Welcome to The Inner Game of Change, the podcast that explores the evolving landscape of change management, leadership, and transformation.

Today, I am chatting with Ian Heard Director of Public Sector Modern Work at Microsoft ANZ — a leader who is right at the heart of how AI is reshaping the way we work. 

In this episode, we talk about the real story behind GenAI Copilot, what change looks like inside Microsoft, and why the role of a change manager might just be turning into a “Chief Excitement Officer.” From navigating resistance (yes, even inside Microsoft) to embracing agentic workflows, this episode offers a grounded look at how leadership and curiosity go hand in hand in today’s fast-moving world.

We also dig into what makes AI adoption truly work — the mindset, the momentum, and the magic that happens when teams stop asking if it works and start exploring how it can help. This one’s real, practical, and full of good humour, forward-looking ideas, and insights for anyone navigating what’s next.

I am grateful to have Ian chatting with me today. 

About

As Director for Microsoft's Public Sector Modern Works business in ANZ I lead an all-star team, helping our customers across Government, Health and Education to re-imagine productivity through Cloud and AI solutions such as Microsoft 365 Copilot, Microsoft 365 and Windows 365. This role builds on a career at Microsoft where I have been fortunate to be part of major market transitions in Enterprise Productivity solutions across ANZ and Asia with solutions such as Microsoft Team, Windows 365, Microsoft 365 and the development of Microsoft Security. 

As a leader I am passionate about fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation. I prioritize empowering my team to stay ahead of industry trends, whilst being customer obsessed and centre my approach on challenging them to both exceed their potential and their customer's expectations. 

Prior to Microsoft, I cultivated a career with diverse experiences as a leader in multiple geographies and role types in organisations from start-ups and scale-ups through to multi-nationals. 

Complementing my corporate career, I have a passion for social impact and seek to be active in the NFP space, as seen as my tenure leading Microsoft's ANZ Give initiative and tenure at Ovarian Cancer Australia as a Board Observer. 

I am always eager to connect with like-minded professionals and explore opportunities for collaboration and growth. Let's connect and discuss how we can drive innovation and success together.

Contact

linkedin.com/in/ianheard

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Ali Juma
@The Inner Game of Change podcast

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