Evolving Analyst - Augmenting the role of Business Analyst
Welcome to The Evolving Analyst – Augmenting the Role of the Business Analyst, taking place at The Cube, ASB North Wharf on 17 April 2026 at 8:30 AM (NZT).
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Join us for an inspiring morning of insights, ideas, and conversations focused on how today’s Business Analysts can elevate their impact. This event explores how confidence, curiosity, and AI can be intentionally layered on top of core BA skills to stay relevant, influential, and future-ready.
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Discover the trends driving the next evolution of the BA role, engage in thought-provoking discussions, walk away with practical takeaways, and connect with industry leaders and fellow BA professionals.
If you’re looking to sharpen your skills, expand your perspective, and stay ahead of the curve, this is an event you won’t want to miss.
Keynotes
Augmenting the Ask: Turning curiosity into a strategic Power-Up
Great business analysis isn't found in the requirements you're given; it’s found in the gaps nobody thought to look at. Curiosity isn't just a 'soft skill' - it’s the internal compass that turns a standard analyst into the person who sees the possibilities others miss. This session challenges the status quo of business analysis. We’ll tackle the "curiosity killers" that stall progress, discover how your unique style of inquiry can become a high-impact asset and takeaway techniques to navigate the unknowns to elevate your business analysis.
Meet the Speaker
Matt Duce
Head of Consulting
Redvespa
Matt's been a Business Analyst in various forms for 20ish years but he will often say he’s spent a career trying to figure out what he wants to be when he grows up, and to be honest, that remains a work in progress. At Redvespa, Matt is Head of Consulting. In this role, he empowers his team to deliver exceptional results with that "Redvespa magic" – a blend of creative, often unconventional thinking that leaves those we work with feeling supported, valued, and with something more, long after the engagement ends. Matt’s approach is built on getting to the heart of the matter by building genuine relationships, the foundation for asking the challenging questions that lead to real impact. He’s passionate about fostering an environment where his team can bring their authentic selves, blending their unique strengths with technical expertise to deliver outcomes that truly resonate and continue their own personal growth.
Confidence Shift:
It's in the Doing, not the Wishing or the Waiting
In an environment of constant change and pressure, this keynote explores how Business Analysts can build real confidence, stay grounded in challenging moments, and show up with clarity and influence. Learn how to project confidence without over-controlling, and how to strengthen confidence in others in a way that enables better decisions and outcomes.
Meet the Speaker
Stu van Rij
Strategist for High-Stakes Conversations
Stu van Rij helps professionals and leaders influence with purpose, build trust, and deliver results – at the table and across the organisation. With more than twenty years of commercial and legal experience, and over a decade coaching and training leaders and teams, he has worked across industries and regions, helping professionals navigate high-stakes conversations, gain buy-in, and strengthen relationships.
Known for his down-to-earth, practical style, Stu brings real-world insights and tools that help teams bring their best to the conversations that matter. Because, more often than not, the quality of the conversation drives the quality of the results.
Why BAs are the Secret Weapon for AI Transformation
AI amplifies everything - clarity or confusion. Business Analysts are uniquely positioned to ensure it's clarity, because they understand what most people miss: individual tasks sit within larger systems. This talk shows how your expertise in process design and information architecture translates directly to sustainable AI adoption. During this talk, you'll see why specification is your secret weapon. You already know how to design systems that scale. Now it's time to apply that to AI - and have some fun with it.
Meet the Speaker
Melissa Firth
Fractional Executive and Founder, PocketCPO
Melissa Firth is a Fractional Executive specialising in Product and Growth, working with tech companies across New Zealand to align product strategy with go-to-market execution. As founder of PocketCPO, she partners with founders and CEOs to drive profitable growth through product-market fit, pricing and packaging, and strategic planning that creates clarity amid complexity. With over 25 years' experience spanning SaaS, B2B, enterprise digital, and startups, Melissa has built teams, launched products, and prepared companies for acquisition. She’s now leveraging AI as an accelerant for product development, customer insights, and team productivity. Her approach is practical, grounded in real business constraints, and focused on measurable outcomes: revenue growth, customer value, and operational efficiency.
Panel Discussion
Business Analysis Trends and Market update
Join our panel of experts as we bridge the gap between emerging global trends and the unique shifts of the New Zealand market. We will dissect the latest local market data and provide actionable insights into the evolving demand for Business Analysts.
Meet the Panel
Adam Witherick
Principal Consultant
Walker Smith
Adam Witherick is a Principal Consultant at Walker Smith, focused on the North Island market, with Auckland at the centre of his network. He works closely with Business Analysts across contract and permanent opportunities, helping them position their value and secure the roles they deserve. Adam is on a mission to elevate the BA profession, challenging organisations to recognise the commercial impact great analysis delivers and ensuring BAs are empowered to influence real business outcomes.
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Dan Lindsay
Board Member
IIBA NZ Chapter
Dan has been a member of IIBA NZ Chapter board since 2023 and in the past few years he has made an impact on the Chapter's financial governance. His global BA and finance experience spans financial services, telecommunications and professional services. Currently Business Analyst Lead at KPMG, Dan is passionate about developing and leading a community of business analysts to deliver lasting outcomes for stakeholders and communities.
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Dan is a CPA (Aust.), a PRINCE2 Agile Practitioner, and IIBA-CCBA.