Inspiring Keynotes @DWCNZ 2025
We, at the Digital Workplace Conference 2025, are excited to welcome international and local speakers to inspire, inform and involve you! Come away invigorated and enthused.
LOCATION: The Pullman Hotel, Auckland – Princes A Room – 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Debbie Ireland
MC and Conference Organiser – DW Results Ltd
Digital Debt: Unlocking Productivity in the Modern Workplace
Eric Riz – eMark Consulting
In an era of relentless technological evolution, organizations face a silent but crippling burden—digital debt. This term refers to the growing accumulation of outdated, unmanaged, and fragmented digital assets that stifle productivity, innovation, and agility.
From overflowing email inboxes to sprawling file-shares and version-controlled chaos, data within organizations multiplies at an alarming rate. Files are emailed, copied, and saved across multiple locations, creating endless document versions without a single source of truth. This data sprawl compounds inefficiencies, wastes time, and introduces risks as employees struggle to locate accurate information, align on decisions, and maintain compliance.
Ahead of the release of his book by the same title in spring 2025, Eric explores how these patterns emerge, persist, and grow within organizations, creating invisible barriers to progress. With insights drawn from work with Fortune 500 companies like Disney and Kellogg’s, this book and keynote offers a powerful framework for identifying and addressing the root causes of digital debt.
Eric Riz
Principal Consultant – eMark Consulting
Eric is a recognized authority in enterprise strategy, data management, and technology governance, with a career marked by impactful partnerships with global giants such as Disney and Kellogg’s. His expertise in Microsoft 365 has consistently driven transformative change, enhancing corporate efficiencies and aligning technology with strategic business goals.
Eric’s operational acumen is rooted in his ability to define and implement robust corporate technology strategies for Fortune 500 companies. His work spans the full spectrum of enterprise strategy, from data architecture and governance to the seamless integration of cutting-edge technologies that future-proof organizations. His strategic insights are regularly sought after by industry leaders, and he has shared his expertise on platforms such as Fox Business, The Globe and Mail, Entrepreneur Magazine, and The Huffington Post.
The Evolution and Future of Copilot in Modern Work
Lauren Nobbs – Microsoft
In this session, Lauren will delve into the remarkable evolution of Copilot since its launch and explore how organisations have transformed by leveraging generative AI. We’ll examine what Modern Work looks like in 2025 and highlight Microsoft’s focus areas in AI.
⁜ Discover the transformative journey of Copilot so far and gain insights into technical advancements that have shaped Copilot’s development and its impact on productivity and collaboration.
⁜ Understand what organisations need to consider to address Security, Compliance, and Governance in a world of Consumer Gen AI
⁜ Take a look into the future of Copilot and how we can continue to innovate, and how Microsoft plans to drive innovation in AI to support the evolving needs of modern workplaces.
Lauren Nobbs
Copilot Partner Solutions Sales Manager – Microsoft
Lauren collaborates with Microsoft Partners, to drive the adoption of Copilot in organisations across Australia and New Zealand.
With a background in Modern Work technical consulting and business development, Lauren is dedicated to leveraging her expertise to empower customers to transform their productivity with Generative AI.
The Digital Skills Gap – Is technology a tool or a lifestyle choice?
Brett Gilbertson– ASI Solutions
According to Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella‘s 2017 book ‘Hit Refresh’ – “The pathway to new technologies requires a parallel investment in skills development.”
However, in 2022, Microsoft president Brad Smith discussed how the Digital Divide is growing and noted that “people are being left even farther behind as society moves forward.“
It seems like the investment in skills development that Satya Nadella called for is not happening.
In 2025, the digital skills—those very abilities, as Satya Nadella defined them, “the requisite skills to participate in an increasingly digital society“—are not keeping pace with our technological advances. Why is this happening?
Join us at the Digital Workplace Conference as we explore how the culture around technology is deepening this divide. Discover the profound impacts on our personal security, well-being, and productivity, and learn about innovative strategies to bridge these gaps and empower your people.
The Digital Skills Gap – Is technology a tool or a lifestyle choice?
Brett Gilbertson– ASI Solutions
According to Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella‘s 2017 book ‘Hit Refresh’ – “The pathway to new technologies requires a parallel investment in skills development.”
However, in 2022, Microsoft president Brad Smith discussed how the Digital Divide is growing and noted that “people are being left even farther behind as society moves forward.“
It seems like the investment in skills development that Satya Nadella called for is not happening.
In 2025, the digital skills—those very abilities, as Satya Nadella defined them, “the requisite skills to participate in an increasingly digital society“—are not keeping pace with our technological advances. Why is this happening?
Join us at the Digital Workplace Conference as we explore how the culture around technology is deepening this divide. Discover the profound impacts on our personal security, well-being, and productivity, and learn about innovative strategies to bridge these gaps and empower your people.
Brett Gilbertson
Digital Skills Coach – ASI Solutions
Brett Gilbertson is dedicated to closing the digital skills gap by finding innovative ways to help people to adopt new ways of working with technology.
He is passionate about teaching teams to solve problems, be more creative and communicate more effectively with each other.
He has 15 years of experience helping people to learn how to embrace change with new Microsoft technologies like Surface, Teams and Copilot.
We are excited to welcome international and local speakers to inspire, inform and involve you! Come away invigorated and enthused.
LOCATION: The Pullman Hotel, Auckland – Princes A Room – 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
See our full line up of speakers, and the agenda is full details. Reserve your spot today.