Former NRI Australia boss Dean Langenbach new CEO of Kinetic IT
Technology consultancy Kinetic IT has appointed former NRI Australia boss Dean Langenbach as its new chief executive officer, succeeding Michael North who has led the firm for a decade.
Dean Langenbach joins Kinetic IT in Sydney after spending the best part of two decades at NRI Australia and its 2016 acquisition ASG, serving as CEO of both across five years, including for eighteen months at NRI before handing over to Kaylene O’Brien in 2024.
Langenbach takes the reins from interim chief Shane Quinn, who moves back into the COO role, with company veteran Michael North having previously led the business since 2016, a time during which the fast-growing firm consistently featured on Deloitte’s ‘best managed’ list.
“This appointment marks a defining moment in Kinetic IT’s journey,” said chair Sarah Adam-Gedge, who served as managing director of NRI competitor Wipro during Langenbach’s tenure at ASG. “Over the last twelve months, the company has strengthened its national footprint and maintained double-digit growth, setting the stage for an ambitious next chapter.”
She continued; “The board sought a leader with the experience, clarity, and acumen to scale Kinetic IT at pace, and Dean brings the right balance of commercial expertise and deep understanding of complex technology environments, alongside the proven ability to lead high-performing teams and pursue strategic growth investments which deliver sustainable results.”
In his previous role at NRI, Langenbach led a team of more than 2,500 employees across Australia and New Zealand, a good number who were integrated while he was at the helm following NRI’s reported $300 million acquisition of local software testing company Planit in 2021. ASG also made a string of diverse, strategic acquisitions under Langenbach’s watch.
Having spent time earlier in his career as an accountant at Deloitte and in other business and finance roles, Langenbach then joined ASG as CFO in 2005. He would serve in the role for six years, and then more than seven as chief operating officer before taking over from retiring company founder Geoff Lewis in 2019, with ASG having sold to NRI for $350 million three years earlier.
“I’m energised by the opportunity to lead a uniquely Australian technology company at a time when sovereign capability and national resilience are critically important,” Langenbach said of his latest role. “I’ve seen the strength of Kinetic IT’s reputation for delivering meaningful outcomes, supported by a strong culture and talented teams, and my focus is to build on this foundation.”
Alongside harnessing AI and advanced technology solutions and deepening strategic partnerships, Langenbach, who is originally from Western Australia, pointed to an expansion of Kinetic IT’s national presence as a further item on his agenda. Established in Perth in 1995, Kinetic IT today has a headcount pushing towards 1,500 professionals across six locations countrywide.
