Kaplan is a global private education company offering a diverse range of learning programs, in over 30 countries, serving over a million students. Kaplan Australia and New Zealand is a reflection of the global business, with various business lines in Higher Education, Vocational Education, University Pathways and English Language Training, operating in 10 locations across the region and serving tens of thousands of students every year from domestic, international and corporate settings. As CIO I’m responsible for leading and directing IT across all our business lines in Australia and New Zealand, this includes IT strategy, policy, governance, personnel, suppliers, and budgets for the group. I report to the ANZ Managing Director, sit on and work closely with the group executive, ensuring the IT roadmap and output aligns with and delivers to our business objectives. Similar to previous CTO roles, however now exercising full autonomy post a global decentralisation of IT embedding leadership and resourcing directly into the business.

As CTO, I was responsible for the leadership and oversight of IT across the Asia Pacific region, encompassing operations within Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, China, Japan & Thailand. As a functional role in a matrix organisation, my focus was on supporting existing in-country IT directors and uplifting capability through leveraging competencies across the region and our regional economy of scale. This role was also responsible for global IT governance in partnership with other regional CTO’s and the global CIO.Key Achievements:• Implemented a functional regional IT structure leveraging in-country leadership and establishing centers of excellence for advice and oversight on local delivery. • Drove standardisation across the region on crucial delivery platforms including Amazon Web Services, Mulesoft, Salesforce, and Moodle, reducing technical diversity and debt.• Supported the cloud transformation journey in Singapore moving from on-premise delivery to the cloud, lending regional expertise on Amazon Web Services and MuleSoft, a necessary foundation for their digital transformation journey. • Established an offshore development center reducing software development costs in Australia by 50%.• Implemented an ISO27001 Information Security Management System in Australia, addressing and controlling information security risks. • Implemented various Salesforce and associated digital platform instances including DocuSign and Conga replacing legacy student management, portal, and online enrolment systems, materially reducing manual processing and workarounds in the business.

As CTO I was responsible for the leadership and direction of IT across all business lines in ANZ, under the oversight of the global CIO. Post a global restructure there was a mandate to significantly reduce ongoing IT expenditure through investment in the phased standardisation of platforms and the elimination of technical debt. My primary role was to effect this strategy in ANZ.Key achievements:• Reduced IT expenditure as a percentage of revenue from 9.0% to 3.0% over three years through aggressive transformation plans rationalising diversity and investing in common platforms. • Standardised IT platforms supporting core business functions including web content management (WordPress), digital content management (Equella), customer relationship management (Salesforce), learning management (Moodle), enterprise resource planning (Dynamics GP), and collaboration (Office 365). • Migrated all data centre infrastructure (>100 Servers) into Amazon Web Services, reducing ongoing operating costs by 50% and established an internal DevOps function to manage. • Insourced Managed Service contracts saving AUD$2M year on year.• Integrated IT functions and platforms from 2 major business acquisitions. • Retained critical staff during systems standardisation, recruited a new team to support standard platforms while maintaining business as usual support on retiring platforms.

As National IT Manager I was responsible for the leadership and management of IT across all business lines in Australia under the oversight of the CFO. This was a time of significant technology diversity and fragmentation across the business with limited online offerings or capability. Key Achievements:• Upon appointment restructured and streamlined the IT department, resulting in a reduction of 6 staff and ongoing annual savings of $700K.• Highlighted questionable financial activity from previous management resulting in the immediate recovery of $300K.• Developed technology roadmap and implementation plan for a new business line, leading to the approval of AUD$9M capital investment in technology transformation activity.• Built business case and directed the implementation of key new online technologies in web, content management and integration platforms (LifeRay Portal, Alfresco ECMS, Webmethods ESB).• Directed the re-implementation and integration of core business technology platforms (Student Information, Financial, and Business Intelligence) and related business processes, correcting data integrity control and reporting issues, resolving FY revenue recognition errors in excess of $1.5M.• Directed the implementation and integration of various new online learning platforms (Moodle LMS & Adobe Connect) for the launch of new business offerings supporting business growth

