Chris Degenaar leads EY's technology consulting division

EY has named Chris Degenaar as the new managing partner of its technology consulting practice for the Oceania region.

Perth-based Degenaar currently is head of EY’s data & analytics team in Asia-Pacific, leading a team of around 500 consultants and data scientists and one of the firm’s fastest growing consultancy service line. He previously was among others the partner in charge of IT Advisory for Western Australia. 

Before joining EY a decade ago, Degenaar worked over a decade for PwC in its consulting arm and for IBM Global Business Services following the 2002 global acquisition of PwC Consulting by the IT giant for $3.5 billion.

Degenaar brings more than 22 years in technology consulting to his new role, extending across the mining and metals, energy, power and utilities, telecommunications and government sectors. He has led several large, complex transformation programs that are underpinned by data and use emerging technologies including artificial intelligence to drive organisational transformation. 

EY’s technology consulting practice helps clients with a range of technology capabilities, including IT advisory, ERP implementation, systems integration, data and analytics, cyber security, digital and emerging technology and tech-led innovation for both large corporates and government clients. 

Growing priority

The appointment of Degenaar coincides with the repositioning of EY’s technology consulting practice, as the firm seeks to tap into the booming digital transformation market. “We’re seeing a lot of focus around cloud, and a ramp up of automation and artificial intelligence in business workflow and decision making,” said Degenaar. 

To better advocate its offerings, the Technology Consulting practice has now been elevated to one of the three pillars of its overall Consulting division. “Together with People Consulting and Business Consulting, this will establish EY as the transformation leader,” explained Justin Greig, EY’s Consulting service leader for Oceania.

According to Degenaar, the technology consulting practice has around 1,000 practitioners in Australia and New Zealand. In the past 1,5 years, EY accelerated the growth of the offering with the closing of a number of acquisitions. In November, the firm bolted-on cybersecurity consultancy Aleron, and before that Plaut IT and Adelphi Digital were integrated into its Advisory business unit. 

Degenaar succeeds Jeff Eberwein, who has become one of EY’s leaders for its collaboration with Microsoft.