MIS100 2009:Bubbling under

Suncorp Group
Senior IS executive: Andrew Diver, CIO, Vero New Zealand
Total screens: 1205
Industry: Finance and insurance
Website: www.vero.co.nz

Suncorp Group (NZ) includes well-known brands such as Vero Insurance, Tyndall Investments, Asteron, Guardian Trust, Autosure, Comprehensive Travel and Mariner Insurance. It will continue to pursue a greater presence in the New Zealand broker market and direct markets; saying regulation, taxation and the introduction of the KiwiSaver scheme are expected to create future growth opportunities.

Suncorp executive management changes in the past six months include the departure of CEO John Mulcahy and the appointment of Chris Skilton as acting CEO.

Andrew Diver leads New Zealand technology operations and acts as both CIO for Vero New Zealand and executive general manager for Suncorp’s technology operations here.

Diver reports to Jeff Smith, group executive, business technology. He says key ICT projects for the coming year are the adoption, rollout and proficiency of Agile delivery practices and the adoption and utilisation of open-source technologies.
Kristin School
Senior IS executive: Jason MacDonald, director ICT services
Total screens: 1724
Industry: Educational services
Website: www.kristin.school.nz

The ongoing goal of Kristin School, located in Albany on Auckland’s North Shore, is to ensure it has superior facilities to meet student learning and development needs. Jason MacDonald, director ICT services, heads up an IT team of 11.

He says current investment in infrastructure and ICT services at Kristin includes new buildings, VoIP and wi-fi technologies, along with continued development of the Learning and Course Management System. In 2009, specific attention will be given to the redesign of enterprise architecture to support new education paradigms. Another point of focus is the development of a community portal to augment existing website and online communication and collaboration platforms.

This year, Kristin will expand its use of the Kiwi Advanced Research and Education Network, with a focus on teaching and learning benefits that advanced networking can offer, says MacDonald. “We are also continuing development and new feature implementation of Synergetic as our Student Management System, and have implemented stage one of an Identify and Access Management Platform for distributed identity lifecycle management.”
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
Stella Travel Services
Diocesan School for Girls
Turners and Growers
Senior IS executive: Martyn Seddon, general manager of information systems
Total screens: 1230
Industry: Wholesale and retail trade
Website: www.TurnersandGrowers.com

Turners and Growers uses ICT systems and processes to meet the changing requirements of its multiple businesses and customers with speed and precision. The company is committed to creating a business environment that allows its several business units to act as one and collaborate. Better inter-business communication and process improvements are expected as a result, and will be supported by more consolidated SAP ERP system integration, and customer focus via portal and online service initiatives.

Martyn Seddon, general manager of information systems, says Turners and Growers is reducing non-critical spending. “So there is no budget reduction as such, but we need to ensure that if we’re spending then the items are critical.

“In the past 12 months Turners and Growers has increased investment in SAP systems and software, and has an ongoing extension of wireless technologies throughout the business. While these areas of investment will continue this year, it will also be re-visiting business processes within SAP and stream-lining them to gain a more integrated business system,” says Seddon.
Bunnings
Senior IS executive: David Hollies, ITS manager
Total screens: 1316
Industry: Wholesale and retail trade
Website: www.bunnings.co.nz

Business objectives for Bunnings in the next 12 months include excellence in team recruitment and retention, inventory management and store processing and efficiencies. ITS manager David Hollies says IT helps the business achieve its objectives and provides competitive advantage by allowing his team to work smarter. Key ICT projects last year included Oracle ERP and FMIS system upgrades, software and server virtualisation, implementation and extension of wireless technologies and a major upgrade of store networks and point of sale systems. IT systems are managed from the Bunnings Support Centre in Perth.
Bunnings uses Cognos business intelligence and reporting software on top of Oracle data warehousing tools for inventory visibility.
Hawkes Bay District Health Board
Bay of Plenty Polytechnic
Television NZ
Tyco Fire & Security
Senior IS executive: Antony Mayo, group IT manager NZ
Total screens: 1254
Industry: Manufacturing
Website: www.tyco.co.nz

Organic growth is a major focus for Tyco Fire & Security New Zealand, which provides electronic security systems, fire protection, detection and suppression systems; sprinklers and fire extinguishers; and security services.

