Databricks appoints Davinia Simon as ANZ public lead

Databricks has appointed Davinia Simon as Public Sector Lead for Australia and New Zealand, expanding its regional leadership team.

Simon joins from Accenture, where she was a Managing Director working with government and enterprise clients. Earlier roles at Amazon Web Services and Adobe add to more than 20 years of experience across enterprise technology and the public sector.

In the new role, she will lead Databricks' public sector strategy across Australia and New Zealand, with a remit that includes strengthening work with government agencies in states such as New South Wales and Queensland as departments increase their use of data and artificial intelligence in public services.

Growing demand

Her appointment comes as governments in the region increase investment in AI projects and broader digital modernisation. Agencies are looking to update data platforms, improve analytics, and apply AI tools to service delivery, productivity, and policy design.

Simon will work with public sector customers on those programmes as Databricks pursues deeper ties with government bodies across the region. The hire forms part of a broader investment in Australia and New Zealand.

Adam Beavis, Vice President and Country Manager for Databricks ANZ, said the role reflects demand from public sector customers for help turning data and AI spending into operational results.

"Davinia's experience at the intersection of technology and the government will be critical as we increase our support to meet the growing needs of public sector organisations across ANZ," said Adam Beavis, Vice President and Country Manager, Databricks ANZ. "Agencies are under real pressure to deliver tangible outcomes from their data and AI investments, and Davinia brings the expertise to help them do that at scale," added Beavis.

Simon will hold the title Senior Director and Public Sector Lead for Databricks in Australia and New Zealand. Her appointment gives the company a senior executive focused on government accounts at a time when public agencies are under pressure to show value from technology spending.

Regional focus

Databricks has been building its presence in Australia and New Zealand as demand for cloud data and AI tools has spread across public and private sector organisations. Public sector work is a key part of that effort.

Its pitch to government departments centres on bringing together data management, analytics, and AI development in one environment. Agencies are increasingly looking to combine those functions as they modernise older systems and seek to use AI in day-to-day operations.

Simon said that approach was a key reason for taking the role.

"I'm excited to join Databricks at such a pivotal time. What drew me to Databricks is the ability to unify data and AI on a single platform, helping public sector organisations move faster and deliver real impact. I look forward to working with customers and partners to realise that value," said Davinia Simon, Senior Director and Public Sector Lead, Databricks ANZ.

Databricks also pointed to growing international interest among public authorities in linking data and AI programmes more closely. Technology suppliers have used that trend to argue for larger platform contracts across multiple agencies and departments.

Global push

Molly Just-Behr, who leads public sector go-to-market work globally at Databricks, said the regional opportunity had grown as governments sought more responsive and efficient services.

"Public sector organisations globally are looking to unify their data and AI strategies to deliver more responsive and efficient services," said Molly Just-Behr, Global Public Sector Go-to-Market Lead, Databricks. "The opportunity to support government agencies in the ANZ region has never been higher and I'm excited to have Davinia onboard to lead and help governments across ANZ accelerate this journey and deliver more intelligent, responsive services for citizens," added Just-Behr.

Databricks works with more than 20,000 organisations worldwide and has built its business around software for data engineering, analytics, and AI applications. In Australia and New Zealand, it is seeking a larger role in government modernisation programmes, where spending decisions are increasingly tied to data governance, AI oversight, and measurable service outcomes.