Pro Partner - ICT Project Management

Two months out from our biggest trade show of the year, this rally car’s engine exploded.

Full catastrophic failure. Not ideal when you’ve promised customer ride‑along experiences as part of your delivery journey.

So we did what we also do in ICT projects: we surrounded the problem with people and know-how and got to work.

The engine was removed and disassembled. Specalist parts were sourced and then rebuilt. Every spare pair of hands was on deck to get back on track.

Somewhat ironically, we are in the middle of doing this for a customer’s major ERP system project — we reset, replan, clear blockers, rebuild components, and refuse to let a setback dictate the outcome.

Last Friday the car was finally back together, so we went straight into test mode. Safe to say I was quite anxious! Every clunk sounded like the next failure. My heart was feeling very heavy with the pressure.

Our test day was part of a real competition and I started slow, +20 seconds off the leader. For Stage 2 we made tweaks to the car setup, and I consciously decided to tune into my codriver instead of the noises — +7s off the leader. In stage 3 we’d settled in, added softer tyres and fully trusted the rebuild — +2s off the leader, with one more stage to go…

A full confidence drive and we finished +0.01s behind the leader!

Not quite a win, but a seriously satisfying second place. No scratches and no failures. Two big months of relentless effort payed off!

ICT Projects can be like this. You will have serbacks. You replan, grind and rebuild, you test, you adjust, and eventually you get back on pace (or better).

Come see the car at the New Zealand CIO Innovation Summit & Awards — and throw your name in the draw to jump in the codriver’s seat with me in Auckland on 6 August. It’s one thing to read this story… it’s another to experience this commitment to delivering successful projects at full noise!

Already got your CIO Innovation Summit ticket? Then don't miss your chance to take the experience up a gear.

🏁 Enter the Pro Partner Rally Ride Draw and experience what delivery at pace feels like https://www.propartner.co.nz/cio-summit

Interested in a Rally Ride Day but not sure what you are in for? Check out our testimonial CIO from Pip who was a part of one of our client days last year.

Pip shares how Pro Partner helped identify and evaluate strategic options, make decisions with confidence and stay focused on delivering results, even when the gravel is flying!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P18cmiHY-xQ

As we prepare for the event, we want to take a moment to thank our amazing clients who will be attending and supporting us at the CIO Innovation Summit in August.

It's always a privilege to partner with organisations that share our passion for innovation, collaboration, and driving meaningful outcomes through technology. We're looking forward to catching up with familiar faces, making new connections, and having meaningful conversations about the opportunities and challenges shaping our industry.

To our clients, thank you for your continued trust and support. Your partnership is what makes milestones like our first year as a CIO Summit sponsor possible.

See you at the CIO Summit!
https://wix.to/MpyI9x5

The countdown is on for the New Zealand CIO Innovation Summit & Awards 2026

As a gold sponsor, Pro Partner is excited to be part of this year’s summit in Auckland. It will be two days packed with insight, connection, and innovation across New Zealand’s tech leadership community.

Here’s where you’ll find us across the event

Day 1 & 2 (4–5 August)
Come and visit the Pro Partner team at our booth. Share what projects you have on at the moment and walk away with practical guidance.

Day 2 (5 August)
Don’t miss Christopher Gracie on the Tech Talk Stage presenting on Delivering projects at pace without losing control

Day 3 (6 August)
Join us for the Pro Partner Rally Car Experience, a high-energy way to wrap up our first CIO Summit. Entries open now, sign up here www.propartner.co.nz/cio-summit

If you’re attending, make sure to lock this into your schedule.

We’re looking forward to seeing you there!

Pro Partner is proud to be a gold sponsor of this year’s New Zealand CIO Innovation Summit in Auckland, bringing together leading technology and business leaders from across New Zealand.

On Day 2 (5 August), Christopher Gracie, Managing Director will be presenting on the Tech Talk Stage, sharing practical insights on Delivering projects at pace without losing control.

In today’s fast-moving environment, organisations are under pressure to deliver projects quickly but speed without structure can lead to risk. Chris’s presentation will explore how to get the right balance between pace, governance, and quality, with strategies to help teams deliver their ambitious projects with confidence.

If you’re attending, make sure to add this session to your agenda
www.ciosummit.co.nz

Learn more about what we do at Pro Partner:
www.propartner.co.nz

Talk strategy with New Zealand’s leading CIOs - then experience what delivery at pace really feels like!

New Zealand CIO Innovation Summit & Awards
📍 4–5 August | NZICC, Auckland
🎯 570+ senior tech leaders
🎤 Global speakers with real-world insight

Be part of conversations shaping how leading organisations deliver:
- Alignment across exec, vendor, and delivery teams
- Project structure that keeps delivery under control
- Pace without sacrificing quality outcomes

Then on 6 August, take it a step further and experience delivery at pace firsthand, with us.

Visit the Pro Partner booth during the Summit and go in the draw for a raw, unfiltered racing experience. Or if you can't wait 👉 enter here:
https://www.propartner.co.nz/cio-summit

High-impact delivery requires more than a plan on a page.
It demands speed, precision, and control.

Need help choosing the right system or vendor? Here's a clear framework for evidence-based vendor evaluation. From defining requirements to running meaningful demos and assessing cultural fit, read the full article to make more confident, lower-risk choices: https://wix.to/OTZ9YIG

How to choose the right system and vendor for your business Finding the right business system and vendor can make or break your organisation’s efficiency and growth. With so many options available, it’s easy to get lost in demos, feature lists, personalities, and reputations. The challenge is stepping back and making a clear, confident decision based on ...

Finishing an awesome week in Auckland; meeting suppliers, connecting with clients, and documenting requirements for distributors who are chasing a real competitive edge from their ICT systems.