Australasia stories

Babcock extends its AUT Women in Tech partnership for three more years, boosting mentoring and career pathways for women in STEM.

Mastercard and Westpac have trialled New Zealand’s first fully authenticated AI agent-led payments for cinema tickets and hotel bookings.

Rising claims, digital demands and real-time payments are reshaping how insurers across Australia and New Zealand collect and pay out.

Geotab has unveiled an AI-led telematics roadmap for Australia and New Zealand fleets, promising smarter safety and broader asset visibility.

Trans-Tasman small firms are upbeat and boosting tech and marketing, yet consumers report patchy service and missing digital basics.

AI agents are rapidly transforming sales teams in Australia and New Zealand, slashing grunt work and reshaping how sellers prospect and close deals.

Auckland agency Pead launches GEO service to help brands influence how AI tools like ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemini answer consumer queries.

Oravida powers its Bay of Plenty bottling plant with a new solar farm as it chases export growth and stricter hotel sustainability demands.

Prism Sound taps Amber Technology to distribute its full pro audio range and bolster local support across Australia and New Zealand.

AI disruption, cyber threats and inflation now rank as top concerns for Australasian CEOs, even as most still plan to expand in 2026.

Event planners in Australia and New Zealand face tighter budgets, faster turnarounds and lingering doubts over AI’s place in their work.

Hype & Dexter has rebranded as Avidly APAC, aligning with Avidly Group to scale HubSpot-focused services across Australia and New Zealand.

In 2026, AI shifts from dazzling pilots to disciplined performance, as trust, governance and human oversight overtake speed of deployment.

New Zealand health experts warn AI diet tips and unregulated social media weight-loss pills are fuelling dangerous, hidden health risks.

New Zealand design leader Dave Clark dies; agency bearing his name says leadership and ownership stay unchanged under co-founders.

Boroondara selects Datacom Datascape to overhaul property, rates and permits systems, aiming for streamlined services and future AI automation.

Rapid Loans names Kane Jones CEO and Lois Zhang CFO as founder Russell Birse becomes executive chair amid tighter lending regulation.

Elite appoints former law firm executive Kirk Rogers as Head of APAC Sales to drive its next phase of legal tech growth across the region.

January Capital raises over USD $130m for an Asia-Pacific growth credit fund targeting sponsor-backed technology companies.

iGoDirect enters New Zealand with instant web‑to‑wallet Visa rewards, aiming to replace plastic gift cards in corporate loyalty schemes.