Spark Digital GM Mike Smith to head IBM NZ

IBM has named Mike Smith, until last month general manager of cloud and sourcing at Spark Digital, to replace Rob Lee as managing director of IBM New Zealand. He returns to IBM after a 17 year absence during which he held a number of executive positions in New Zealand ICT companies. He will be based in Auckland.

Lee, who has led IBM NZ for three years, will retire from IBM at the end of November after spending more than 30 years with the company.

In addition to his role at Spark Digital, Smith has been on the advisory boards of Revera Cloud Services and Computer Concepts Ltd (CCL) and also chaired the advisory board of IT systems integrator Lexel. He served as CEO at Oxygen Business Systems for ten years. Earlier in his career, he held a number of sales and management roles at IBM in Wellington and Christchurch.

Kerry Purcell, managing director, IBM Australia and New Zealand, said Smith’s focus in his new role would be to work with IBM’s local clients and partners to help them realise the opportunities of the digital era. “Mike’s knowledge of the New Zealand market, leadership experience and lasting affinity for the IBM brand make him the right person to lead IBM New Zealand,” Purcell said.

Smith holds an MBA from the University of Canterbury and has also studied strategy at Harvard Business School.