Spark NZ Reshuffles C-Suite, Appointing New AI Chief to Drive Five-Year Strategy
In a decisive move that signals a new era for the telecommunications industry, Spark New Zealand has completely reshaped its leadership team to put artificial intelligence at the very heart of its business. The company is not just adopting AI, it is building a C-suite around it, making it clear that a new kind of leader, one with a mandate for technology and AI is now required to drive growth and innovation.
TL;DR
On September 15, 2025, Spark New Zealand announced a major leadership overhaul to put AI at the core of its strategy, creating a new Chief Technology and AI Officer role filled by Matt Bain. The reshuffle also includes a Chief Commercial Officer, Mark Beder, and an expanded Chief Customer Officer, Greg Clark, reflecting the company’s focus on integrating AI across technology, customer experience, and commercial growth. CEO Jolie Hodson emphasizes that AI is now a central driver of Spark’s five-year strategy, signaling a shift in telecoms toward intelligence-driven business models.
In a decisive move to align its corporate structure with its new five-year strategy, Spark New Zealand announced a major leadership reorganization today. The most significant change for the company's future and a clear sign of a broader trend in the telecom industry is the creation of a dedicated executive role Chief Technology and AI Officer. The changes, which take effect from November 1, 2025, reflect the company's intent to elevate technology and AI from a supporting function to a primary strategic driver of growth and customer experience.
Spark New Zealand is the largest telecommunications and digital services company in the country. Founded in 1987 as Telecom New Zealand before rebranding to Spark in 2014, the company offers a comprehensive range of mobile, broadband, and cloud services to residential, business, and government clients. With a rich history of public service and a nationwide network that reaches 98% of the population, Spark is a foundational part of New Zealand's digital infrastructure. Over the past decade, it has focused on evolving from a traditional telco into a full-service digital services provider, with a particular focus on network modernization and emerging technologies like 5G and IoT.
The announced changes see a re-shaping of Spark's C-suite to better focus on its core connectivity business and its new strategic pillars. The headline appointment is Matt Bain as the new Chief Technology and AI Officer. Previously Spark's Data and Marketing Director, Bain brings a background rooted in data and digital marketing. His international career includes work with major brands like Nike and Heineken, where he honed his expertise in using data and AI to predict customer needs and enhance brand experiences. His move into a combined technology and AI role signals that Spark intends to embed AI not just in marketing, but across its entire technological infrastructure, from network operations to customer-facing platforms. Bain's appointment validates the idea that expertise in consumer-level AI application is now a critical skill for an enterprise's top tech leader.
Alongside Bain, Mark Beder has been appointed to the newly created role of Chief Commercial Officer. Formerly the Customer Director for Enterprise and Government, Beder's new focus will be on commercial growth, products, and customer experience His role will be crucial in monetizing AI-powered services and integrating them into commercial offerings for both business and consumer customers. Greg Clark takes on the expanded Chief Customer Officer role. With a focus on marketing, sales, and customer service, his extensive experience positions him to leverage new AI capabilities to improve customer interactions at every touchpoint, from personalized service to proactive issue resolution.
Spark CEO Jolie Hodson framed the changes as a necessary evolution. "With a new five-year strategy in place, we have aligned our leadership team to our new ambitions," she said. It implies that a traditional corporate structure where technology and data may have been separate departments is no longer sufficient to execute a modern, AI-centric strategy. By creating a dedicated AI role, Hodson is empowering a single leader to cut across silos and ensure AI is a fundamental consideration in all technology and business decisions. This leadership model is a nod to a future where AI is not a project but a core part of a company's DNA.
The reorganization also sees the exit of two veteran directors, Renee Mateparae and Melissa Anastasiou, who have been instrumental in shaping Spark’s journey. CEO Jolie Hodson emphasized, “With a new five-year strategy in place, we have aligned our leadership team to our new ambitions.” This underscores that traditional corporate structures are no longer adequate for driving a modern, AI-focused strategy. By appointing leaders with clear AI mandates, Spark is signaling that AI will be a fundamental element of its organizational DNA, not just a standalone initiative
Spark's leadership reorganization signals that AI is no longer just a tool but a core business driver. By placing a Chief Technology and AI Officer in the C-suite, the company is creating a new model for corporate strategy, demonstrating that the future of telecom growth will be defined by intelligent systems.