As Infrastructure Manager, I was responsible for the management of the IT Infrastructure team, under the oversight of the General Manager IT. The infrastructure team was responsible for all onsite and data centre based infrastructure, support and operations.Key achievements:• Integrated IT&T infrastructure from a major business acquisition which involved managing the acquired internal and external support teams, developing the infrastructure integration strategy, directing and reviewing the technical solution design, formulating the project budget and project managing the integration of ICT infrastructure nationally. The project delivered significant reductions in ongoing operating costs, mitigated various operational risks, and provided a common IT&T infrastructure to the combined business. • Developed and implemented an IP Telephony solution which involved developing the strategy and establishing a business case for the refresh and redesign, directing the Request for Tender process, reviewing solution designs, and the vendor selection process, project managing the implementation nationally. The project delivered a 50% reduction in telephony operating costs and improved usability and reliability.

As the Head of Information Technology, I was responsible for the leadership and management of IT under the oversight of the COO. Tribeca had no internal IT capability at the time relying on a mix of contractors across diverse and duplicated platforms due to recent business acquisitions. My focus was on quantifying risks and producing a prioritised roadmap to consolidate and standardise the environment.Key achievements:Initiated and implemented refresh and redesign of IT infrastructure and the outsourcing of support operations: Developed strategy and established the business case. Directed the request for tender process, review of solution designs, and vendor selection process. Directed project implementation nationwide. Project delivered a 30% reduction in ongoing IT infrastructure operating costs and mitigated significant security vulnerabilities and operational support risks. Implemented Disaster Recovery Solution: Managed and reviewed solution design. Project managed implementation. Project mitigated critical systems availability risks.Implemented Call Centre Solution: Managed and reviewed solution design. Project managed the implementation of Avaya CMS and Verint Quality Monitoring into a new 20 seat Call center in Brisbane.

As Lead IT Specialist, I was responsible for technical leadership on the American Express account in server operations across the Japan Asia Pacific Region (Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, India, Australia, and New Zealand). Key achievements:• Winner of 2003 Gerstner Award for Customer Excellence: For superior teamwork and customer service in the American Express / IBM Out-tasking relationship team.• Architected and implemented the emergency backup solution, In response to the shutdown of the AMEX data center due to the installation of backup power, over 200 servers required mitigation activity. Presented with IBM Bravo award in recognition of design achievement. Presented with a 2nd IBM Bravo award in recognition of managing the implementation of the solution and successful execution and mitigation of risk.• Developed and implemented resolutions to deficiencies in architected solutions to the satisfaction of IBM customers during various project implementations. Presented with IBM Thanks award in recognition of achievement.

As Team Leader I was responsible for American Express server operations in the Japan Asia Pacific region during the transition to IBM. I was also responsible for Southcorp server operations globally prior to the transition from IBM. Key Achievements:• Stabilised Service Delivery and substantially increased customer satisfaction on IBM’s commercial Southcorp account. Presented with IBM Bravo award in recognition of achievement.• The leadership of the regional engineering team during significant change and transition from American Express to IBM.

As a Site specialist, I was responsible for a transitional support team on the Westpac account, during the integration of outsourced Westpac IT Operations to IBM. I soon transitioned to a Server specialist role in the support and projects team responsible for various IBM commercial accounts in Australia. Key achievements:• Integration of Head Office and St Leonards support functions into IBM’s teams during the outsourcing transition of Westpac IT infrastructure and operations to IBM.

As a Network Administrator, I was responsible for the Australian Guarantee Corporation (subsidiary of Westpac) Head Office IT support and project implementations. Westpac outsourced IT operations to IBM in December 2000. Key Achievements:• Significantly improved service delivery and customer satisfaction within AGC Head Office.

As a Communications Electronics Technician, I was responsible for the installation, support, maintenance, and repair of various secure telecommunication and data communication systems across Australia.The initial 18 months of my tenure was in military and technical training, post which I served at various military establishments before finishing my service in Sydney.