IT services firm First Focus acquires CNX in New Zealand expansion play

Australian IT consulting and managed services firm First Focus has expanded its presence in New Zealand through the acquisition of South Island provider CNX, which is based out of Nelson.

Headquartered in Sydney, First Focus said it had been operating in Auckland for over a decade but primarily serving Australian clients with local interests, such that the CNX acquisition was a step towards establishing a national New Zealand presence.

Founded in 2001 and led by managing director Paul Burt, CNX and its team of approximately 30 staff and technicians serve businesses across the Nelson, Tasman, and Marlborough regions and beyond via its Nelson HQ and an additional office in Christchurch.

“We have supported clients in New Zealand for many years, and CNX now provides the foundation for a truly national platform,” said First Focus CEO Ross Sardi. “CNX stood out for its strong local leadership, aligned culture, and deep client focus. Just as importantly, they share our ambition to help shape the future of managed services in the AI era, so this is a natural and strategic fit.”

First Focus was itself founded in 2003 by now chairman Peter Paddon, and has since spread from its Sydney roots to every mainland capital along with outlets in Newcastle, the Gold Coast and Manila, together home to a team of around 350 staff. Much of that growth has been through acquisitions, with CNX marking its third in the past six months and fifteenth overall.

Its other recent additions include Red IT in Melbourne in November and the Gold Coast’s Tech Help Direct a month prior, expanding not just its national footprint but adding further capabilities to a broad services portfolio spanning managed IT, cybersecurity, AI & cloud solutions, and IT strategy and consulting among other areas, with the firm focused on the mid-market.

CNX offers a similar range of services, but the company said its customers would benefit from its greater scale and capabilities as part of First Focus while retaining local support (with Burt and the existing team to remain in place), along with a step up in areas such as 24×7 support, software development, and advanced cybersecurity, AI and automation solutions.

“This partnership brings forward approximately three years of planned improvements across AI, security, cloud, and advanced services into the next few months,” Burt said of the deal. “This gives our clients earlier access to tools and expertise that will help their businesses move faster, operate more securely, and gain a genuine competitive advantage.”

While Burt will focus on leading growth initiatives across the South Island, First Focus said that the CNX acquisition was not just an expansion of its New Zealand presence, but an important step in its broader international growth strategy, with the firm continuing to assess further opportunities across the A/NZ region and other selected markets in line with its long-term vision.