ITP Techblog

Tēnā koe,

After 14 years at the helm of ITP, CEO Paul Matthews has made the call to step down next year to pursue other opportunities.

Paul wanted to pass on the following:

I've been genuinely privileged to lead ITP over many years, an organisation that is stronger now than ever thanks to our community. I feel like I've made many friends and been lucky to work with a host of truly incredible and talented people, both in our core team and our wider community.

A couple of ponders from me... It's certainly been a busy time. In the early years, we re-invented the organisation to be more outwards focused as a professional body, including putting in place things like certification and degree accreditation and reconnecting our community.

As a team, we've been lucky to work on so many projects that have made an enduring difference for our industry. Like helping protect kiwi innovation by leading the fight against software patents in NZ, through to leading the charge on significant changes to Digital Technologies in schools, such as the new Digital Tech curriculum and the country's leading in-school initiatives to get kids into a career in tech.

And more recently, driving the digital profession skills and talent workstream across Government and Industry, to help enable our industry to scale and lead New Zealand's post-Covid economic recovery.

But ITP's lifeblood continues to be our members and volunteers. While I'll be stepping down from the CEO role, our work will continue. Personally, I still fully intend to help where I can - especially in the education space. We all have a big job to do to get the skills and talent pipeline working properly and I look forward to contributing in a volunteer capacity, alongside many of you who do the same.

While this will be a change, ITP has supported the professional community for over 60 years and is run by an outstanding team who achieve a massive amount for our community. It has an effective board, nationwide network of branch committees and literally hundreds of people who contribute every day.

At a personal level, I won't be leaving our industry - I've accepted a newly created Chief Executive role at CIO Studio, one of the fastest growing tech strategy companies in NZ. CIO Studio is focused on both developing the CIO community and helping businesses get access to transformational tech and support so no doubt I'll still be working with many of you in future!

Paul has made a massive contribution to ITP and the profession over many years, and we absolutely wish him well for what will no doubt be a bright future. Paul stepping down is the end of an era, but our work for our professional community will continue.

After Paul told us of his intention to step down the ITP Board spent some time thinking about what the next few years might look like, and how the future leadership of the organisation could best contribute to our profession.

We don't want to constrain our thinking, and we're inviting Expressions of Interest in the CEO role from our community. It's an opportunity to express your interest and share your vision with members of the ITP Executive.

Please take a look at this Call for Expressions of Interest if you're interested, or please do forward this on to others.

Paul will finish at ITP in mid-March next year.