Things. Reasons: The independent show for Australian IT leaders (AI, Tech & IT Leadership)

Things. Reasons. is an independent podcast. The views expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not represent any company or organisation.

Content is for general information and entertainment only and should not be taken as professional, legal, or financial advice. While care is taken, no guarantee is made as to accuracy. Any references to people or organisations reflect personal opinions only and are not intended to harm reputation or imply wrongdoing.

Follow Naran McClung on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naranmcclung/

Follow Jono Staff on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanstaff/

Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/0YbxPo0LFFc

And don't forget to subscribe and rate the show! We love hearing your thoughts and answering questions. For all enquiries, contact [email protected]

What happens when the world's fastest-growing technology meets one of Australia's biggest natural advantages — renewable energy?

In this episode, Andrew Sjoquist — Australian tech founder and CEO of WinDC — joins us to unpack the explosive energy demands of AI, why traditional data centers can't keep up, and the bold idea he believes could reshape the industry.

Andrew breaks down:

• How portable, renewable-powered AI data centers actually work — and why they could transform access to compute.

• The limitations of today's hyperscale data centers and why proximity to energy matters more than ever.

• What this shift means for regional Australia — jobs, infrastructure, and new innovation hubs.

• Why understanding the power supply chain is becoming a core skill for tech leaders.

• The role of government, regulation, and long-term policy in enabling (or blocking) AI growth.

A sharp, practical conversation about energy, innovation, and the global race to build the infrastructure AI will need next.

Show Notes:Things. Reasons. is an independent podcast. The views expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not represent any company or organisation.

Content is for general information and entertainment only and should not be taken as professional, legal, or financial advice. While care is taken, no guarantee is made as to accuracy. Any references to people or organisations reflect personal opinions only and are not intended to harm reputation or imply wrongdoing.

And don't forget to subscribe and rate the show! We love hearing your thoughts and answering questions. For all enquiries, contact [email protected]

Why would someone leave Microsoft — twice — and still come back for a third round?

Gustavo Fuchs has done exactly that. Now leading Channel Sales across Asia, he's seen the company evolve from the inside out — from old-school enterprise to AI-era operator.

In this episode, Gustavo joins Naran and Jono to unpack:

• What's really changed inside Microsoft — culture, speed, and decision-making in the AI era.

• Why so many AI projects stall at proof-of-concept stage — and how to break through it.

• How leaders should approach their first 90 days differently — what to do before you make any big calls.

• The rise of the intrapreneur — building, learning, and influencing fast inside complex organisations.

• Why some people just can't stay away from big tech — and what that says about the culture at Microsoft.

A grounded conversation about leadership, culture, and staying relevant when the pace of change never slows down.

Show Notes

Things. Reasons. is an independent podcast. The views expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not represent any company or organisation.

Content is for general information and entertainment only and should not be taken as professional, legal, or financial advice. While care is taken, no guarantee is made as to accuracy. Any references to people or organisations reflect personal opinions only and are not intended to harm reputation or imply wrongdoing.

Follow Naran McClung on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naranmcclung/

Follow Jono Staff on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanstaff/

And don't forget to subscribe and rate the show! We love hearing your thoughts and answering questions. For all enquiries, contact [email protected]

We finally tempted Matt Boon to 'rant cast', and it didn't disappoint.

Matt's been shaping how Australian IT leaders think for decades. He's the person the industry turns to when it needs perspective.

Together with Jono and Naran, the conversation hits the uncomfortable stuff: the tech layoffs dressed up as "AI efficiency," AWS's 30,000 cuts, and why announcing record profits straight after firing people is a leadership fail. They dig into cloud overspend, digital transformation fatigue, and the reality that most "modernisation programs" never actually end.

Matt throws out ROI in favour of ROV — Return on Value. Jono questions why boards never carry the cost of technical debt, and Naran presses on what real accountability should look like.

It's direct, a bit uncomfortable, and exactly the kind of conversation our sector needs more of.

Show Notes

Things. Reasons. is an independent podcast. The views expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not represent any company or organisation.

Content is for general information and entertainment only and should not be taken as professional, legal, or financial advice. While care is taken, no guarantee is made as to accuracy. Any references to people or organisations reflect personal opinions only and are not intended to harm reputation or imply wrongdoing.

Follow Naran McClung on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naranmcclung/

Follow Jono Staff on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanstaff/

And don't forget to subscribe and rate the show! We love hearing your thoughts and answering questions. For all enquiries, contact [email protected]

Show Notes:

Things. Reasons. is an independent podcast. The views expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not represent any company or organisation.

Content is for general information and entertainment only and should not be taken as professional, legal, or financial advice. While care is taken, no guarantee is made as to accuracy. Any references to people or organisations reflect personal opinions only and are not intended to harm reputation or imply wrongdoing.

Follow Naran McClung on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naranmcclung/

Follow Jono Staff on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanstaff/

And don't forget to subscribe and rate the show! We love hearing your thoughts and answering questions. For all enquiries, contact [email protected]

Episode Summary:

In this episode of Things. Reasons., Jono Staff and Naran McClung fire up a new segment — What Grinds Our Gears.

From the government's half-billion-dollar AWS bill and the question of who's really keeping watch on cloud spend, to CommBank's public AI fail that saw staff replaced by their own automation, Jono and Naran get into the uncomfortable questions others won't ask.

They also look at the hype cycle around generative AI — from pilot fatigue to talk of an "AI bubble" — and what it means for Australian IT leaders trying to balance cost, risk and reputation.

