1 in 4 New Zealanders live with a disability. Maia Miller says it’s time our tech reflected that, and she shows how leaders can start today.
In this episode of the Tech Waka Podcast, we sit down with Maia Miller, founder of Aleph Accessibility, to unpack the why, how, and impact of building accessible tech. Maia shares her own journey from frontend dev to Aleph Accessibility founder, and breaks down:
What accessibility really means in digital products
The NZ-specific landscape: what’s working, what’s broken
How accessibility benefits all users, not just disabled users
Practical steps tech leaders can take next week
How good accessibility makes your AI, codebase, and customer experience better
Whether you’re an engineering manager, product leader, or platform owner, this episode will expand your perspective and give you tangible ways to lead better.
This episode is sponsored by Wires Uncrossed.
From no tech background to leading a cybersecurity startup — Ankita Dhakar is reshaping how NZ does pentesting.
What happens when you have no tech background, no network, and still decide to start a cybersecurity company? Ankita Dhakar did exactly that — and today she’s the founder and CEO of Capture The Bug, helping listed companies rethink penetration testing.
In this episode of Tech Waka, Ankita shares her journey from moving to NZ as a student to building a platform-first pentesting company. We talk about what it’s like being an immigrant woman in a male-dominated industry, how she built credibility without a technical background, and what traditional vendors get wrong about security.
We also unpack:
How she managed mental health in the lonely early days
What makes Capture The Bug’s approach different (and more useful)
Why community, kindness, and consistency are her biggest assets
Whether you’re a founder, leader, or security professional — this conversation offers insights and inspiration in equal measure.
This episode is sponsored by Wired Uncrossed.
Andrea Magnorsky joins Jakub to pull back the curtain on BEACON — a tech leadership off-site in Auckland on Mon 13 October 2025.
Morning: six 20-minute talks + panels across people, product, and architecture.
Afternoon: an unconference to tackle your real problems with peers.
Theme: Sustainable Evolution — practical change without the theatre. Small room (~30 leaders), no sponsors, curated connections.
Beacon website: https://beaconconf.com
This episode is sponsored by Wires Uncrossed.
A mid-year pit stop for Tech Waka. In this short solo episode, Jakub wraps the first ten episodes and what the community built together—mentoring, meetups, and a new conference on the horizon.
A big thank-you to our first sponsor, Wires Uncrossed, who are uplifting engineering maturity across New Zealand, Australia, and beyond.
In this deeply honest episode of the Tech Waka Podcast, Diego Nievas, CTO at Atturra, opens up about mental health in the tech industry — from personal struggles with depression to the pressures of leadership in a world of constant change.
We explore:
Why mental wellbeing is still a taboo topic in tech
The concept of psychological sustainability and why it matters
Personal stories of burnout, anxiety, and the turning points toward recovery
Practical tools to ground yourself during times of pressure
How to reframe stress, find joy, and protect your inner compass
This conversation is for every technologist who’s ever felt overwhelmed — and for every leader who wants to build healthier, more human teams.
episodeWhat happens when you give experienced mentors and ambitious tech professionals a space to connect, reflect, and grow together?
In this episode, we hear from Barbara and James, two participants in the first Tech Waka Mentorship cohort.
From overcoming self-doubt and navigating job transitions to finding clarity on their leadership paths, their stories highlight the true impact of mentorship.
They share candid reflections on how structured support, community connection, and a bit of courage can unlock new opportunities. If you’re on the fence about joining the next cohort — this episode might be the nudge you need.
This podcast episode is sponsored by Wires Uncrossed, Lifting the standard of software engineering in New Zealand, Australia and beyond.
In this episode of Tech Waka, host Jakub Jurkiewicz sits down with Ruth McDavitt, CEO of Summer of Tech — the platform that’s been helping thousands of students transition into paid tech internships across New Zealand since 2006.
Ruth shares the story behind Summer of Tech’s founding, the evolution of the program beyond just code and Wellington, and why internships are still essential for both students and companies — especially in the age of AI and economic uncertainty.
We discuss:
Whether you’re hiring, mentoring, or just curious about the future of NZ’s tech workforce, this episode is full of insight and inspiration.
This episode was kindly sponsored by Wires Uncrossed.
Shadow AI is already in your organization — but can you see it?
In this special Tech Waka episode, we share a live recording from a recent Tech Waka Leadership Collective meetup featuring Ben Mosier, a strategy teaming consultant who helps leaders align around complex challenges.
Ben takes us deep into the world of Shadow AI — the unsanctioned, often invisible use of generative AI tools like ChatGPT inside organizations. You’ll also hear directly from meetup participants as they weigh in on:
Why copy-paste AI use is not human judgment
Where Shadow AI poses real risk to your brand, systems, and customers
The legal and ethical gray areas many teams are sleepwalking into
How to map your organization’s value chain to identify where human oversight matters most
The surprising pressure to automate — and why resisting it is leadership
This is not your typical panel or interview. It’s a real-time, thoughtful community conversation — and part of our ongoing effort to make Tech Waka more dynamic, relevant, and grounded in real-world challenges NZ tech leaders face.
🎧 Listen in — and ask yourself: Where is AI making decisions in your org without anyone noticing?
Big thanks to Wired Uncrossed for sponsoring this episode.
