Meet the panelists for TechBizz Australia

Next Wednesday, ZDNet's TechBizz series of panel discussions will arrive in Australia, following the Singaporean edition of the event held last week.

The panel, made up of a variety of small and medium business executives and moderated by ZDNet Australia editor Chris Duckett, will examine how technologies like cloud, software as a service (SaaS), and mobile computing have changed business decision making. We'll discuss how these trends can be embraced and used as a competitive advantage, and what challenges the future holds for technology decision makers.

Register now to make sure you don't miss out on our largest panel event of the year. If you cannot make it to the Sydney Opera House, we will be streaming the event on the TechBizz page.

Prior to the event, you can also pose questions for the panellists via Twitter, using the hashtag #zdtechbizz.

Goran Stefkovski, director of technology, Kogan

Goran Stefkovski attended Melbourne High School and completed a Bachelor of Law/Bachelor of Engineering (Software) combined degree at the University of Melbourne. Goran's passion for technology, design, and e-commerce and his entrepreneurial flair showed at an early age, when he began a web design business in high school that still flourishes to this day.

He was part of the Australian Championship team of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) in 2007, representing the country in New York. He held positions at companies such as Rio Tinto, Coffey International, and HWL Ebsworth Lawyers, before joining the startup world with online retailer Kogan.

Having engineered several e-commerce platforms, including the Kogan store, he is now the director of technology at Kogan. At Kogan, he has co-invented two patent-pending technologies, LivePrice and an online marketing method and app.

He is responsible for continued technological excellence and innovation at Australia's biggest online retailer.

Rolf Weber, co-founder and joint managing director, brandsExclusive

Rolf Weber, co-founder and managing director of brandsExclusive, is an entrepreneur in the field of of e-commerce, bringing Europe's highly successful shopping club to Australia in the form of brandsExclusive, which was recently awarded the BRW Fast Starter Award for 2013 and has over 2.5 million members across Australia and New Zealand.

Rolf brings to the panel a host of management and management consulting experience in high-growth, fast-paced consumer retail environments, as well as logistics management expertise from his time at international super store Ikea.

James Rogers, general manager, Agsure

James Rogers is a leader specialising in the creation and development of technology organisations and programs within companies to successfully deliver significant business results. He brings local and international experience in running technology functions within medium/large corporates, as well as the successful development and growth of small startup businesses.

James has held leadership roles in several sectors (automotive manufacturing/engineering, agribusiness, telecommunications, and education) and functions (finance, human resources, shared services, sales and marketing, and supply chain). These roles have provided him with a deep understanding of enterprise-wide business operations and a framework for effective delivery of solutions that unlock potential within businesses and individuals.

For the past three years, James has led the development and delivery of a business model and process simplification, technology renewal, and services outsourcing program at rural supply business Elders. Concurrent with this role, James also has overall business responsibility as general manager for Elders online startup business Agsure. Since inception in October 2012, Agsure has achieved 40 percent month-on-month sales growth, and is now the leading Australian online and direct sales channel for agricultural chemical and animal health supplies.

Dana Teahan, CIO, Australian Institute of Management

Dana has over 20 years of experience in digital and information technology, with a career focused on the interplay between digital platforms, business systems, and data management. He has specialised in the integration and leveraging of data-driven insights, marketing, technology, and digital strategy to elevate major brands, including Virgin and NRMA, above their peers.

Shaun Gamble, CIO, Lindsay Australia

With 25 years of IT experience in transport and logistics, financial services, healthcare, and defence, Shaun Gamble brings a wealth of knowledge to our panel. Shaun's focus is on conceiving and executing strategic IT plans, and leading business transformations delivering real commercial outcomes. Currently CIO for Lindsay Transport, Shaun previously held leadership roles at Credit Union of Australia and the Royal Australian Navy. He is a supply chain specialist, holds a science degree majoring in IT, and is currently studying for a MBA, majoring in supply chain management.