Are NZ leaders underrated? with Paul Meyrick and Stuart Collins
Sun Feb 01 2026
Sometimes it feels like senior leadership in New Zealand tech isn’t recognised at the level it should be , especially when big roles come up, and decision-makers look offshore for “proven experience”.
In this episode, Jakub is joined by Paul Meyrick and Stuart Collins from Wires Uncrossed to unpack what’s really going on. Drawing on leadership experience across Silverstripe, MetService, BNZ, and Xero, they explore the hidden step-change from being an excellent engineer to becoming a system leader — shifting from “building solutions” to “designing the conditions where solutions can happen repeatedly”.
They talk about why success feels harder to claim in leadership, how humility can turn into invisibility, and why the right language matters when you’re asking for investment or influencing boards and exec teams. They also share practical signals that you’re ready for the next step, how to make imposter syndrome work for you (without letting it crush you), and why community and mentorship are critical — because leadership can be lonely.
In this episode we cover:
Why NZ tech leadership can be under-recognised (and what to do about it)
The shift from technical leader to system leader
Visibility vs humility: claiming impact without ego
How to build the language to influence senior stakeholders
Signals you’re ready for the next step in leadership
Community, mentorship, and frameworks that help when leadership feels lonely
This episode is sponsored by Wires Uncrossed.
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Sometimes it feels like senior leadership in New Zealand tech isn’t recognised at the level it should be , especially when big roles come up, and decision-makers look offshore for “proven experience”. In this episode, Jakub is joined by Paul Meyrick and Stuart Collins from Wires Uncrossed to unpack what’s really going on. Drawing on leadership experience across Silverstripe, MetService, BNZ, and Xero, they explore the hidden step-change from being an excellent engineer to becoming a system leader — shifting from “building solutions” to “designing the conditions where solutions can happen repeatedly”. They talk about why success feels harder to claim in leadership, how humility can turn into invisibility, and why the right language matters when you’re asking for investment or influencing boards and exec teams. They also share practical signals that you’re ready for the next step, how to make imposter syndrome work for you (without letting it crush you), and why community and mentorship are critical — because leadership can be lonely. In this episode we cover: Why NZ tech leadership can be under-recognised (and what to do about it) The shift from technical leader to system leader Visibility vs humility: claiming impact without ego How to build the language to influence senior stakeholders Signals you’re ready for the next step in leadership Community, mentorship, and frameworks that help when leadership feels lonely This episode is sponsored by Wires Uncrossed.