Avanade, the world’s leading Microsoft expert and 20-time Microsoft Global System Integrator Partner of the Year, today announces it is expanding local capability in New Zealand to help organisations unlock untapped AI value and close the gap between ambition and scaled, real-world execution. The move is part of Avanade’s broader ANZ investments to meet rising demand and support more organisations in successfully adopting and scaling Microsoft technologies.

The announcement comes as Avanade joins Microsoft on its AI Tour in Auckland today. Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella, Microsoft ANZ President Jane Livesey, and local Microsoft leaders will be demonstrating how New Zealand businesses can become ‘Frontier Firms’ through AI transformation.

Jeyan Jeevaratnam, Interim CEO of Avanade ANZ explains that New Zealand is at an AI inflection point, with strong demand and growing investment in digital technologies: “New Zealand is an incredibly innovative market with a strong appetite for AI. What we consistently see is that organisations know what they want to achieve with AI, but lack the capability to implement and scale it inside their business. The challenge is not access to AI, it is execution at scale inside complex, real-world environments.”

He continues: “The decision to double down investments in the region and strengthen our presence in New Zealand reflects both the opportunity in the market and the demand we’re seeing from organisations ready to accelerate their AI journey.”

Jane Livesey, President Microsoft Australia & New Zealand said “New Zealand is a global leader in AI adoption, and the next chapter is about reinvention: new ways of working, new business models, and the confidence to act boldly and responsibly. Local partners are critical to turning promise into progress, and Avanade’s decision to build in Aotearoa strengthens the ecosystem that helps organisations move from pilots to impact, faster. Together, we can help more Kiwi businesses and communities capture the productivity and growth opportunities of the AI era.”

Justin Mowday, Country Managing Director at Accenture New Zealand, said the move highlights Accenture’s strong partnership with Avanade and Microsoft, and the three organisations’ ability to combine strategy with execution to support clients with end-to-end transformation. “This is a deliberate move to strengthen how we support clients in New Zealand by bringing delivery capability closer to where transformation is happening. Through Avanade’s expansion and our partnership with Microsoft, we are reinforcing our ability to support complex, enterprise-wide change not just advising on direction, but ensuring it is delivered and sustained. From Accenture’s perspective, this reflects a long-term commitment to the New Zealand market and confidence in Avanade’s role in helping clients execute at scale.”

Avanade to Strengthen Presence in New Zealand to Close Critical AI Execution Gap