how Aussie hub is unlocking AI advances for APAC

“Over eight years, we built a team of about 150, delivering projects for national brands,” he says. “Newcastle’s regional presence, with its mining sector, insurance firms, and one of the largest regional banks, created the right environment to grow our business.”

That business – along with its expanding team of professionals – has grown in lockstep with the increasing importance of the digital economy to Australia’s regions.

Now leading Endava’s 1000-strong Asia-Pacific team, Doolan emphasises the combined company’s unique strengths: “We have a high ratio of product consultants – specialists in UX, UI and upfront ideation – which complements Endava’s strong engineering foundation.”

This synergy is especially valuable in regional areas like Newcastle, where industries are deeply embedded in the local ecosystem.

“The region has industry-specific expertise in areas like banking, mining and insurance,” Doolan says. “By tapping into local talent – people who have worked directly in these sectors – we bring deep contextual knowledge to transformation projects.

“This expertise is essential as we help our customer become AI-first organisations. Regional talent understands the operational realities of these industries – whether it’s mining sites or local banks – and how AI can be integrated effectively. This specificity allows us to expedite solutions and ensure they’re grounded in real-world industry needs.”

Additionally, regions like Newcastle host large multinational HQs and corporations that, while they may not be based in major capital cities, still have significant influence.

Regional ecosystems, too, foster a different mindset.

“There’s a focus on long-term impact and sustainability, which aligns well with our values. The combination of industry expertise and a regional approach creates solutions that are both innovative and grounded in real-world applications,” says Doolan.

“These organisations require tailored strategies for becoming AI-native, which are better supported by regional expertise.”

The foundational technology that underpins these organisations’ operations, typically responsible for handling the essential processes and data that actually make the company run, is known as the core system.

Rationalising this, Doolan says, remains one of the key challenges in AI adoption.

“Many large organisations have decades-old technology stacks that are interconnected but not optimised for AI,” he says.

“Modernising these systems isn’t just a behind-the-scenes upgrade – it’s essential for unlocking the value of AI. Without modernisation, AI tools can’t effectively access the data trapped in legacy systems.”

In APAC, he says, companies are taking a cautious approach, waiting to see what competitors will do before committing to any large-scale overhaul of core systems.

“However, forward-thinking businesses are prioritising core system modernisation now to be ready for AI advancements when the time comes. That’s where we excel: helping organisations modernise their foundations to adopt emerging technologies confidently.”

He says their approach is to focus on creating the connections and readiness necessary for AI adoption, investing in accelerators and AI-focused technologies to modernise core systems efficiently.

“Our customer-centric approach also plays a key role. We ensure the technology aligns with the end-user experience,” Doolan says, adding that their bespoke solutions are often designed to resolve a highly specific set of problems.

“For example, in industries like banking or pharmaceuticals, AI can drastically expedite fraud detection or streamline clinical trials, but only if the underlying systems are robust enough to handle these advanced capabilities.”

So what does the future hold as organisations, both regional and global, integrate these emerging technologies?

“The future is incredibly exciting. Emerging technologies like AI and quantum computing will provide unprecedented access to data, enabling customer experiences we’ve only dreamed of,” Doolan says.

“When organisations are empowered to become AI-native, putting technology first, they’ll have the tools to automate processes, reduce inefficiencies, and surface insights in ways that weren’t possible before,” he adds.

“For example, in fraud detection, we’ve worked with banks to reduce analysis times from minutes to seconds. In pharmaceuticals, AI is expediting clinical trial processes, allowing companies to bring treatments to market faster.

“These advancements are just the beginning.”

To find out more, please visit Endava.