Cultural cringe? IT industry reflects on Curran's failure to find a local CTO candidate

Communications Minister Clare Curran sent the local IT community into a tizz by announcing none of the 60 applicants for the new, $500,000-a-year role of chief technology officer for New Zealand were successful.

Don Christie, co-founder of NZ Rise and director of Catalyst IT, was one of those who spoke out on social media, tweeting “Well ... that's disheartening. Part of the problem we have with IT in government is 'not built here' syndrome.”

The old cultural cringe, or our national inferiority complex.

Today, Mr Christie is still hurting for some of the applicants.

“Knowing some of the candidates who did apply, they were of very high quality. It was a disappointment they weren’t able to pick one of those,” he says. (Only two of the rumoured candidates were willing to confirm and comment; keep reading.)

However, having slept on it, he’s also a bit more philosophical about the process.

Borrowing a buzzword from the world of IT, he says the job search could be thought of as “iterative.”

That is, “You come up with a set of criteria and then, in talking to a set of candidates who come through, you may decide you want to change your criteria because it’s not quite going to fit with what you’d envisaged,” he says.

 “That’s how we develop software. So, from an IT perspective, it makes sense. I know from a media perspective it kind of feels like a bit of a retreat but that’s how we get good outcomes in the technology world.”

And regardless of whether the criteria have been tweaked, he's willing to cut Ms Curran some slack for extending the process.

"Nobody has tried this before in New Zealand, so I understand this is a first-time effort," he says.

TechNZ's Graeme Muller was one of 60 unsuccessful applicants.

Ms Curran says “The search will now be widened,” leading to huffing IT commentator Richard MacManus and others that the government was now going to look offshore. A spokeswoman for Ms Curran confirms the widening could include international candidates (though adds that overseas applications were never precluded).

Mr Christie says he hopes a local is still ultimately chosen. 

“I’d really want someone with strong connections to New Zealand and who really realises the value that New Zealand brings to the world – rather than someone who’s trying to bring the world to New Zealand,” he says.

Few Kiwis have the skills: Kepes
Technology commentator Ben Kepes is a lot more open to an offshore candidate. 

"While it is easy to quickly concur with a 'this role should be filled with someone from New Zealand' opinion, the key thing is the skills base needed to fulfil the role effectively. From a knowledge perspective, the person needs to understand technology, the rate at which disruptive technology is changing, and the global landscape around open data and open government. That's a rare combination here in New Zealand."

NBR is still dubious a chief technology for New Zealand will prove effective, wherever the successful candidate comes from, even if the successful candidate will report directly to Jacinda Ardern. Chief science officer Sir Peter Gluckman is held up as the role model. But successive prime ministers have listened to Sir Peter’s advice on issues like climate change and sugary drinks, then ignored it.

Mr Christie says the role is crucial.  “This is an industry, don’t forget, whose average salary is generally over $90,000 mean and medium, so it’s a very high paying industry. And the goal is to double its contribution to GDP [by 2025], which means doubling in size, so that requires more than just the business-as-usual stuff that has been coming out of government over the past 20 years.

“The government is the largest purchaser of IT, so that’s why I’m saying the focus has to be on New Zealand being a creator of digital technology, and that includes government.”

The unsuccessful applicants
The names of various applicants, or assumed/rumoured candidates, have been flying around social media. 

Most didn't reply to queries but one who was happy to put his hand up and say he applied was NZ Technology Industry Association (NZ Tech) chief executive Graeme Muller.

"I am obviously disappointed I didn’t get an opportunity to pitch my ideas for the role as the process didn't reach that stage,"  the former Asia-Pacific and northern Europe boss for market research outfit IDC says.

"However, I am pleased the minister has decided that the role is too important to rush into," he adds.

"Like the rest of the country I will wait and see what widening the search actually means and hope the advisory board the minister sets up does a good job of finding the right person for this critical role." (In a related initiative, Ms Curran is setting up a 15-person digital advisory panel; there have been 300 applicants.)

Mr Muller adds (and let's allow Graeme a quick plug for his various projects since he's been upfront): "While I believe I would have been able to do an excellent job with my collaborative style, I am still very excited by the work we are doing at NZTech to help make New Zealand more prosperous. Especially with programs like the Digital Nation Summit next Monday, Techweek in May and the study we are doing with the AI Forum into the importance of AI for New Zealand."

A second unsuccessful applicant, Kiwi Foo Camp convenor and long-time InternetNZ councillor Nate Torkington, says he was interviewed by Ms Curran plus two IT industry figures, whom he declines to name.

His theory on why he didn’t get the job: “I suspect that the unicorns who could do the job aren’t beige enough for the establishment.”

Julia Raue ruled herself out.

Institute of IT Professionals head Paul Matthews was said to have applied as well but the chief executive scotches that as a rumour.

"Obviously, the thought crossed my mind. But no – I chose not to apply for the role," Mr Matthews says.

"With a heap of activities such as chartered IT professional NZ certification and the ITx super-conference, alongside our growing TechHub programme and curriculum work in schools, working with government on policy across the board and a heap of other initiatives, I really do feel like we’re making a real difference for our sector and New Zealand at ITPNZ. I love what I do and made the call that I’d rather see that through at this stage."

When the New Zealand role was first announced, NBR helpfully suggested a couple of candidates, including Julia Raue (the former Air New Zealand chief information officer turned professional director). But unfortunately, Ms Raue – such a rare combination of tech-savvy, big picture understanding and persuasive skills – said she would not be putting her name forward. The search goes on.

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