Exclusive: Logicalis Australia highlights CIOs stance on AI

In an exclusive interview, Anthony Woodward, CEO of Logicalis Australia, provided comprehensive insights into the company's strategies and vision in an engaging interview, illustrating Logicalis's pivotal role in the IT services sector both in Australia and globally. As a subsidiary of the global IT services provider, Logicalis Australia champions innovation, cybersecurity, and digital transformation, powered by a dedicated team of 300 employees across Australia and Malaysia.

Woodward describes Logicalis as "a global IT service provider with a blend of systems integration and managed services," emphasising the company's strength in managed services, particularly for government and mid-market sectors. This robust foundation supports Logicalis's ambition to be recognised for its managed services capabilities, leveraging "globally developed solutions" to drive innovation in the Australian market.

A key area of focus for Logicalis is cybersecurity, and the introduction of the 'Secure on Mesh' service is a testament to the company's commitment to advancing IT security. Woodward explains, "We are pulling together a lot of our existing cybersecurity pieces... culminating in a managed cybersecurity service called Secure on Mesh." This initiative reflects Logicalis's proactive approach to addressing complex cybersecurity challenges.

The implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in managed services is another cornerstone of Logicalis's strategy. Woodward shares that the company has utilised AI ops "for quite a while," pioneering its application in Australia to enhance operational efficiency and reduce incident noise. He highlights the importance of AI in enabling the managed services team to "focus on high-value tasks," showcasing Logicalis's innovative use of technology to improve service delivery.

Woodward's insights from the latest CIO Report underscore a significant trend towards AI adoption in Australia, with "91% of CIOs building or have built a specialised business unit to experiment with AI, which is about 7%, higher than the global average, across our CIO Report cohort." This finding suggests a shift in the Australian market towards embracing AI, challenging the notion that Australia has been a laggard in AI adoption.

The conversation also delved into the critical issue of cybersecurity, with Woodward revealing that "91% of CIOs reported that they had suffered some kind of cyber attack over the 12 months prior." This staggering statistic highlights the ever-present threat of cyber attacks and the need for resilience and effective recovery strategies.

Sustainability is a key priority for Logicalis, with Woodward detailing the company's efforts to address environmental responsibility. He proudly states through the partnership with Cisco, "We were awarded the managed networking global partner of the year for the second time running," underscoring Logicalis's leadership in sustainable IT solutions.

Looking to the future, Woodward envisions Logicalis as a thought leader and trusted partner for CIOs, fostering communities for collaboration and innovation. He asserts, "We're increasingly seeing the need for CIOs to be able to have a true partner... and we're actually doing a lot of work in this area."

Under Woodward's leadership, Logicalis Australia is at the forefront of IT service innovation, combining cutting-edge technology, a commitment to cybersecurity and sustainability, and a vision for fostering collaborative communities. This approach positions Logicalis to drive impactful digital transformation in Australia and beyond, shaping the future of IT services with expertise and dedication.