Grant Holland, Infrastructure Advisor at Waugh, reflects on his experiences and key takeaways from the Āpōpō Congress 2026—AI in the asset management industry, the value of accountability and community, and his unexpected award.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) — Friend or foe?
This year’s Āpōpō convention had me thinking more about how I interact with AI more than I expected.
While I’ve used computers throughout my career, the rapid changes and uptake of AI are something different.
As Jan Stoker’s avatar introduced him (including matching gestures and capable te reo), I could see convincing this new world was. At the same time, our New Zealand government announced significant job cuts to the public sector as it wrestled with what changes AI would bring. Alongside this is the trickery around scams and fake news.
Jan’s comments were right on the money for me. “AI has no authority and no accountability.” Like anything in your toolbox, you need to be able to select the right tool and use it appropriately. You also need to have confidence in knowing the job is done right.
In our complex asset management world, we need to keep our hands on the controls and keep our eyes on where we are going, and monitor that we are heading in the right direction. As Jan also said, we are talking about “Co-pilot, not auto pilot.”
What are your thoughts on AI in the Asset Management space?
The value of accountability, community, and shared learning
The 2026 Āpōpō Congress brought together so many wonderful speakers and opportunities to share ideas.
There was a limit on how many you could attend, through – especially with six concurrent streams at times!
But a couple of strong themes came through for me, illustrating the maturation of our profession.
- Comprehensive and connected asset management is hard!
- People are at the centre of Asset Management.
While we have amazing systems, processes, and abilities, people make the decisions that matter for the communities we serve.
As infrastructure custodians, we need to understand what end-to-end accountability looks like.
As Craig West (Tai nui) said, “We need to commit to the purpose.”
Kali Mercer (Mahi a Rongo | The Helen Clark Foundation) reminded us of the alternative “collective negligence.”
Āpōpō reminded us of the benefits of coming together to learn, not only from our colleagues and compatriots but also from a wide range of sectors and across the world.
No matter who you kōrero with, the challenges are frequently the same, and even if the solutions aren’t forthcoming, it’s reassuring to know you are not on your own.
Nga mihi nui Āpōpō!
Thank you, 2026 Āpōpō!
An unexpected honour and heartfelt appreciation
I enjoy being part of good things. Āpōpō and the RIMS Forum, in particular, are among these, and last year was my tenth year working with a great committee and sharing time with such enthusiastic and capable participants at the forum.
Love is given, love is received.
