Deloitte presents: We can’t hire our way out of this - demographics, productivity and AI choices facing NZ (Wellington and Online)
Description
Join us for ‘We can’t hire our way out of this’ a panel discussing the AI-integrated and AI-enabled workforce challenges and opportunities for New Zealand. Hear from experienced leaders who’ll bring a Human Capital, Strategy & Transformation and Engineering lens. Together, we’ll explore:
What problems we are trying to solve (macroeconomic, microeconomic)
What is the significance of AI (transformative 'General Purpose Technology')
What might good look like (business-first, people-first NOT tech first)
How do we avoid 'shallow adoption' (NZ has been quick to adopt tech, but in a shallow way)
How can you get started (top-down, bottom up; Alexandra's process)
This event is centered around the Techweek pillars of Future and Growth, considering how emerging technologies and breakthrough innovation can help grow New Zealand’s economy.
For leaders and practitioners shaping the future of work across workforce strategy, transformation, and technology delivery, this session offers practical insights into how a people‑first approach to AI can be better integrated into your organisation.
Speakers
Grace Schaaf
Deloitte, Senior Consultant Grace Schaaf is a Senior Consultant in Deloitte New Zealand’s Technology, Strategy and Transformation team, based in Wellington. She supports organisations navigating complex transformation programmes, combining technology advisory with practical delivery experience to help clients adopt solutions that deliver real outcomes. Grace brings a strong cross‑firm perspective on transformation and change, having moved from Deloitte’s Strategy, Risk and Transactions business. As the host of this panel, she brings a fresh curiosity about how technology, work, and skills will shape the future of New Zealand - creating space for thoughtful, grounded discussion that connects global ideas with local realities and what they mean in practice.
Josh Mcleod
Deloitte, Associate Director Josh is a Manager at Deloitte specialising in strategic HR and organisation transformation, with over 10 years’ experience working across New Zealand and the UK. He partners with senior leaders to design and deliver people-centred change across areas including organisation design, reward strategy, and leadership development. He is passionate about the role of human capital in advancing sustainability, climate, and equity outcomes, bringing a practical perspective on how organisations can translate ambition into impact.
Rory Matthews
Deloitte, Partner Rory Matthews is a Partner in the Technology and Transformation practice, and the People & Performance Partner within Deloitte’s Technology & Transformation Group, bringing over 20 years’ experience across New Zealand, England, and Australia. He works at the intersection of workforce, strategy, and technology, helping health sector leaders translate transformation ambition into sustainable organisational and performance outcomes. Rory brings deep experience in central government strategy, organisational transformation, and performance improvement within large teaching hospitals. He has advised executives across the Ministry of Health, Te Whatu Ora, Te Aka Whai Ora and ACC, and is known for partnering across diverse stakeholder groups to build workforce alignment, embed change, and ensure technology‑enabled transformation delivers real value for people and systems.
Alexandra Kozlova
Deloitte, Talent Experience Lead Alexandra Kozlova is the Talent Experience Lead within Deloitte’s Technology & Transformation practice, where she focuses on redesigning how work gets completed as technology, AI, and skills evolve. With over a decade of consulting experience across workforce transformation, job and capability architecture, and labour market intelligence, Alexandra brings a practical lens to how organisations can prepare people for change. Alexandra is known for her progressive and hands-on use of AI tooling to augment workforce planning, capability design, and employee experience. She works with leaders to move beyond static workforce models, using data, analytics, and emerging AI tools to reimagine roles, skills, and ways of working that are resilient, human-centred, and fit for an AI-enabled future.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
