MIS100 2009:Bubbling under

Suncorp Group
Kristin School
New Zealand Steel
Senior IS executive: Alister Park, manager information systems
Total screens: 1443
Industry: Manufacturing
Website: www.nzsteel.co.nz

NZ Steel is in the midst of a core LAN upgrade and complete server virtualisation project. Controlling costs whilst achieving business targets around production, quality and market share is important to New Zealand Steel, which is owned by publicly-listed Australian parent company BlueScope Steel.

While NZ Steel has enjoyed a strong domestic market in recent years, a less than favourable foreign exchange rate continues to affect export income, particularly in the current economic climate. Timely and accurate information coupled with reliable and effective computing business systems, is therefore considered a competitive advantage.

NZ Steel has VoIP technologies for its site at Glenbrook and three smaller satellite sites. Mobile and wireless technologies are also important, with onsite shift team leaders staying in contact via cellular mobile technologies and radios. Use of smart phones is further improving management mobility and on-site wireless networks are also used. E-business initiatives give customers the ability to directly place and monitor orders, while a B2B system links NZ Steel with customer and supplier systems.
Manukau City Council
Housing New Zealand Corporation
Senior IS executive: Mark Corbitt, information technology manager
Total screens: 1390
Industry: Health and community services
Website: www.hnzc.co.nz

Housing NZ owns the state housing portfolio and its main activity is the provision of rental housing. Mark Corbitt is the new IT manager, taking over the role from Rob Herries. Under its three-year Risk Management Plan, HNZC seeks to incorporate best practice into its culture. Towards this, opportunities for operational efficiency and effectiveness are being captured and there is a focus on the quality and stability of information and associated systems. The Corporation will consider implementing electronic learning systems to help frontline staff access information to support them in their job. Introduction of the data warehouse in 2007 has made a significant difference to the provision of quality, timely and accurate reporting and analysis.
Stella Travel Services
Diocesan School for Girls
Turners and Growers
Bunnings
Hawkes Bay District Health Board
Bay of Plenty Polytechnic
Television NZ
Senior IS executive: Damian Swaffield, general manager technology
Total screens: 1603
Industry: Information
Website: www.tvnz.co.nz

Cost efficiency and the need to do more with less are key points of focus for TVNZ. ICT tools and systems deliver the resources, skills and support for the appropriate levels of governance and intellectual thinking a digital media organisation like TVNZ relies upon, says CIO Damian Swaffield. He says broadcast and IT based technologies sit at the heart of the media revolution, both in emerging business channels such as online, video on demand and IPTV as well as in the core of video processing for linear TV. IT systems are needed to manage and store content as well as deliver it to audiences. ICT continues to implement business supporting projects such as digital transformation of the content value chain with workflow-driven, digital asset management systems to replace manual tape-based business processes; as well as a transformation of the advertising sales business through replacement systems and technology, and continued investment in the online products. Also planned are investments in networking technologies to support the move to a digital workflow, along with storage, virtualisation and wireless technologies.
Tyco Fire & Security
Coca-Cola Amatil
Statistics New Zealand
Senior IS executive: Matjaz Jug, chief information officer
Total screens: 1650
Industry: Government and defence
Website: www.stats.govt.nz

the ICT team at Statistics NZ is focused on projects including systems in support of the census, development of statistical processing systems and data dissemination systems. Also on the agenda are integrated respondent management and strategies for the mitigation of business continuity risks related to legacy systems, and ongoing software and server virtualisation. CIO Matjaz Jug says facilitating ease of access to official statistics and internet data collection are among the challenges the IT team faces. ICT is needed to build a sustainable, technological platform, yet there is constant pressure to do this in the most cost effective way. The internal team maintains servers and PC hardware and outsourcing is used for extra support around some systems and network management.
Tait Electronics
MediaWorks
Senior IS executive: Paul Thompson, group IT manager
Total screens: 1420
Industry: Information
Website: www.mediaworks.co.nz


VoIP and unified communications are high on the MediaWorks ICT agenda for 2009. Group IT Manager Paul Thompson says the company is keen to benefit from the increased productivity unified communications can provide, and the cost savings associated with VoIP technologies and services.