In this episode of Tech Waka, we sit down with Joshua Arnold, a seasoned product and technology leader who’s worked across the UK, Europe, and New Zealand. Joshua dives deep into the concept of Cost of Delay and how it can transform the way we prioritize work — not just for efficiency, but for impact.
We explore:
• The CD3 method: Cost of Delay divided by Duration
• Why most teams overestimate effort and underestimate value
• Lessons from Maersk, Pearson, and Kiwi financial services
• The reverse Anna Karenina effect in broken software teams
• How GenAI is accelerating product discovery and prototyping
If you’re in product, engineering, or tech leadership — or you’re just tired of shipping features no one needs — this episode is for you.
This episode is sponsored by Wires Uncrossed — helping teams across New Zealand, Australia, and beyond untangle software delivery and build systems that truly perform.
What do high-performing engineering teams really need to thrive?
In this episode, I talk with Myles Henaghan, Managing Director at Wires Uncrossed and former GM of Engineering at Xero. Myles shares the backstory and structure of the Hierarchy of Engineering Needs — an open-source framework inspired by Maslow’s pyramid and grounded in real-world delivery challenges. We unpack how this model helps tech leaders identify systemic bottlenecks, enable effective ownership, and make smarter strategic trade-offs.
Whether you’re leading one team or many, this conversation will give you a fresh lens for diagnosing delivery constraints and unlocking flow.
🔗 Explore the model: engineeringneeds.io
In this episode of the Tech Waka Podcast, host Jakub sits down with Clarissa Côrtes Pires, Decision Science Capability Lead at Mercury NZ, to explore the intersection of science, creativity, and strategy. With a PhD in innovation management and a career spanning academia, startups, and large enterprises, Clarissa shares her journey into decision science, her experience leading a team of brilliant minds, and what it takes to turn complex research into actionable business outcomes.
You’ll hear about:
• Why innovation is more than just good ideas — it’s about impact.
• The difference between data science and decision science.
• How to manage PhDs and researchers in commercial environments.
• Career paths in decision science — and why everyone can be a scientist.
Whether you’re a tech leader, a data geek, or just AI-curious, this episode will inspire you to think differently about how decisions are made — and how teams can thrive at the edge of research and real-world impact.
The Career Journey Framework mentioned in the episode.
In this episode of Tech Waka, we talk with Saif Ali, Engineering Manager at Gentrack, about his fascinating transition from developer to people leader across cultures and continents.
Saif shares honest reflections on the challenges of early leadership, the power of mentorship, and why listening is a superpower in tech management. He also offers practical advice for aspiring engineering managers and insights on supporting teams through change. This is a must-listen for anyone curious about what leadership in tech really looks like—beyond the job title.
In this episode, Brad Terpstra shares his fascinating journey from managing IT for American Magic during the America's Cup in Auckland to leading tech initiatives at Halter, an ag-tech startup transforming agriculture.
Brad discusses the reality behind the cutting-edge technology of America's Cup racing, emphasizing the importance of precision, strategic decision-making, and continuous improvement. He reflects on how crisis moments—like saving a sinking race boat—can strengthen teams and reveals insights into effective prioritization and managing innovation within resource constraints.
It's a a must-listen for tech leaders who value teamwork, innovation, and making every second count.
Leadership in tech is tough, but you don’t have to do it alone. In this episode, we introduce the Tech Waka Mentoring Program—a 5-month journey connecting aspiring tech leaders with world-class mentors. Learn why mentorship is a game-changer, what you’ll gain from the program, and how to apply.
🎧 Spots are limited—tune in now and take the next step in your leadership journey!
👉 https://www.techwaka.co.nz/mentorship
Join Jakub as he celebrates 20 episodes of the Tech Waka podcast, reflecting on milestones, guest insights, and plans for 2025.
In this episode of the Tech Waka Podcast, I sit down with Annie Vella, Distinguished Engineer at Westpac, to explore the intersection of systems thinking, technical leadership, and the transformative impact of AI on software engineering. Annie shares how systems shape outcomes, the evolving role of AI coding assistants, and what it all means for the future of engineering.
In episode #18, Chris Bertram shares his inspiring journey from a long tenure at Gentrack to stepping into a new industry and role as CTO at Fuse IT. He discusses the challenges, surprises, and valuable lessons of transitioning from a technical leader to a people leader while driving innovation and embracing change.
Together, we cover:
In this episode of the Tech Waka podcast, we sit down with Jan Behrens, CTO at Devoli, to explore the intersection of technology and business leadership. Jan shares his insights on navigating complex challenges in tech leadership, drawing from his vast experience in legacy technology modernization, SaaS transformation, and managing mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the tech world.
Key Themes:
n this episode of the Tech Waka podcast, I sit down with strategy specialist Gareth Ward to explore the intricacies of strategic thinking and execution. Key themes include:
Tune in for a practical, thought-provoking discussion that will sharpen your strategic mindset.
In this episode of the Tech Waka podcast, we chat with Fred Laury, the newly appointed Executive GM at Xero.
Fred shares his journey from France to New Zealand and his extensive career in cybersecurity and enterprise technology. He discusses his pivotal experiences, including his time as Chief Information Security Officer at Air New Zealand, and offers insights into leadership, building strong networks, and balancing work and life.
Fred also explores the challenges and strategies of implementing enterprise technology solutions and highlights the unique talent and diversity in New Zealand's tech industry.
Tune in for an engaging and informative conversation with a seasoned tech leader.