Mark Veyret

🔣 The 2025 edition of ACS Australia’s Digital Pulse identifies ten key actions to build the pipeline of digital skills development and support a more innovative economy. 🟨 Develop a national sovereign AI strategy 🟩 Develop an innovation strategy 🟦 Government co-investment in scaleups ⬛ Greater incentives for R&D in AI and tech adoption by businesses 🟧 Executives take a digital skills health check 🟥 Promote entry-level pathways for cybersecurity professionals 🟨 Fast track a national framework for tech skills ⬜ A national commitment to alternative tech pathways 🟪 Implement an ‘earn while you learn’ scheme 🟧 Develop a sovereign system layer for government BSI Learning ACS (Australian Computer Society)Deloitte

6

Great sharing 👇🏽 from Jen Riley with highlights of wisdom gathered for enabling change towards understanding and growing Impact. Drive and support from funders is critical to give for purpose organisations the resources and space to do the thinking, planning, articulating and measuring work. The precious time of many organisations we work with at Social Outcomes is wasted collecting data for funders which doesn’t help them to demonstrate what difference they are making for those they serve. #TheoryofChange and #ImpactMeasurement work are the foundations for answering three important questions about the value of our work for our beneficiaries…. 1. How much did we do? 2. How well did we do it? 3. What difference did we make? And with that information, we can learn what to do better to grow our #Impact. This collaborative forum and leadership from Jen Riley is terrific. 🙏🏾

7

1 Comment

From Australian Institute of Company Directors: AI use by directors and boards: Early insights. “As organisations globally embed artificial intelligence (AI) into their operations and business strategies, conversations in boardrooms are shifting from ‘how do we govern AI’ to ‘how can AI help us govern’?”

2

We have lift off. 🚀 We held our first CEDA - Committee for Economic Development of Australia AI Community of Best Practice in 2026 forum on the AI Outlook for 2026 today which explored the topics front of mind in leaders across Australia. Expertly facilitated by BDO's Data and AI service lead and Professor of Practice at the UNSW Business School Fahim Khondaker with contributions from CEDA - Committee for Economic Development of Australia Chief Economist Cassandra Winzar, Simon Burns Technology Partner at Gilbert + Tobin, Editor-in-chief Capital Brief, John McDuling and Manager of AI Literacy and Practices from the National AI Centre Beth Worrall with some great insights from the community. Here's the wrap: 💻 2026 is about successful AI adoption, not experimentation We have seen a shift from hype and proof‑of‑concepts toward scaled, value‑driven adoption. ✅ Data risk is resurfacing—beyond Big Tech. Second‑tier and specialist AI vendors, who may seek rights to reuse customer data creates tension around consent, privacy, and contractual responsibility 👁️ Governance must be embedded, not the 'theatre of governance'. AI governance can't exist as a paper exercise or marketing artefact. Policies that are not understood or implemented across the organisation expose organisations to regulatory and reputational risk. 🌏 National focus: adoption, trust, and inclusion. Australia’s priority is spreading the benefits of AI across the economy, particularly to SMEs, while building public trust. Check out the National AI Centre's AI 6 - Guidance for Responsible AI Adoption: 6 essential practices for RAI Governance and Adoption 🏢 Change management and AI confidence are critical gaps. Successful adoption depends on: - Leadership capability and visible use of AI - Employee involvement, especially frontline staff - Organisational AI literacy and confidence, not just tool familiarity - Shadow AI use persists largely because employees do not know whether policies exist or how to apply them. 🧘 Productivity gains will take time—and are not automatic. AI is widely seen as a potential step‑change in productivity, but we need upfront investment in skills development, and process redesign before benefits come to life. 👩‍💼 Jobs: transition, not collapse. Not seeing evidence of large‑scale AI‑driven job losses and adoption. Long‑term risks are more concentrated in entry‑level and routine roles. How will training pathways respond and how can people be supported through workforce transitions? ⚖️ Equity, ethics, and long‑term responsibility matters. Social equity, kindness and community benefit need to be front of mind and our collective responsibility. Decisions today shape outcomes decades ahead. We all have a role to play as leaders, employees, parents and active citizens. Sam Mackay Lisa Fausti Jim Disher Marianne Bell Gordon Noble Ali Condon Paris McGuckin Susan Austin Mark Flower Liam Dillon Fay Burstin Shereen Knox

