of a tiny office in west Auckland. My plan for Spectrum's immediate future is to build upon this strong heritage with renewed vigour​ we will continue to operate with the highest standards of governance, champion our 'People First' approach, whilst remaining agile and innovative. We have a compelling story of resilience that has brought us to this point."

Bennett's approach is underlined by optimism for the future, underpinned by new governance mechanisms, a focus on key service pillars and ongoing engagement with both staff and clients.