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Techday NZ
14 hours ago
- Business
- Techday NZ
Wild Tech hires Andrew Kirk to lead enterprise cloud growth
Wild Tech has appointed Andrew Kirk as Senior Business Development Manager to drive the company's expansion in enterprise-grade managed services and digital transformation partnerships. Kirk brings extensive experience from previous senior roles at Telstra and IBM, and comprehensive familiarity with Amazon, Microsoft and Google Cloud platforms. Wild Tech aims to leverage Kirk's expertise to assist organisations seeking to modernise operations and build robust, cloud-first environments. Dan Whittle, General Manager – Managed Services at Wild Tech, stated, "Andrew's background working with Tier 1 enterprises makes him an exceptional fit for our next phase of growth. He has walked in the shoes of large, complex organisations and knows what it takes to implement scalable, compliant solutions that deliver real outcomes. His insight will be pivotal as we help clients transition from project-based deployments to ongoing service-led transformation." During his tenure at Telstra, Kirk held responsibility for the profit and loss in Cloud Services and led the introduction of Microsoft, Amazon, and Cisco cloud offerings across Australia and the broader APAC region. Early in his career, he was involved in the development of managed desktop services at Advantra, a joint venture between IBM, Lend Lease, and Telstra. More recently, Kirk played a role in establishing Searce's Australian operations, with a focus on Google Cloud and AWS solutions for the retail and mining sectors. In joining Wild Tech, Kirk steps into a role centred on expanding the company's influence across the enterprise and upper mid-market sector, concentrating on government, financial services, and retail. He will facilitate the alignment of long-term managed services with cloud, AI, and data solutions. "The appetite for transformation is strong—but the real challenge is productivity," Kirk said. "Wild Tech gets this. They're not just delivering tech projects, they're embedding long-term capability and service models that evolve with the client and drive the bottom line. That's exactly where I want to be." Kirk's recruitment supports Wild Tech's approach of linking technology delivery with operational excellence through a managed services approach tailored to enterprise requirements. Wild Tech states that its strategy for transformation is rooted in a comprehensive understanding of specific industry demands. The company asserts the importance of listening to clients to remain ahead of evolving requirements, and of taking into account how end-to-end business processes and organisational maturity interact with each technology platform's capability. The company continues to position itself as an Australian-owned and operated entity serving clients across APAC, with a focus on building the next generation of digital operating models through partnerships and established market platforms. Follow us on: Share on:
News.com.au
09-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
AIC First XV rugby round 6 Team of the Week
Has there been a more dramatic transformation of an AIC First XV player this decade than that of St Edmund's College lock Seb Kracht? Kracht is a remarkable rags to riches story, someone who has come from the clouds - and the wing - to take the competition by storm this season. This time last year the athletic Kracht was playing wing in the St Edmund's Second XV. Fast forward 12 months and he has been consistently one of the best players on the field in both good times and bad for St Edmund's this season. Exhibit A was when St Edmund's lost its round three match to St Laurence's at Runcorn when St Laurence's led 28-nil at halftime, before winning 49-17. Yet Kracht scored two tries, hit hard in defence to halt Laurie's forward charges one off the ruck, and contested strongly in lineouts. They were the bad times, yet he finished the Doubles Daley Medallist. Now to the good times. Last Saturday St Edmund's won a thriller against St Peters after a last minute penalty goal by Pat Albion. Kracht scored and was enormous with his thundering runs and tackles. Coach Andrew Kirk admits if Kracht had indicated he would be prepared to switch from the outside backs to the forwards, he would have picked him last season at a time when he was wandering in the No. 14 jumper. Eddies' revelation Kracht makes the AIC rugby round 6 Team of the Week again following his performance against the Saints. Who joins him in the side? AIC FIRST XV RUGBY TEAM OF THE WEEK 15. Harry Taylor (St Laurence's) Taylor's incursions from fullback last weekend were telling. Taylor, a Year 10 student, is going to be one heck of a three-year player for Laurie's. He scored a double and dazzled on both occasions, using his footwork, speed and unpredictability to manoeuvre his way past defenders. He is quite exciting. 