GOVIS Events - 2026
From Compliance to Competitive Advantage: Building a Business Case for Cyber Security
Fri, 7th Aug 2026, 12-1:15pm, G.01, Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment, 15 Stout Street Wellington 6011 - and online
Most organisations treat cyber security compliance as something that happens to them. This session makes the case that it doesn't have to be that way.
Chris Hawksworth, co-director of CyberTeam Ltd and founder of Speculo, draws on hands-on consulting and product experience across New Zealand's public sector to show how the Minimum Cyber Security Standard (MCSS) and the shift to continuous assurance can become a real strategic opportunity, not just a compliance obligation to satisfy.
The organisations getting ahead right now are the ones using risk data to drive decisions before requirements land on their desk. This session will show you how.
What you'll learn:
The landscape: what the Minimum Cyber Security Standard (MCSS) and continuous assurance actually require, and what's coming next for New Zealand government agencies.
Data-driven compliance: how structured risk data, collected through good assurance practice, gives leadership a clear, defensible picture of where the organisation stands and where investment is needed.
Getting in front of change: how CyberTeam and Speculo help organisations move from reactive compliance to proactive risk management, turning upcoming requirements into a business case rather than a scramble.
The value story: framing cyber security outcomes in terms that land with senior leaders, reduced risk exposure, better use of security budgets, and a demonstrable contribution to public safety and trust.
This session gives you the language, the data, and the practical steps to make that case inside your own organisation.
Speaker bio:
Chris Hawksworth is a cyber security entrepreneur and risk management specialist with over a decade of experience across New Zealand's public sector and enterprise markets. As co-director of CyberTeam Ltd, he leads consulting engagements helping government agencies navigate complex compliance obligations and build genuine security capability. As founder and CEO of Speculo, he is building a New Zealand-owned cyber risk platform that turns assurance workflows and risk data into clear, actionable insights for leadership teams. Chris is also a co-founder of CyberTechNZ, where he works to strengthen the country's security sector at an industry level. With deep experience across the MCSS, NZISM, and CIS Controls v8, he brings a practitioner's perspective to one of the public sector's most pressing challenges: getting real value out of minimum cyber security requirements.
Spaces are limited & priority given to members. Register here.
Copilot and Agents: Practical application of Copilot Agents on SharePoint
Fri, 15th May 2026, 12:30-1:30pm, G.03, Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment, 15 Stout Street Wellington 6011 - and online
The presentation recording and slides are available below
Following on from the 'Getting from 101 to 301' session in February, Jonathan Stuckey (bio below) returned to introduce AI agents with SharePoint and M365; the differences between agent types in SharePoint; some real-world agent scenarios, and tips for establishing consistency with agents.
What we learned:
The essentials: agents in SharePoint - what they are used for and how they differ (SharePoint agents v Agent Builder v Copilot Studio agents).
Real use cases and demos: Policy advisor, Customer support, Executive reviewer...
Guidance: Practical guidance for getting the right tone, style and consistency from your agent.
AI capability follows a 'jagged frontier' where the tools are great at some things, but not so great at others. Use the tips in this session to sit down and have a go at setting up some agents - it will be a voyage of discovery along the jagged frontier as it relates to your role. Where are agents useful to you and your team, and where are they a hindrance?
Note: this session is most useful for people who have (at least) a Microsoft 365 Copilot license and have already (at least) tried using it.
After the event: This was a really comprehensive overview of the different ways that regular folks with a Copilot license can go about building an agent, some tips on how to get the best possible results from an agent, and of course some great examples and demos to see it all put together. If your agency has given you a Copilot license, then this should be mandatory viewing!
Remember, it is about exploring ways this tool can support or enhance some relatively simple and often-repeated part of your role. The IT team can't set your agents up for you, rather it is something that individuals need to think about and figure out for themselves. While useful, there's certainly nothing in here that will be directly replacing real-life public servants (that just felt like it needed saying, for some reason).
Getting from 101 to 301 with Copilot and Agents - Practical Steps for Microsoft 365 Success
Mon, 9th Feb 2026, 12-1pm, G.03, Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment, 15 Stout Street Wellington 6011 - and online
The presentation recording and slides are available below
This was a 60-minute lunch-n-learn designed for organisations eager to accelerate their journey from foundational (101) to advanced (301) proficiency with Microsoft Copilot and AI Agents. Jonathan Stuckey simplified Copilot’s core capabilities, showcased real-world agent scenarios, and provided actionable tips for integrating Copilot into everyday workflows.
A key take-out from Jonathan was that Copilot is not a product, it is a brand. Over one hundred Microsoft tools have been 'Copilot-ised' and many public servants now have permission to use them and the requisite licenses... so let's keep watching where this goes!
We ran out of time to fully explore the agent scenarios, but will hopefully return to this in a future session.
Speaker bio:
Jonathan Stuckey is a business consultant and digital transformation leader specialising in Microsoft 365, SharePoint, and enterprise collaboration solutions. With extensive experience supporting public sector organisations and business communities across New Zealand, Jonathan is recognised for orchestrating the design, governance, and deployment of modern workplace platforms. Jonathan’s expertise spans intranet publishing, document management, workflow automation, and compliance with New Zealand’s information management standards. As a trusted advisor, Jonathan delivers actionable insights and practical strategies that empower teams to leverage Microsoft 365, Copilot, and AI-driven agents for measurable business outcomes.