Spring has brought fresh beginnings for IoT Alliance New Zealand, and we’re thrilled to introduce the newly elected members of our Executive Council. Each of these industry leaders brings unique expertise and passion to the table, ready to drive the next wave of innovation and collaboration in Aotearoa’s IoT community.
Jenna Whitman, Callaghan Innovation
Jenna holds a Master’s of Strategic Studies from Victoria University, a Diploma of Intelligence Analysis from the Royal New Zealand Police College, and is a qualified investigator. As a long-term public servant, Jenna believes the public sector plays a critical role in IoT—driving innovation, administering services to the public, and growing local economies are part of the vital relationship between IoT, industry, and public service.
In addition to her role as the Chief Information Security Officer for Callaghan Innovation, Jenna is an elected board member for Consumer NZ, the Chair of the Crown Research Institute Security Group (CRISG) and was formerly the Deputy Chair of the Government Information Security Forum (GISF), comprised of nearly 300 InfoSec professionals in NZ Gov. Jenna has a passion for digital integrity, online safety and accessible IoT which is strongly aligned with the Council’s values and mission.
Edwin Lim, HGM Legal
Edwin is a partner at Hudson Gavin Martin, NZ’s leading technology, media, and intellectual property law firm. His main areas of practice include technology and IP development, commercialisation, protection, and procurement. Edwin works with a diverse range of clients across multiple industries, including vendors and customers offering IoT and related “as-a-service” solutions.
With nearly 25 years of experience, Edwin brings both undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Information Systems design and development, combining legal and technical expertise to offer comprehensive advice. He also manages the technology, networking, and security infrastructure at HGM so has hands-on experience.
Edwin is on the executive of the Law Association Technology Law Committee and the NZ Middle East Business Council, has served on other technology-related boards, and is a judge for the NZ Hi-Tech Awards.
Edwin describes himself as a “strategic thinker with a results-oriented mindset”and promotes diversity of thought, leadership and good governance. Outside of work and family life, Edwin has managed to automate his home with over 50 IoT devices using the Home Assistant platform.
Steven Dirven, Shape Technology
Steven is an active participant in the IOT community with a track record that is both long and strong. Having been involved in telemetry via terrestrial and satellite networks for applications ranging from mass-market residential water metering through to critical services like aircraft tracking, he left his fingerprints in many industries enabled by IoT.
Having built and sold an integrated IoT solutions small business that solved some of the big problems of our time: water, conservation, transportation, safety, and emergency response, Steven can draw on this experience as part of the IoT Alliance Executive Council.
Steven believes strongly in the value and impact of passing on knowledge, “I wish to connect with, and empower, others that are similarly ambitious about creating a better future at the intersection between technology, connectivity, and data.”
We’re thrilled to welcome such an accomplished and diverse group of leaders to join our Executive Council. Together, with their expertise, we’re confident that the IoT Alliance will continue to lead the way in innovation and collaboration in Aotearoa.