14. Jarah Chaseling (Padua) Like Taylor, winger or fullback Chaseling's first love is rugby league. But that hasn't stopped him from making a palpable difference for Padua this year. Saturday was a fine example of him at his best because late in the second half he stepped past one player, drew in two and then released an offload while being wrestled to ground. It created a try and well before that the slippery speedster was involved in a few others which inflated Padua's score from 19 to 50 in no time. 13. Sean Green (Ashgrove) Green helped set a platform for Ashgrove with uncomplicated, straight, hard running from inside centre. His size and strength made him an authoritative figure and his involvement added variety to the edge-of-the-ruck runs by the Ashgrove ball carriers. The Papua New Guinean powerhouse also supported well on the inside if breaks were made by the outside backs. Nate Clark (Padua) Clark moved back to inside centre after a grand two-game stint as Padua's flyhalf. Perfectly suited to the No.12 position, Clark was a defensive lynchpin across a gruelling first half and he maintained his high standards whenever Paddies had the ball in the second half. He was excellent in defence on a day where every Padua back had their moment. 11. Rory West (Padua) The little ripper on Padua's left wing had a match to remember in front of a bumper St Patrick's crowd. With bucketloads of spectators watching on as part of the school's back to Shorncliffe day, West was magic wherever he went to finish off four tries. Small but speedy and hard to bring down, West was a key beneficiary of the work of his inside men. 10. Damon Humphrys (Padua) Humphrys had his hand in a few West tries and plenty of others as the ace flyhalf created four of five second half tries scored by the fast-finishing Padua boys. The visitors held a slender 19-15 lead at oranges but won 50-15. Humphrys - utilising his deft grubber kicking, short and long passing game and deceptive speed and athleticism - was at the forefront of Padua's second half heave after the St Patrick's forwards had dominated early. 9. Harrison Graham (Ashgrove) The masterful Graham has been a terrific middle man tying together Ashgrove's authority at the breakdown and its ability to move the ball around. When Ashgrove race in those many tries from a long, long way out from the line, it is easy to overlook Graham's snappy service as a firing pin. 8. Seb Gardiner (Ashgrove) Gardiner is, of course, a No. 7, but to squeeze in two courageous and inspiring flankers from losing teams into the top 15 (see below), the Ashgrove skipper has been shifted to No.8. Gardiner has been a revelation with his dynamic runs both into space and into the opposition taking his side over the advantage at speed. Gardiner's urgency in the defensive line must have set an example for his peers. 7. James Kenny (St Peters) Not for the first time the compact flanker was magnificent. Tough, strong and courageous, Kenny has played above his weight and under duress all season and did it again last weekend in a nail biter. Kenny's ability to win contested possession at the breakdown has been a highlight of matches he has played. Again last weekend he was responsible for four or five turnovers for his the Saints. 6. Finn Staley (Villanova) A tenacious, smaller flanker, Staley was bravely on the ball against the odds against Ashgrove last weekend. He was also an effective and agile defender on the edge of the ruck who helped keep the scoreline down. Staley has stepped up in the absence of tone-setting backrower Ryder Childs who has been out since round 4 with a broken cheek bone. 5. Seb Kracht (St Edmund's) Kracht has undergone an extraordinary transformation from a Second XV winger in 2024 to a tremendous lock in 2025, not far behind Padua weapon Will Ross. Certainly Kracht is the find of the season among the forwards in the AIC competition. Aside from his authority in defence, damaging runs and safe lineout retrieval, Kracht has now scored a try against every opponent this season. 4. Zane Smith (St Peters) In a team desperately unlucky to lose, the undersized second rower continued to play above his weight and give his side his all. Smith was solid with his carries, running straight and hard, and continued to give his team a high work rate and mobility around the field. 3. Luka Smith (St Laurence's) There has been no third-season syndrome for Laurie's prop Luka Smith. In fact, he has only gotten better and better as the seasons have worn on. Against Iona, Smith's pick-and-drive play - partnered with Vin Rix, Brad Smith and others - mounted enormous pressure on the opposition's goal line. Smith's strength and skill was best eclipsed late in the game when a short lineout play saw him throw the ball in, receive a quick offload and storm 20m to the tryline, barreling a defender over on his barnstorming pursuit. 2. Mitch Wallis (St Patrick's) Wallis' room would be full of Doubles Daley medals after his deeds this season. A hooker with two more years of First XV rugby ahead, Wallis has headed a strong Paddies scrum and gotten increasingly harder to handle running the ball. The powerful 15-year-old was at the epicentre of Paddies' strong start which saw them lead 5-nil and looking capable of an upset when trailing by four early in the second half. 1. Jack Mercer (Padua) An impressive prop every week for Padua with his work rate and involvement, Mercer made inroads again versing an amped-up Paddies pack. Fast and fit for a prop, Mercer was solid in his core role but raised the bar with his cover tackling and urgency running from A to B. He has been top notch in 2025. 16. Josh Heinrich (Ashgrove) Heinrick was a four star performer again as both a tight forward and a loose forward - all the while kicking six goals from seven attempts. Again he looked like an inside centre in full cry when he burst through to score a 45m try, while never shirking his other responsibilities in the set pieces and at the breakdown. 