From a business perspective, MediaWorks is working to increase revenue share through its television stations and national radio brands. There has also been a marked increase in online interaction between the company and its customers, leading to a significant focus on all online assets and activities.

Telecommunications services to MediaWorks are split between three separate suppliers, a less than ideal solution and a key driver for the move to a unified communications solution, says Thompson. Currently, WAN services are supplied by TelstraClear and phone services are moving to TelstraClear as the VOIP project is rolled out. Mobile services remain with Vodafone.

Unlike many organisations, MediaWorks is yet to be convinced of the cost justification of server virtualisation and wireless technologies, which can’t deliver the bandwidth required for TV and radio file transfers and streaming.
Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology
Senior IS executives: Adri Noordover, IT network and technical manager; and Stephen Tanner, IT customer services manager
Total screens: 995
Industry: Educational services
Website: www.nmit.ac.nz

NMIT seeks more accurate targeting and streamlined deployment and running of IT services, and easier access to services and information. IT network and technical manager Adri Noordover says better awareness and management of organisational cost and income structures is also sought.
In 2009, NMIT is focused on selecting and implementing a Service Oriented IT framework and supporting toolset. Other focus areas include implementation of a new finance and business intelligence system, implementation of unified messaging solutions, and extended use of national (Karen) and regional (The Loop) education networks for video conferencing and shared services. Upgrade of timetabling and student management systems is also occurring.
Software and server virtualisation is ongoing, and NMIT is extending wireless infrastructure throughout its campus to better meet student expectations. NMIT is also extending its e-business connections and developing improved web portal connections and business-to-business transaction platforms. The NMIT ITS team leader role has recently been split into two separate roles – Adri Noordover is IT network and technical manager; and Stephen Tanner is IT customer services manager.
Restaurant Brands NZ
Senior IS executive: Kerry Cross, information services manager
Total screens: 565
Industry Accommodation and food services
Website : www.restaurantbrands.co.nz

Restaurant Brands New Zealand Limited operates the New Zealand outlets of KFC, Pizza Hut and Starbucks Coffee. Its core competency is taking the expertise and systems of its brand franchisors and applying it locally, to deliver both the food and the total experience on a consistent basis across the company.

Kerry Cross, information services manager, heads an ICT team of six. According to its website, Restaurant Brands says behind its success is the marshalling of business systems designed to facilitate the careful and intelligent procurement of quality ingredients. This includes efficient distribution to and through three retail networks, and the employment of advanced tracking technology to meticulously track and report on costs, sales, margins and replenishment.

In April, the New Zealand Herald reported Restaurant Brand directors were cautious about next year's outcomes, despite this year's trading results being satisfactory in the current environment and an improvement over the past two years' performance. The report said the company would evaluate some potential store sales to independent franchisees and continue its programme of unprofitable store closures.
Ministry of Economic Development
Deloitte
Senior IS executive: Eugene Piercy, IT manager
Total screens: 1306
Industry: Business management and scientific services
Website: www.deloitte.co.nz

Deloitte has more than 1000 specialists operating in quality professional services including audit, tax, technology and systems, risk management, corporate finance, recovery, forensics and business advisory services.

It has offices in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin.
Centralising knowledge and intellectual property is a key goal for Deloitte in 2009, says national IT manager Eugene Piercy.

He says key IT investments designed to leverage these goals include document management and unified communications systems, along with server virtualisation and consolidation. Other projects include a Windows Vista operating system upgrade, as well as relocation of the Deloitte Auckland and Hamilton offices.

While ICT budgets have decreased slightly from last year, ICT people numbers remain steady at the firm, reflecting its ongoing recognition of ICT as a platform for business excellence and outstanding client service delivery.