At Avec, we don’t just talk about transformation:  we build it, embed it and help clients run it with confidence. In our Spotlight On series, we profile the leaders shaping practical digital change across Australia and New Zealand.

This month, we sat down with John Valastro, Director of Digital Innovation & Growth, to talk about turning innovation into outcomes that actually stick.

Turning ideas into sustainable outcomes

John is a transformation leader with more than two decades of experience across consulting, enterprise and government, spanning operations, advisory, policy and large-scale delivery. But the thread that’s always been there is simple.

“When I reflect on it, what motivates me the most is bringing good ideas to life and turning them into outcomes that last”

His sweet spot sits at the intersection of data modernisation, intelligent automation and governed AI, helping organisations take emerging capability and make it real, supportable and safe.

“I’ve led complex programs where decisions are high-stakes, risk is real and delivery has to be disciplined to get the right results.”

That outcomes-first mindset is what drew him to Avec.

“The model is practical. Strong delivery, real access to talent and a focus on building long-term capability for clients, not just one-off projects.”'

Leading Digital Innovation at Avec

Today, John leads Avec’s Digital Innovation & Growth portfolio, bringing together data, AI, automation and agentic approaches into a single, end-to-end capability.

In practice, that means translating client challenges into a structured roadmap, then standing up the governance, solution design and delivery teams to move safely and at pace: from early validation right through to production.

Much of the work sits in regulated and high-trust environments, where privacy, security and auditability are non-negotiable.

“AI is powerful. But in government and regulated industries, permissions, traceability and oversight matter just as much as innovation.”

Internally, John is also building repeatable offers, accelerators and delivery patterns so clients get production-ready outcomes, not pilots.

What’s shifting in the market?

John sees three major shifts reshaping digital innovation right now:

1.    From experimentation to adoption.
“Clients are done with demos. They want real use cases in production and they want to be able to measure the improvements.”

2.    Agentic AI is accelerating, but so are the governance questions.
Coordinating work across systems is a genuine step-change, but it raises new considerations around permissions, escalation, explain ability and managing risk.

3.    Governance is becoming an enabler, not a brake.
“The best organisations understand that guardrails accelerate adoption. Clear rules create confidence to scale.”

From AI intent to operational impact

Across sectors, John is helping organisations move from AI ambition to structured adoption that is grounded in the realities of their operations, their risk profile and their data foundations.

That includes:

• Prioritising roadmaps based on real business problems (and measurable outcomes)
• Improving data quality, access and lineage so AI has trusted inputs
• Designing for production: monitoring, auditability, cost control and accountability
• Uplifting capability so teams can work confidently with copilots and agents

“If you want AI to deliver, you have to design for operations, not just a proof of concept. Monitoring, oversight and accountability aren’t after thoughts. They are the foundation.”

So, what sets Avec apart?

For John, it comes down to disciplined delivery and how we show up with clients.

“We are outcomes-led and delivery-disciplined. We create solutions that have real impact and can be supported and continuously improved over time.”

That means reusable architectures, proven governance patterns and pragmatic controls that reduce risk without slowing momentum.

“We’re practical and candid about trade-offs, risk and sequencing. We get the job done right, not just fast.”

Because transformation isn’t about launching pilots. It’s about creating confidence: in the architecture, the guardrails, the team and the outcomes. And when that confidence is there, innovation stops being a pilot and becomes the way the organisation runs.

Here at Avec, we help organisations move beyond the hype to real delivery, ensuring that strategy, people, and technology come together to create lasting impact.

Ready to lay the foundations for your organisation’s future? Get in touch with our experts today.