Workforce 2030
Preparing New Zealand workforces for AI success.
What is Workforce 2030?
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how organisations operate, compete, and grow. But while many businesses are investing in AI, few are seeing the full value.
Why? Because technology adoption alone isn’t enough.
Workforce 2030 is designed to help organisations connect AI investment with workforce readiness – ensuring your people, leaders, and culture are equipped to navigate and succeed in this new era.
2026 Report: NZ businesses can be world leaders in human-AI collaboration. What are we going to do about it?
If New Zealand is to realise its productivity and economic potential, then people and preparedness must be central to strategic AI decision-making.
The EMA’s Workforce 2030 White Paper explores emerging AI trends within the realities of the New Zealand business landscape. 83 percent of businesses are already using AI in some form, yet many lack clear governance, workforce development plans, leadership capability, or agreed standards for responsible use.
Be a part of the conversation.
You’re invited to join us on 28 July to connect with like-minded leaders and experts to unpack why workforce preparation matters now, more than ever and where this path leads.
Why now?
From Mt Everest to Mordor, the Kiwi number-8 wire spirit demonstrates fearlessness in the face of challenge. Are we bringing this mindset to the most significant people challenge facing businesses today?
As a leader in your business, you’re critical to the success of AI adoption. But will your people be left behind as AI rolls out regardless of your people’s readiness? Leadership’s role is to actively prepare your workforce for change by building the skills, confidence, and ways of working needed to adapt to ongoing technological shifts.
That’s why we’re here to light your path as you prepare your workforce to accelerate the impact of AI and technological change.
What will you get from this event?
A people-powered future, now – preparing New Zealand workforces for AI success.
Why we’re leading this conversation now. Setting the scene and raising not just the voice, but the evidence of business.
Experimentation and pilots are widespread, but are Kiwi businesses getting sustainable benefits? With insights from the 2026 New Zealand Human Capital Trends Report, this session includes:
- Addressing the need for confidence in responsible use
- Inconsistencies between governance and workforce capability
AI adoption is inseparable from workforce policy, but leaders need clarity on the governance implications. This session includes:
- The horse has bolted – how to work with appropriate guardrails and governance for your business
- Designing an adoption plan to achieve actual ROI and impact, including a 90-day zero to hero framework
After interviewing 100 CEOs over 100 coffees, no one is better positioned to speak to the urgency of executive challenges in 2026 – AI, productivity, and leadership. This session includes:
- The cost of inaction – shadow AI, culture erosion, trust gaps and burnout
- Why leadership must lean into the conversation and set the direction
Work is changing, and businesses must think people-first with their AI strategy. This session includes:
- A mindset shift from roles to skills, what human capabilities you’ll need in the future, and how you can sow the seeds now
- How leaders redesign organisations and workforce models accordingly
The neuroscience behind the overwhelm: Because you already have the skills needed to reset and move forward amid the pressure and pace of change.
Who will you hear from?
We know there’s a lot of noise around AI, and it can be confusing. That’s why we’ve partnered with trusted experts to cut through the clutter and focus on what actually matters most for New Zealand businesses right now.
Naila Naseem – Partner, Deloitte
Naila leads Deloitte New Zealand Leadership Development practice. She specialises in preparing leaders to navigate complex transformation-helping technical experts transition into adaptive leaders capable of guiding teams through change.
Naila will be joined by Deloitte Associate Director, Sarah Keenan, and Manager, Katie Desai.
Andrew Nicol – CEO & Co-Founder, Preductive
Through Preductive, Andrew works directly with CEOs and business owners to unlock clarity, establish solid foundations, and run hands-on “agentic sprints” that deliver AI-driven solutions within weeks, not years. He interviewed 100 senior leaders last year to understand their challenges, the rates of adoption and the market. His approach is software-agnostic, practical, and always centred on amplifying people rather than replacing them.
Asa Cox – CEO & Founder, Arcanum
Asa is the founder and CEO of Arcanum, which built the popular SMB AI platform Numa. Since founding the business in 2016, Asa and his team have designed and deployed hundreds of AI solutions to NZ business; they have become experts in understanding what drives successful AI Adoption. Now predominantly working with non-technology businesses across manufacturing, engineering and related industries, Asa has deep insights into what works, how to get value and what the journey is going to look like.
Fiona Hewitt – Managing Partner, Unboxable
With decades of senior executive experience leading strategy, transformation, and business growth, Fiona Hewitt has seen firsthand that the real challenge isn’t just driving change—it’s building the thinking and skills to continuously adapt. She founded Unboxable to help leaders and organisations develop the adaptive edge to anticipate shifts, navigate complexity, and sustain momentum.
Sarah Laurie – Founder, Take a Breath
Sarah Laurie is a health technology entrepreneur, speaker and advocate on a mission to improve wellbeing through something most of us overlook: how we breathe. As the founder of Take a Breath, she partners with leading organisations including Microsoft, The Warehouse Group, Kiwibank and Spark to deliver science-backed breathing programmes that improve sleep, reduce anxiety and increase energy at scale.
Fiona Hewitt – Managing Partner, Unboxable
With decades of senior executive experience leading strategy, transformation, and business growth, Fiona Hewitt has seen firsthand that the real challenge isn’t just driving change—it’s building the thinking and skills to continuously adapt. She founded Unboxable to help leaders and organisations develop the adaptive edge to anticipate shifts, navigate complexity, and sustain momentum.
Sarah Laurie – Founder, Take a Breath
Sarah Laurie is a health technology entrepreneur, speaker and advocate on a mission to improve wellbeing through something most of us overlook: how we breathe. As the founder of Take a Breath, she partners with leading organisations including Microsoft, The Warehouse Group, Kiwibank and Spark to deliver science-backed breathing programmes that improve sleep, reduce anxiety and increase energy at scale.