Manuka AI appoints new leaders to drive ANZ enterprise expansion

Manuka AI has announced two senior appointments aimed at strengthening its leadership team and expanding its presence in the enterprise artificial intelligence and data transformation sector in Australia and New Zealand.

Keldon Padayachee has joined Manuka AI as General Manager, Sales & Alliances, while Lance Nurick has been appointed Chief Solutions Architect. Both hires are intended to reinforce the consultancy's focus on delivering data and AI solutions through the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform in the ANZ region.

Leadership experience

Keldon Padayachee brings over 15 years of experience in enterprise technology, with a background spanning sales leadership and strategic partnerships at firms including Salesforce, Accenture, AWS, and Databricks. In previous roles, he was responsible for building cloud, data, and AI partnerships and managing customer engagement across Asia Pacific & Japan.

At Manuka AI, Padayachee will be tasked with driving regional business growth and advancing strategic alliances intended to extend the consultancy's reach within Australia and New Zealand.

The opportunity to help shape the Data and AI landscape in ANZ alongside a values-driven, innovation-focused team was a clear decision for me. I'm excited to partner with clients and the ANZ Databricks team & eco-system to unlock the real potential of AI and automation.

Lance Nurick's appointment as Chief Solutions Architect brings additional expertise to Manuka AI. He has a background in data and analytics, solution architecture, and digital transformation, having held several senior leadership positions in technology consulting. His experience includes developing enterprise-wide AI and data strategies designed to deliver measurable business outcomes.

Nurick has supported some of Australia's largest organisations in delivering enterprise-grade solutions, with a focus on leveraging Databricks technology alongside other platforms. At Manuka AI, he will oversee the design and implementation of scalable data and AI solutions that reflect client business needs, operational requirements, and regulatory standards.

Joining Manuka AI at this stage of its growth is energizing. I'm looking forward to helping clients translate complex challenges into real, intelligent outcomes through ethical, forward-thinking AI.

Strategic expansion

The appointments of Padayachee and Nurick follow the launch of Manuka AI's operations in the region, marking a step towards the consultancy's ambition to become a trusted data and AI partner to enterprises across ANZ.

Our vision for Manuka AI in Australia and New Zealand is ambitious - and bringing in high-calibre leaders like Keldon and Lance ensures we can deliver on that vision. Their expertise, integrity, and client-first mindset are the perfect match for what we're building here.

Manuka AI, backed by Tquila's Fund of Founders, focuses on developing strategies and implementing solutions that help businesses accelerate their transformation with Databricks. The consultancy now operates in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, with plans for future expansion into Europe, the Middle East, and North America.