Tyco Fire & Security has completed implementation of cash parcel track-and-tracing via GPRS wireless technologies and mobile devices. Other achievements included completion of a major implementation in conjunction with the NZ Fire Service in which new technologies were used to increase the reliability of signals received from fire and safety alert panels on buildings.

In 2009, the company is focused on cash processing, workforce management and data management systems; and an internet access and security upgrade.
Customer interface initiatives are also planned.
Coca-Cola Amatil
Senior IS executive: Donna Wright, CIO
Total screens: 1355
Industry: Manufacturing
Website: www.ccamatil.com

Attracting, developing and retaining high-calibre people, accelerating growth and investing in new beverage categories and acquisitions are key organisational goals for Coca Cola Amatil in 2009. The company has to deal with the impact of the recession on its internal costs as well as how its retail customers and consumers purchasing behaviours are affected, says CIO Donna Wright. From an ICT perspective she says a key focus is to review the number of ICT vendors the organisation deals with. Overall ICT strategy is focused on application rationalisation through implementation of SAP technologies. The largest ICT projects by budget for 2009 are development of a mobile sales force tool, a call centre technology upgrade and expansion and integration of VOIP technology.
Statistics New Zealand
Tait Electronics
Senior IS executive: Frank Gebhardt, IT manager
Total screens: 1331
Industry: Manufacturing
Website: www.taitworld.com

A focus on specific market segments, public safety, utilities and public transport solutions are key directions for Tait Electronics in 2009. The company is also in the process of building a global service centre.

IT manager Frank Gebhardt says locally the Tait Electronics IT team is working on projects to increase the collaboration capabilities of the business, as well as those that provide better visibility of key performance indicators. There is also a desire to ensure processes and services work to ITIL standards where appropriate. Tait Electronics is a leading worldwide provider of radio communications solutions, which focus on the needs of public safety organisations, utilities and transport providers.

Work on business intelligence and CRM systems will also be prioritised for the current financial year. In 2008, Tactical CRM tools were implemented at regional customer service organisations – and consolidation of these tools is planned.

Other ICT objectives achieved in 2008 included server consolidation, developing systems and strategies to cope with data growth, as well as reviewing processes, policies and tools for data security.

As well, the ICT team continues its work to improve the online shopping experience for customers and the IT team will engage in website development using Web 2.0 technologies.
MediaWorks
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
Senior IS executive: Channa Jayasinha, chief technology officer
Total screens: 1435
Industry: Government and defence
Website: www.med.govt.nz

The Ministry of Economic Development’s role is to help the government develop and implement business and consumer policies and services that will help New Zealand develop an internationally-competitive economy.

The aim of the communications and information technology team under chief technology officer Channa Jayasinha, is to maintain and improve a sound regulatory environment for ensuring reliable, innovative, efficient and reasonably-priced communications infrastructure services, as well as to promote the development and uptake of e-commerce, ICT skills, and ICT infrastructure.
Jayasinha says significant investment has been made in IT platforms in the past four years, and independent benchmarking recently found the Ministry’s core IT systems deliver good value and above-average performance.

“The security and stability of systems is an ongoing priority, with the 2008/09 IT work programme expected to deliver enhanced levels of preparedness and flexibility,” says Jayasinha.

In shaping its IT strategy, MED envisages a work programme that will provide investment in smart desktop, personal devices and telephony systems that allow people to be more mobile and productive. In particular, core information will be able to be accessed in more efficient and integrated ways.

MED will complete IT projects in the areas of unified communications and VoIP technologies, CRM and knowledge management systems, e-business and Web 2.0 strategies and organisational mobilisation. Significant areas of ICT expenditure include general infrastructure improvements; Companies Office application redevelopment (called Project Enterprise) and the replacement of IPONZ - the Intellectual Property office core business application.
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.