73

1 Comment

👩‍🎓 Australian universities are at a crossroads, thanks to shifting policies, new growth targets and a shrinking international student population. But these changes present an opportunity: How do we prepare a new generation for careers that may not even exist yet? Michelle Gillespie explores how we can move beyond legacy thinking to create a student experience that prioritises agility, human-centric skills, and lifelong learning. Read her insights on the blog: https://lnkd.in/gSZjBfVF #HigherEd #FutureOfWork #AI #EdTech #TertiaryEducation #Workday

43

It’s an honour to be invited to moderate an important discussion on a topic I'm INCREDIBLY passionate about: "Taking Australian Breakthroughs to the World" at the Semiconductor Australia Conference in Sydney, Australia, next week. So, how do you turn a local breakthrough into a global success story? It’s a challenge many founders face, and this expert panel will be providing the path forward. My take - The journey from a lab in Australia to a boardroom in Silicon Valley (and beyond) often comes down to a few key principles: 1. Lead with a Story, Not Specs. The most brilliant technology can fail if it doesn't connect with people. Before you talk about how your tech works, you must articulate why it matters. A compelling narrative that solves a real-world problem is what builds trust and captures the imagination of a global market. 2. Translate Technical Wins into Market Value. A breakthrough in the lab is not the same as a breakthrough in the market. You must be relentless in translating your technical advantages into clear, tangible benefits. How does your innovation save your customers time, reduce their costs, or create an entirely new opportunity for them? 3. Build Your Ecosystem Before You Need It. Global expansion isn't a solo mission. The most successful companies build strong ecosystems early. This means forging strategic partnerships, engaging with industry communities, and cultivating advocates who will amplify your message and open doors in new markets. 4. Make Marketing a Mindset, Not a Department. In a deep tech company, marketing can't be a silo. It must be a mindset embedded across the entire organization, from R&D to sales. When everyone on your team can articulate the company's story and its value, you create a unified brand that is much more powerful on the world stage. And for those ready for a deeper dive into these growth strategies, particularly in the deep tech space, these are the very frameworks I explore in my new book, "Strategic Entanglement". You can learn more at https://lnkd.in/gX7va3-t. I'm looking forward to exploring these topics further with the panel next week. I hope to see you there! #Marketing #Branding #AustralianInnovation #Semiconductors #GlobalGrowth #StrategicEntanglement #BookLaunch

35

1 Comment

Recent CSIRO's staff cuts reveal a deeper governance problem in Australian innovation policy. Implementing opex reductions to fund capex investment might make sense for the balance sheet, but it doesn't make sense in innovation ecosystems where capability (people) and infrastructure (capital) aren't interchangeable. This is what happens when treasury thinking controls innovation policy. CSIRO excels at its research mission - world-class science, long-term capability, foundational discoveries. That mission requires sustained investment in both infrastructure and expertise. Asking research institutions to "prioritise" between the two misunderstands how research excellence works. The issue isn't CSIRO's leadership, the executive team understands what infrastructure investment is required. The constraint is governance composition. When treasury efficiency thinking dominates innovation investment decisions, you get financially prudent but strategically destructive outcomes. What seems to be missing is a strategic investment perspective; recognising research capability requires sustained funding, not forcing institutions to optimise internally by trading people for infrastructure. Research institutions do need financial discipline. Innovation ecosystems need strategic investment thinking. Both matter, but having financial leaders oversee innovation policy delivers exactly what we're seeing: accounting solutions to innovation problems. This is the policy composition challenge: https://lnkd.in/dcrMH3dH #AustralianInnovation #CSIRO #InnovationPolicy

