Rachel is a senior engineering leader who connects delighted customers, thriving engineers, and successful businesses—because they’re all part of the same winning team. She coaches principal engineers and engineering managers, partner with execs, and love optimising how they work while keeping things fun, candid, and full of learning. Outside work, you’ll find her trail running with my rescue dog, jamming on saxophones and clarinets (loudly), or hanging out her my family.

To learn more about Rachel, listen to this episode of the Tech Waka podcast, where we talk about Rachel’s transition from music to tech leadership.

Ranked 4th at the 2023 CIO50 NZ Awards, Fred is passionate about bringing people and technology together to create exceptional digital experiences. He has more than 20 years’ experience across various industries such as Telecommunications, FMCG, Transport, FinTech and Entertainment, and has held senior leadership roles with some New Zealand iconic organisations. Notable positions include Chief Digital Officer at TAB New Zealand and GM Technology & Chief Information Security Officer at Air New Zealand.

To learn more about Fred, listen to this episode of the Tech Waka podcast, where we talk about cybersecurity and enterprise technology.

Chirs is a technology leader with two decades of experience in utilities and B2B SaaS domains including hands-on experience in software engineering, architecture, and product leadership. His strategic focus is building product-led organisations with knowledge-sharing and empathetic leadership at their core. He is naturally curious and continually ask questions.

To learn more about Chris, listen to this episode of the Tech Waka podcast, where we talk about his transition from an individual contributor to CTO.

Alex is a CTO & Co-founder at a Legal tech startup Zoolibrary, previously CTO @ First AML and VP Engineering @ Pushpay. Been working in software engineering for 25+ years with a broad range of experiences (starting in the original dotcom bubble). Passionate about software engineering as an industry and growing engineering leaders.

To learn more about Alex, listen to this episode of the Tech Waka podcast, where we talk about his experience of scaling success in his organisations.

Anna has been in the tech industry for more than 20 years, starting as a software engineer then moving through professional services, architect and management roles. She has worked in NZ and USA for Orion Health and Air NZ and currently leads engineering for Trade Me motors. Outside of work she enjoys playing golf and spending time with her family.

To learn more about Anna, listen to this episode of the Tech Waka podcast, where we talk about diversity, inclusion and triathlon.

Seasoned veteran, worked primarily on established and scaling SaaS systems. Multiple years' experience as a CTO for two successful established SaaS companies, expert consultant to assist technology executives and SaaS technology teams with defining strategy and working with the board. Extensive global experience working within large and growing organisations assisting with troubleshooting and establishing platform teams including multiple leadership roles within Xero scaling platform/operations, data governance/management, product architecture, technology platform management, triaging legacy systems and scalability.

To learn more about Martin, listen to this episode of the Tech Waka podcast, where we talk about mastering the CTO role.

Wendy is a passionate and results-driven Engineering Manager with a strong foundation in building and leading high-performing technical teams. With extensive experience in recruitment, leadership, and mentoring, she thrives in collaborative environments where innovation and growth take center stage. Throughout her career, she’s had the privilege of working across financial services, creative, and tech industries in New Zealand, New York, and San Francisco. These diverse experiences have honed her ability to adapt, connect with people, and drive success in varied environments. Currently, she leads a talented team of cloud engineers and database reliability engineers at Trade Me. Continuous improvement is at the heart of her leadership approach. She is dedicated to helping individuals and teams reach their full potential, embracing challenges, and driving meaningful outcomes that make a lasting impact.

To learn more about Wendy, listen to this episode of the Tech Waka podcast, where we talk about changing industries and finding a leadership role in tech.

Jan is a CTO and a CPO, coder, advisor, engineer, and dad. He has been in IT for over 25 years (OMG) including senior roles in B2B SaaS companies like PayGlobal (now part of MYOB), OrionHealth, and Gentrack.

To learn more about Jan, listen to this episode of the Tech Waka podcast, where we talk about SaaS transformations and working with legacy code.

David Corbett is an accomplished Chief Operating Officer and technology leader with over 15 years of experience driving growth and innovation in SaaS companies. With a strong technical background and a passion for building scalable, secure, and customer-focused solutions, David has excelled in leadership roles, including his current position as COO at Timecloud, a workforce management software company. David specializes in strategy development, operational efficiency, leadership coaching, and aligning technology with business objectives. His expertise spans software development, AI, product scaling, and cross-functional team leadership.

To learn more about David, listen to this episode of the Tech Waka podcast, where we talk about leadership principles.