It's independent commentary on the decisions shaping tech in Australia — and why sometimes the "easy" choice isn't the right one.

Show Notes:Follow Naran McClung on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naranmcclung/

Follow Jono Staff on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanstaff/

Check the episode out on Youtube here: https://youtu.be/hGQIVi84Tmk

And don't forget to subscribe and rate the show! We love hearing your thoughts and answering questions. For all enquiries, contact [email protected]

Episode Summary: In this episode of Things. Reasons., Naran McClung and Jono Staff sit down with James Henderson, Editorial Director at Moxie Insights — the media insider who's spent his career turning complex tech and business shifts into stories that leaders actually pay attention to. They get into:

• Thought leadership fatigue — why the term's lost meaning, and how authenticity became the real differentiator.
• B2B media myths — how the sausage is really made, why "copy-and-paste content" still dominates, and what it'll take for the industry to evolve.
• The authenticity gap — why most corporate content still sounds fake, and how leaders can tell better stories without a personal brand coach.

From "find your fusion" to fanzines and fake job titles, James pulls back the curtain on media, messaging, and the art of saying something worth hearing.

Show Notes:

Follow Naran McClung on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/naranmcclung/

Follow Jono Staff on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanstaff/

Check the episode out on Youtube here: https://youtu.be/e8kexzZSAl8

And don't forget to subscribe and rate the show! We love hearing your thoughts and answering questions. For all enquiries, contact [email protected]

Episode Summary:

In this episode of Things. Reasons., Naran McClung and Jono Staff sit down with our inaugural guest — the indomitable Simon Reiter, CTO at CareSuper — an experienced technology leader shaping the future of superannuation.

Adapt CIO Edge: AI dominates the agenda, but only 2% of organisations have moved past proof-of-concept.

Superannuation's next chapter: consolidation, digitisation, and automation reshaping a $4.1 trillion industry.

Leadership realities: from compliance to stress management — what it actually takes to deliver for members.

Plus, Simon takes on the Quickfire Three: the advice he'd give his younger self, a belief he's abandoned, and how he spots a true partner.

In the launch episode of Things Reasons, Naran McClung and Jono Staff dive into the forces reshaping Australian IT leadership, from AI disruption to shifting enterprise strategy.

They explore how major players like Telstra are refocusing on core connectivity, what the rise of AI means for traditional consultancies, and how deals like CyberCX signal deeper changes across cybersecurity and the broader Australian tech landscape.

In this episode, we unpack:

• Why Telstra's strategic reset could redefine its position in Australian IT
• How AI is challenging traditional MSP and consulting business models
• What's really behind the CyberCX acquisition — capability, brand, or talent
• The impact of AI on talent pipelines, early careers, and the future of CIOs

Plus, Jono takes on the Quickfire Three — sharing leadership lessons, myths he's left behind, and how to identify true strategic partners in a rapidly changing tech environment.

👉 Tune in for candid, unfiltered perspectives on AI, enterprise technology, and the decisions shaping Australia's IT leaders.

Show Resources:

Follow Jono Staff on LinkedIn

Follow Naran McClung on LinkedIn

Cloud Reset's YouTube Channel

Contact us at [email protected] with any questions, suggestions, or corrections.

And don't forget to rate/review!

Episode Summary:

In this episode of Cloud Reset, we sit down with Cliff Ashford, Senior Director at Monash University, to dive into what it really takes to make a university data- and AI-ready. Cliff shares hard-earned lessons from leading a full-scale digital transformation—from overhauling Monash's 25-year-old student management system to building a cloud-native data lakehouse with Databricks.

We cover:

• Why real AI success starts with governance—years in advance

• The shift from legacy platforms to agentic models and LLMs

• Building an institution-wide data model that's both secure and open

• Democratising access to data across all departments, not just IT

• Why HR and education teams were the fastest adopters of generative AI

• Monash's vision for peer-level AI assistants that enhance—not replace—staff

• How AI will reshape student experiences through simulated scenarios and real-time models

Cliff also shares how Monash built safe-by-design infrastructure that enables innovation without compromising on data ethics or control. His favourite project? A fully governed, infinitely scalable data lakehouse that opens AI capabilities to the whole university.

🎧 Tune in now to hear how one of Australia's leading institutions is turning data into their biggest strategic asset.

Show Resources:

Follow Jono Staff on LinkedIn

Follow Naran McClung on LinkedIn

Cloud Reset's YouTube Channel

Contact us at [email protected] with any questions, suggestions, or corrections.

And don't forget to rate/review!

Episode Summary:

Live from Day 3 of the THETA Conference in Perth, we're joined by Kathleen Mackay, CIO at the University of Tasmania and former Australian CIO of the Year. With two decades of digital leadership experience, Kathleen brings powerful insights into how AI is reshaping the higher education sector - from research to student learning to cybersecurity.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why AI should augment - not replace - humans in education

• The difference between using AI in university operations vs teaching and research

• Preparing students for future roles where AI is embedded in professions like healthcare, law, and engineering

• The potential for AI agents and digital twins to support both students and academic staff

• How UTAS is innovating with cyber escape rooms to make cybersecurity training engaging and memorable

• The need for new commercial models where universities can monetise their research data to train AI models responsibly

Kathleen also shares her thoughts on funding challenges, the role of human mentorship in education, and why free donuts are the ultimate phishing scam.

🎧 Tune in to hear how one of Australia's most forward-thinking university leaders is balancing innovation, responsibility, and humanity in the age of AI.