Kore.ai has announced the appointment of Paul Rilstone as Vice President for Australia and New Zealand (ANZ). Based in Sydney, this is part of the company's strategic drive to bolster its presence and accelerate growth in the region.
The new VP’s appointment closely follows Kore.ai’s successful securing of US$150 million in a funding round, which is earmarked for significant international expansion in ANZ. Rilstone’s responsibilities include moving the company's sales growth forward in the ANZ generative AI enterprise market. He will also spearhead the region’s partner strategy, to meet the increasing market need for optimal conversational experiences among enterprises and public sector agencies in Australia and New Zealand.
Gartner, the global research and advisory firm, projects that by 2026, 75% of Conversational AI offerings will incorporate Generative AI – a massive leap from the five per cent recorded in 2023. This shift presents significant opportunities for businesses to deploy multifunctional applications with increasing complexity more easily.
Rilstone brings with him to his new position more than two decades' experience in the IT industry, including over a decade in the customer contact centre market. His previous roles encompass serving as Senior Delivery Executive for Amelia and Head of Assisted Digital at communications services company, Telstra. During his tenure at the Commonwealth Bank, he managed the institution's Virtual Assistant programme.
Commenting on Rilstone, Sreeni Unnamatia, Executive Vice President of Kore.ai, said, "Paul understands the unique challenges which customers in Australia and New Zealand face when it comes to leveraging AI to deliver end-to-end automation that drives business value, and he knows how to execute successful customer engagement."
Unnamatia went on to underscore Rilstone's crucial role in the further establishment of Kore.ai, with the goal of “empowering organisations with AI-powered tools for greater productivity."
Rilstone, on his part, spoke enthusiastically of his new role: "Kore.ai is one of the fastest-growing AI companies globally and is reshaping the way companies harness the power of AI, simplifying and enhancing accessibility. Today's dynamic business leaders in Australia and New Zealand are swiftly moving towards an AI-first framework, making it imperative to provide the best AI solutions to every employee."
He concluded by underlining his anticipation for the future: "I'm looking forward to working with our partners and customers and providing our no-code platform which delivers exceptional multichannel conversational experiences across Automation AI, Contact Centre AI and Search AI to drive business value."