About i3
Matt O’Mara is the founder and Director of i3 Ltd with over 35 years’ experience working in senior information management and ICT roles.
Matt offers a unique range of knowledge and insights across a number of areas gained from his experience working in Chief Executive and general management roles and leading complex transformation programmes.
This includes fulfilling the Chief Information and Technology Officer role for the 3 central agencies (Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, State Services Commission and Treasury).
“Matt played a pivotal role in developing our Information Management Strategy, something our organisation had never done before.
He walked us through the process and his experience within information management, the public sector and local government enriched the process so much that it was not intimidating but exciting. He offers practical well thought out advice which stems from his wide ranging knowledge of information management especially within the public sector.
His knowledge and experience could be applied to any organisation (big or small) and no doubt we will be using his services in the near future.”
Emma, Taranaki Regional Council
Career & Background
Matt’s early career involved working in the health sector including six years in a Public Emergency Department. Since then Matt has worked in a variety of senior roles. Matt was the first Records Manager to be employed by Archives New Zealand tasked with implementing Archives first electronic document management system. While at Archives New Zealand Matt was involved in helping to develop the implementation plan for the Public Records Act.
Matt has worked with numerous organisations in New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands. Client engagements have included developing information management strategies, technology roadmaps and gaining endorsement for programmes of work pragmatically designed to provide the information management capabilities required to achieve operational and strategic goals. A key theme in feedback from clients is Matt’s range of knowledge across a number of areas and his ability to effectively engage with people at all levels of the organisation. Matt is also a Director of Analysis Paralysis which provides a range of data analytics services.
One interesting fact about Matt’s early career is his minor acting roles including in a well-known New Zealand prime-time soap opera. Here’s a sneak peak of his former acting self.
Education & Professional Development
Matt is the first and only New Zealander to attain RIMPA Global (Records and Information Management Practitioners Alliance) certified Fellow status and one of only 16 people globally. Matt's experience is complimented by the completion of a Bachelor of Business Studies Degree and a Diploma in Business Studies (endorsed in Management) from Massey University. Matt has completed certificates in Adult Education and Teaching and Intermediate Health Science at Auckland University of Technology. He has also completed the Cyber Security Foundation Practitioner Exam delivered by ALC, PRINCE2 Foundation certification and the Asset Management 101 course delivered by the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia.
Matt has previously attended the Melbourne Business School Mt Eliza Residential Leadership course and completed a study tour of Japan local government sponsored by the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (Japan). Matt strongly believes in the importance of ongoing professional development to continually improve his skills and knowledge to better serve his clients. Matt has also completed courses in Microsoft SharePoint Online, and Microsoft Power BI. Matt is a current member of the IBM AI Academy, the AI Forum New Zealand and the International Association of Privacy Professionals.
Board and Advisory Roles
Matt's board and advisory roles have included representing the local government ICT sector on the Board of the Association of Local Government Information Management (ALGIM) Inc. He was also a member of the NZ CIO Advisory Council and served as Vice President for the Records and Information Management Practitioners Alliance (RIMPA) NZ Branch Council. Matt has served on various RIMPA Global working groups and the editorial committee, and he is currently a RIMPA Global mentor. Matt is a Member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors.
Awards
Matt’s accomplishments have been recognised nationally and internationally. International awards include the J. Eddis Linton Information Proficiency Outstanding Individual Award (2010) from the Association of Records and Information Management Professionals Australasia for excellence in information management. This award recognises individuals who have contributed highly to the information management profession. Matt was the first New Zealander to be presented with this award.
In 2015, Matt was selected to attend a local government exchange and cooperation study tour in Japan, arranged through the Council of Local Authorities Centre for International Relations (CLAIR). The objective of the study tour is to promote a better understanding of Japanese local government and culture. In 2016, Matt was awarded the Melbourne Business School, Mt Eliza Leadership Scholarship by the New Zealand Society of Local Government Managers (SOLGM) to attend the 5-day residential leadership course in Melbourne, Australia.
In 2020, Matt was awarded the Records and Information Management Professionals New Zealand Branch Excellence Dianne Macaskill Outstanding Individual Award. The award honours the former Chief Archivist of New Zealand and is in recognition of Matt’s outstanding achievements in records and information management.
In 2024, RIMPA Global awarded Matt the prestigious Neil Granland International Convention Scholarship to attend the ARMA International InfoCon 2024 in Houston, Texas. The award acknowledges Matt’s experience and commitment to the records and information industry.
Philanthropy
Matt is a big believer in giving something back and supporting local communities.
i3 has contributed a donation to a local school, supporting their hockey team's participation in the 2023 AIMS games. Celebrating diversity, the games provide an opportunity for adolescents from all demographics and education contexts to compete in sporting competitions, to meet others from outside their normal peer group, and to learn and build on their social interaction skills. i3 has also made donations of sunscreen stations to local schools to help promote sun smart practices and reduce the incidence of skin cancer.
Matt volunteers his time to provide career coaching and mentoring and is a volunteer member of the Taranaki Crohn’s & Colitis Support Group.
Speaking Engagements
Matt is a regular keynote speaker having presented at numerous conferences and events in New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States. Matt has previously lectured at Auckland University of Technology and has been a guest lecturer at Victoria University of Wellington.