17. Will Tatt (St Edmund's) The back-row forward has been Mr Consistency, someone who has done the one percent plays from start to finish this season. Eddies' would not have swapped him for anyone over the last two seasons and it was nice for the hard working forward to have that winning feeling again in 2025. Tatt deserved nothing more. 18. Matt Linnell (Villanova) Gridiron quarterback and rugby captain Matt Linnell led from the front as a tight forward work horse against Ashgrove. He finished with an elbow injury, but before his departure the upbeat chap led the team strongly with runs and was great over the ball. 19. Tom Croft (St Laurence's) Croft scored two tries within the first 15 minutes to put a down payment on victory for the black and golds. As the match progressed, the No.8 was in everything. He put his head down and got to work in pick-and-drive play which delivered more than half of Laurie's 61 points and his pressure off kick restarts and in defence was outstanding. 20. James Turner (Iona) Entering the fold with Keanu Bothma out injured, scrumhalf Jimmy Turner took his chance with both hands and had a posiitve showing. His quick taps kept the Laurie's defenders on their toes and Turner's service from the ruck base was pin point. The ultra-fit First XI cricketer was quick to the breakdown and his sound 70-minute performance against an on-fire Laurie's outfit warrants praise. 21. Alex Borger (Villanova) It was not an easy day in the office for the Villanova scrumhalf, such was the pressure exerted by the Ashgrove forwards at the breakdown. But goal-kicking gun Borger held up well, was brave under pressure, moved the ball well and overall had a fine match. 22. Joey Cervetto (Ashgrove) For a kid who started as a three quarter, Cervetto has come on in leaps and bounds for unbeaten Ashgrove. Earlier in the season the headgear-wearing flyhalf did not over play his hand and his confidence and patience has obviously grown as his combination with the players around him has improved. The Queensland Thunder water polo prodigy looked like a senior player with class and last Saturday against Villanova. 23. Tomi Wilson (St Edmund's) St Edmund's fullback Tom Wilson has been one of the rookies of the season. He is only in Year 10, but has taken to First XV rugby like a duck to the Bremer River through Ipswich. He was also a two-try hero last weekend and dropped the ball over the line attempting a third try. SPECIAL MENTIONS: Will Ross (Padua),Elliot Aldridge (Ashgrove), Hudson Bishop (Villanova), Oliver Gibson (Iona), Matt Doherty (Iona), Liam Whale and Fionn MacCafferkey (Iona), Justin Wilson (St Laurence's), Gio Koopu (St Laurence's), Harrison Vera (Padua), Tom O'Regan (Padua), Denzel Savelino (St Patrick's), Abe Huxtable (St Patrick's) and Oliver Slater (St Patrick's). Villanova v St Patrick's St Edmund's v Iona Padua v Marist
Globe and Mail
02-04-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
CIBC Innovation Banking Provides Venture Debt for SlicedHealth
CIBC Innovation Banking announced today that it has provided venture debt financing to SlicedHealth, Inc. The company will use the financing to further its investment in the platform and grow its workforce. SlicedHealth raised a Series A lead by Arthur Ventures in July 2024. 'In today's healthcare environment, many hospitals and provider organizations still rely on manual processes and spreadsheets to model their payor contracts, leaving them at a significant disadvantage,' said Reed Liggin, CEO and co-founder, SlicedHealth. 'By working with a forward-thinking bank like CIBC, we are able to further disrupt the industry by investing heavily in advancing our platform and artificial intelligence to bring speed, efficiency and increased ROI to the healthcare industry.' 'The rock-star team at SlicedHealth is working to transform healthcare spend across the United States,' said Andrew Kirk, Managing Director at CIBC Innovation Banking. 'We are excited to work with their team as they strive to provide greater healthcare transparency in our communities.' About CIBC Innovation Banking CIBC Innovation Banking delivers funding, strategic advice, and cash management to innovation companies across North America, the UK, and select European countries at each stage of their business cycle, from start up to IPO and beyond. With offices in San Francisco, Menlo Park, New York, Toronto, London, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, Vancouver, Montreal, Atlanta, Reston, Durham and Denver, the team has extensive experience and a strong, collaborative approach that extends across CIBC's commercial banking, private banking, wealth management and capital markets businesses. About SlicedHealth, Inc. — SlicedHealth empowers hospitals, health systems, specialty practices and ambulatory surgery centers to uncover hidden underpayments and denials, access real-time data insights, ensure compliance and secure upfront payments. Our Contract Modeling Platform leverages advanced AI to provide the data needed to hold payers accountable, optimize revenue, and improve financial outcomes. With seamless implementation, hands-on support, and expert-managed services, we reduce the operational burden—delivering faster results and a quicker ROI. About Arthur Ventures Arthur Ventures is an early-growth capital firm with approximately $1.1 billion in assets under management, investing in B2B software companies across the United States and Canada. We focus on supporting businesses outside Silicon Valley to drive innovation in diverse markets. For more information, visit
