Interactive appoints data & AI leaders for strategy

Interactive has appointed Lizzy Jones as Head of Data and AI and Rowan Hoy as Principal AI Architect as part of the Australian IT services company's artificial intelligence strategy.

Jones will lead the next phase of Interactive's Data and AI practice, while Hoy will oversee the architecture, platforms and systems used to deploy AI across the business and for customers.

The appointments come as Interactive seeks to deepen its use of AI in its own operations and extend that work to clients through what it describes as a Customer Zero model. Under that approach, the company tests and develops internal AI use cases before offering similar methods to customers.

Jones has already helped build Interactive's Data and AI capability internally. In her new role, she will focus on broader customer adoption, applying lessons from internal use to external delivery.

Hoy's remit centres on the technical foundations of AI deployment, including the design of systems and platforms and controls around security, cost and reliability as organisations move from early trials to wider use.

Internal focus

Interactive is focusing on data quality, architecture and governance as the foundation for AI projects. It argues that internal use gives it practical experience at a time when many organisations are still working out how to turn AI pilots into sustained operations.

Fred Thiele, Chief Information Security Officer, linked that internal work to the company's advisory role with customers.

"This lived experience is shaping how Interactive supports customers. It helps organisations move beyond experimentation and invest in AI where it delivers genuine productivity gains, operational improvement and long-term value," Thiele said.

Jones said the company's approach is intended to make AI less abstract for staff and customers.

"There is a lot of noise around AI right now. Our focus is on cutting through that and framing AI as something people can be part of, not something to be afraid of. When AI is implemented thoughtfully, it's a technology that should help people do their jobs better, unlocking new ways of working," Jones said.

The changes also reflect a wider effort by technology service providers to shift AI work towards governance and implementation rather than experimentation alone. For companies advising customers on AI, internal adoption is increasingly being used as evidence of operational experience.

Technical base

Hoy said the underlying systems become more important as organisations move beyond trial projects.

"AI only delivers value when it's built on the right architecture and platforms," Hoy said.

"Developing the core capabilities that allow AI to scale responsibly is essential. That includes putting the right guardrails in place around security, cost and reliability," he said.

Dan Cox, Chief Technology Officer, said AI should be viewed as part of a broader technology environment rather than as a separate layer.

"AI doesn't exist in isolation," Cox said.

"Its effectiveness depends on the strength of the environments it runs in, the quality and governance of the data behind it, and the security and resilience that underpin it. What we are building at Interactive brings these elements together so customers can adopt AI with confidence, knowing it is supported by the right foundations and designed to work in real enterprise conditions," he said.

Interactive, founded in 1988, serves more than 2,000 customers and provides managed and professional services across cloud, cyber security, data centres, business continuity, network services, systems maintenance, serviced office and digital workplace.

The company says its AI work has been built through direct implementation rather than theory, with an emphasis on understanding organisational change as well as technical and risk issues.

Thiele put that view more bluntly.

"AI isn't something you can just roll out and expect results," he said.

"AI adoption must be intentional. The organisation must be brought on the AI journey as the technology fundamentally changes ways of working. Beyond the people change, if you don't understand your data, your architecture or your cost and risk exposure, AI quickly becomes unmanageable. We've focused on building those foundations first and learning through real implementation, not theory. That's the difference between talking about AI and actually making it work, and that experience is what our customers value," Thiele said.