A range of speakers will be presenting at the 2010 conference. A selection of these are listed below. Be sure to check back frequently – more details will be added regularly.


Craig Nevill-Manning

Craig Neville-ManningCraig Nevill-Manning is a great example of a kiwi using ICT to innovate right around the world.

Craig founded Google’s first remote engineering center, located in midtown Manhattan, where he is the Engineering Director. He also put his Waikato Computer Science PhD to good use invented the technology which drives Google’s Froogle, a comprehensive and ground-breaking product search engine.

NZCS are proud to announce that Craig will be keynoting at ICT-Conf2010, outlining how a young chap from Blenheim ended up innovating for one of the world’s best known technology companies.


Rod Drury

Rod DruryDescribed as a “Serial Entrepreneur”, Rod Drury defines innovation in ICT.

Founder of Xero, the Software-as-a-Service company currently redefining small business accounting, Rod was founder and CEO of AfterMail which was acquired by Quest Software in January 2006 and subsequently won Best Exchange Product at TechEd 2006 in Boston.

Rod co-founded USA based Context Connect Incorporated which provides directory solutions for mobile devices. Rod has international patents in the directories area. Prior to this Rod was Chief Technology Officer of Advantage Group (now Provenco) where he spent significant time in the USA working with leading international technology companies.

In 1995 Rod established Glazier Systems, one of New Zealand’s leading software development and consulting companies. Glazier Systems was acquired by Advantage Group in 1999 and continues today as Intergen.

Rod was an Independent Director of TradeMe – New Zealand’s most successful eCommerce Internet site- when it was sold to listed Australian media giant Fairfax. Rod continues on the TradeMe Advisory Board. Rod joined NZ Trade & Enterprise Beachheads Programme Advisory Board in August 2006 and is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors.

Rod will be sharing the secrets to his success in a presentation and panel discussion on removing the barriers to innovation.


Nat Torkington

Nat TorkingtonWe’re pleased to announce Nat Torkington will be presenting at the conference.

Nat has chaired the O’Reilly Open Source Convention and other O’Reilly conferences for over a decade. He ran the first web server in New Zealand, co-wrote the best-selling Perl Cookbook, and was one of the founding Radar bloggers.

Not only has Nat been a significant part of the history of computing in New Zealand, but he has continued to be instrumental in designing the future as well.