Russell Smyth takes over as IBM Consulting’s managing partner for A/NZ
Industry veteran Russell Smyth has taken over as IBM Consulting’s managing partner for Australia and New Zealand after joining the firm in 2024 following three and a half decades at Accenture.
Having most recently served as IBM Consulting’s A/NZ offerings & growth lead after previously heading delivery, Smyth now takes the country managing partner reins from David Ellis, who has been in the top job for the past two and a half years.
Smyth spent 35 years at Accenture prior to IBM, latterly as chief operating officer for the strategy & consulting business unit for the firm’s ‘growth markets’ geography, at the time covering practically everywhere bar North America and Europe.
“I’m energised to lead IBM Consulting as we continue to strengthen our position in an increasingly dynamic, AI‑driven transformation marketplace,” Smyth said. “I’d like to thank David for his unwavering support over the past two years and look forward to working closely with our leadership teams to ensure we continue to bring the best of IBM to our highly valued clients.”
A commerce and law graduate of the University of Queensland, the earlier focus for Smyth at Accenture was on the telecommunications and technology segment with projects across A/NZ, Europe and Asia, before he would ultimately be appointed local CMT client group lead – a role in which he became a mentor to Ellis – and then practice COO & delivery lead for APAC.
At the time of Smyth’s recruitment to IBM, Ellis, who himself joined after serving as TMT lead partner at Bain & Company, described his former boss as the “most experienced IT services delivery executive in Australia,” with his appointment a testament to the firm’s local ambition. However, Ellis himself will now depart to take a new, as-yet-disclosed role in August.
According to a post on LinkedIn, Ellis was specifically brought in by now IBM Consulting chairman John Granger to lead a turnaround of its loss-making A/NZ business (perhaps adding insight on the curious decision to pluck its new leader from a strategy firm), with the practice said to have since returned to profitable growth and a renewed profile in the local marketplace.
“I am proud of the results we have achieved on multiple dimensions, including establishing market-leading capabilities and restoring our reputation for world-class client service and delivery,” Ellis said. “I’m especially pleased to hand to Russell who has played an instrumental part in this journey to date, and I have no doubt the business will thrive and further grow under his leadership.”
Ellis also gave thanks to the support of IBM Consulting’s local leadership team, many who have come on board during his tenure, including Holly Kink (client lead for data, AI, and cloud), Richa Arora (cybersecurity), Iskra Nikolova (hybrid cloud), Craig Ridley (financial services), and Melanie Evans (distribution & industrial), along with more recent Salesforce addition Matt Chambers.
