Alan Kan
Move your cursor — watch the hype scatter

AI hype is everywhere.
Real experience isn't.

I'm Alan Kan — from IBM to co-founding one of New Zealand's most awarded tech education companies. I help Kiwi businesses put AI to work — to save time and grow the business.

MIT found 95% of AI pilots deliver no measurable return.
I help businesses land in the other 5%.

Alan Kan, AI advisor, at an industry awards evening
The lens I bring

The technical depth to know what's real. The international experience to know what works. The know-how to make it land in a real business.

Why me

Where this
comes from.

I've worked in AI since long before it was fashionable — going back to specialising in it at university, when the idea that machines could one day reason and help shape how we live was still an academic curiosity.

From there I went deep into enterprise technology — a decade at IBM leading cloud and software innovation, helping clients put Watson to work in their businesses, and consulting on enterprise-scale projects across the US, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. That's the in-the-weeds work of making technology actually deliver for a business, across very different markets and cultures.

Then I co-founded Mission Ready, and spent eight years taking people from all walks of life and getting them genuinely job-ready for tech careers in months, with real employers, real projects, and real outcomes.

The result is 1,200+ people trained and into the industry. And it strengthened my belief that:

technology only matters if it works for the people who have to use it.

Certifications

I'm certified in AI transformation and enterprise delivery methods.

AI transformation
Microsoft Certified AI Transformation Leader
Gemini Certified Educator
Delivery & method
IBM Enterprise Design Thinking Co-Creator
ICAgile Authorised Trainer
IBM Agile Champion
25+
years in enterprise technology
300+
projects delivered
1,200+
trained & launched into tech careers
80%+
employment outcomes
Selected recognitions
Stevie Award 2026 — Gold · Excellence in Innovation in Education
The EdTech Awards 2026 — Founder/CEO category finalist
NZ Hi-Tech Awards 2025 — finalist, Best Contribution to the NZ Tech Sector
ITENZ Supreme Award 2024 · Provider of the Year 2023 & 2024
Deloitte NZ Fast 50 — #23 (2024)
Experience across
Spark
Westpac
IBM
BNZ
Vodafone
PwC
Ministry of Social Development
Datacom
Tohu Media

From big corporates to start-ups — I work with businesses of all sizes.

From IBM, on what they saw me build:
The world is being transformed by new technologies like artificial intelligence and blockchain… The members of the programme created by Alan Kan I observed in action demonstrated the attributes and skills that will help them succeed in this changing work environment.
John Guest · IBM
What I believe
01

Start with your work, not the tools.

Most AI projects fail because someone bought a shiny tool before understanding how work actually flows. I map the work first. The opportunities become obvious.

02

AI should give your people time back.

The goal isn't a smaller team doing the same grind faster. It's the same team, freed up to do the work that actually moves the business forward.

03

Cut the hype.

You don't need to understand transformers or prompt engineering. You need to know which three things in your business AI can genuinely improve — and what they're worth.

04

Build your capability, not your dependence.

The best result is you needing me less over time, not more.

How I help

Know exactly where AI fits your business — before you spend a dollar on tools.

That's what the AI Opportunity Map does. In a single focused day, you'll get a clear, prioritised, plain-English plan: the handful of AI opportunities worth pursuing, what they're worth, and where to start on Monday.

And if you're looking for a secure, isolated environment where your AI models and data stay entirely within your organisation's control, Sovata.ai builds exactly that — private AI that runs on your terms, so your data stays yours.

Speaking & advising

Straight talk on AI — what I've learned from building it.

I speak, write and advise on responsible AI, the future of work, and how New Zealand businesses and educators can adopt AI with confidence. Running an event, a board, or a leadership team? Get in touch.

Invite me to speak
Responsible AI strategy for business leaders
The future of work and future-ready skills
Technical feasibility and cost assessments to support funding applications
AI in education and workforce development
Selected speaking engagements

Let's figure out where AI fits your business.

No pitch, no jargon — just a straight conversation about what's worth doing.