Bremworth's sheep farmer chair defends shift to synthetic carpets
Rob Hewett, the new chair of NZX-listed carpet market Bremworth, has defended the company reintroducing synthetic carpets despite spending the past five years marketing the benefits of all-wool natural fibres.
In a statement to the NZX this morning, the company said the move was in response to
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Techday NZ
3 days ago
- Techday NZ
DataSentinel appoints Peter Ward to boost Australian services
DataSentinel has appointed Peter Ward as Strategic Advisor to support its expansion and service delivery in Australia. The decision comes as DataSentinel seeks to meet increasing demand for specialist data and analytics services from Australian organisations and aims to enhance its partner ecosystem across the country. Peter Ward, widely recognised in the data industry, previously established Wardy IT Solutions in 2004, growing it into a prominent SQL Server consulting and managed services provider before its acquisition by MOQdigital, an Australian Stock Exchange-listed company, in 2019. He has since held several advisory and leadership positions within the data and technology sector, including roles at MOQdigital and Dijital Team. Ward is known in professional circles as a long-term Microsoft Data Platform MVP and is regarded as a respected authority on data platform modernisation, analytics, and governance in the region. Paul Capstick, Chief Executive Officer of DataSentinel, highlighted the significance of Ward's appointment in a statement. "Peter's track record building Wardy IT Solutions into Australia's leading SQL Server consultancy, and guiding multiple technology ventures since, will be invaluable as we deepen our relationships with Australian partners and customers," said Capstick. "He understands the unique pressures IT leaders face, and how partners can bring lasting value to their customers when they're equipped with the right data expertise." The new appointment is part of DataSentinel's approach to addressing shifts in how organisations manage, govern, and capitalise on data assets. According to analysis from industry bodies, worldwide data and analytics services are forecast to exceed USD $150 billion in 2025, with Australia and New Zealand cited among the fastest-growing markets. IDC research suggests that by 2026, 80% of organisations in the Asia-Pacific region will have formal data governance frameworks in place, prompted by requirements to support artificial intelligence projects and meet stricter regulatory obligations. In this landscape, Australian businesses are facing increasing complexity. The expansion of cloud platforms, greater data volumes, and growing expectations for real-time insights are contributing to the need for specialist skills and services. Many enterprises now seek partners with a strong technology foundation and the capacity to offer both operational support and strategic guidance. Founded in New Zealand in 2019, DataSentinel has provided managed database services, consulting, and analytics support across Australasia, formalising its presence in Australia recently. The company now works with a growing base of commercial and public sector clients in both countries. DataSentinel's approach emphasises supporting IT service providers—including managed service providers, system integrators, and cloud specialists—by enabling them to deliver database and analytics solutions without developing in-house capabilities. "Partners are under pressure to broaden their services and address their customers' evolving data needs, especially as generative AI and data science become boardroom priorities," said Capstick. "By working with DataSentinel, they can tap into deep technical expertise while maintaining ownership of the customer relationship." As Strategic Advisor, Ward will collaborate closely with DataSentinel's leadership, shaping the business's Australian strategy, engaging with partners, and assisting with new service development. "I'm excited to work with DataSentinel's talented team," said Peter Ward. "Their reputation for practical, outcomes-driven database and analytics services is already resonating in Australia. Together we can help more organisations modernise their data estates and use insights to accelerate growth." The increasing reliance of businesses on data as a strategic asset brings new challenges. Many organisations confront hurdles such as shortages in specialist skills, legacy technology constraints, and a more demanding regulatory environment. "The data landscape is more complex than ever, and businesses are looking for trusted advisors who can help them navigate it," said Ward. "DataSentinel is well positioned to play that role, with a proven track record and a partner-centric model that scales." DataSentinel anticipates ongoing growth across its Australasian operations and plans to further expand its partnership network in the year ahead. The company aims to assist more Australian organisations in improving their data management, governance, and analysis capabilities in response to evolving market requirements and technological developments.
Scoop
3 days ago
- Scoop
NZX Receives Positive Report Card
NZX continues to receive a positive regulatory report card, with a review by the Financial Markets Authority (FMA) – Te Mana Tātai Hokohoko – finding it has met its obligations while pursuing further enhancements. The annual NZX Market Operator Obligations Review, released today, assesses how well NZX is meeting the requirements for its market operator licence. The report found NZX met all its obligations during the review period from 1 January to 31 December 2024. FMA Director of Markets, Investors, and Reporting, John Horner, said: 'NZX continues to deliver a critical service to New Zealand. 'This report shows businesses and investors can be confident NZX continues to operate in accordance with its market operator licence and is meeting its obligations.' In particular, the review found: Governance arrangements continue to be appropriate and support NZX's ability to comply with its licensed market operator obligations. NZX and NZ RegCo are operating well-developed frameworks and processes, and continually working to further enhance operational effectiveness and resilience. Continued demonstration of NZ RegCo's operational independence, while maintaining an appropriate and effective working relationship with NZX. Maturity and investment in technology and risk management resources, with further enhancement in the review period providing stronger capability, resilience and security. Significant milestones reached in NZX projects designed to further grow NZX's markets, improve investment choices and drive liquidity on the markets. The report has made no adverse findings and two recommendations. The first recommendation is to encourage NZX to continue its plans to explore and test the resiliency and dependencies of participants, including their business continuity plans, and reduce the risks posed by reliance on critical service providers within the ecosystem, where practicable and reasonable. NZX has further enhanced the group's crisis management framework, and successfully completed another crisis simulation event. The FMA recommends NZX continues to assess system recovery arrangements to increase its understanding and test whether further refinements are required for more extreme but plausible events.
NZ Herald
4 days ago
- NZ Herald
Fonterra food brands sale heats up as Bega and Meiji eye Mainland assets
Interest in Fonterra's Mainland businesses looks to be heating up. ASX-listed Bega Cheese said this week it had advised the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) that it intended to lodge an application to gain informal merger clearance for Bega's potential acquisition of Fonterra Oceania.