28

6 Comments

What Happens When We Underfund the Future? In New Zealand, we keep hearing it: Upskill the workforce. Plug the labour gaps. Get future-ready. So we focus on trades. Tech. Agri-business. But here’s the quiet omission: We’re systematically sidelining the creative industries. https://lnkd.in/gBZAKUQh Policy decisions are reshaping vocational education — and creativity is being treated like a luxury we can’t afford. But what if it’s actually the engine we’ve been underestimating? While we pour billions into farming and freight — our creative sector is sitting on untapped potential: 🎬 Global screen co-productions 🎮 Gaming and interactive media 🎨 Cultural exports 🎭 Indigenous storytelling 🧠 Creative IP backed by AI and design thinking Unlike physical exports, these don’t drain the land or require carbon-heavy logistics. They scale through ideas, collaboration, and culture — all things we claim to value, but rarely fund. And yet, here’s the kicker: AI can replicate formats, but not meaning. It can mimic tone, but not lived truth. We keep asking “how do we compete?” But in a world where authenticity is scarce, NZ’s cultural creativity is the competitive edge. So the real question is: Why are we still treating creative work like a side hustle — when it could be a sovereign export strategy? Let’s build an economy that values more than milk and margins. Let’s fund the future we keep saying we believe in. 🌏 What would it take for NZ to truly back its creative thinkers? #creativeindustries #nzfuture #vocationaleducation #AIandidentity #economicdiversification #authenticity #planbthinking #quietbuilders

6

Excited to be presenting at the ASBA 2025 National Conference in Darwin next week! I'll be leading the Masterclass - Practical AI Strategies for Business Administrators.   This session will explore: ✅ Demystifying AI for K–12 schools ✅ Identifying practical AI use cases to enhance personal productivity ✅ Implementing AI governance and risk management frameworks ✅ Developing iterative AI adoption strategies Looking forward to engaging with school business leaders on harnessing AI to drive innovation while managing risk. For more details on the conference and masterclasses, visit https://lnkd.in/gWnXUABu #ASBA2025 #AIinEducation #SchoolLeadership #AIGovernance #RiskManagement

24

6 Comments

Digital literacy, disciplined curiosity, fresh thinking, AI and cybersecurity are all back on Board agendas for 2026. Directors need to ensure they are getting the right advice and that Boards have the right composition to handle these challenges. #Boards #directors

3

Exploring AI Governance risks in Schools: Insights from the Association of School Business Administrators (ASBA) Risk & Compliance (WA) Branch Networking Meeting. Today’s ASBA WA Risk and Compliance Branch Meeting at Scotch College, Perth brought together risk and compliance professionals, business managers and ICT leaders for a deep dive into AI governance, risk, and compliance in education. The keynote by James Field (DecisionLine) laid a strong foundation, unpacking key risks, opportunities, and practical steps for safe AI adoption in our schools. Ian Anthony (Scotch College), facilitated a panel discussion featuring Michelle Houwen (St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School), Doug Loader (St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls) and James Field. The panel delivered exceptional thought leadership, sharing real-world experiences, practical frameworks, and forward-looking strategies for navigating AI in school environments. A special thank you to Katie Hunt (Scotch College) for her wisdom and leadership in organising this impactful event. Her thoughtful coordination ensured a meaningful and collaborative experience for all attendees. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this important dialogue. #ASBA #RiskAndCompliance #AIinEducation #SchoolLeadership #Governance #EdTech #WAeducation

34

5 Comments

Who controls the data that the AI systems learn from? 🤔 📹 In our webinar with Tribal Leadership Council, Jerad L Swimmer and Cristopher Kuehl explored how AI is already shaping the systems tribes rely on - from how data is analysed to how digital decisions are made. As shared in the session, the key question isn’t whether AI will be used… it’s who controls it. For tribal organisations, this goes beyond technology. It’s a sovereignty conversation. Learn more about how AI can support tribal governance, cybersecurity, community engagement, and enterprise operations. Watch the full webinar here: https://lnkd.in/eDNp7JVg #AI #Tribal #Sovereignty #Technology #Webinar #DigitalTransformation

20