Pacific executive leads Tower’s push into artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence is changing workplaces across New Zealand and for Tower Insurance, one of the people helping steer that change is a Cook Islands-Tahitian executive who began his career in the skies.

Michael Skeens is now Chief Operations Officer at Tower where he oversees operations across Aotearoa and the Pacific, including leading the company's rollout of AI tools in its customer service systems.

Skeens, who is believed to be among the few Pasifika in senior executive roles in a NZX 50 company, says the focus is not just on technology but on how people adjust to it.

"You've got to start there with that change process, winning the heart of our people, to give them a really clear understanding of what's in it for them and how this is going to enable them to be successful. And that's when you win the mind, and that's when people start to adapt," he told William Terite on Pacific Mornings.

Skeens started his working life as a long-haul flight attendant before moving into leadership roles at Qantas, Air New Zealand, and One New Zealand.

He says aviation taught him lessons that still guide his leadership today. "Sometimes it's viewed as, you know, are you to be seen and not heard?

Skeens, who is believed to be among the few Pasifika in senior executive roles in New Zealand, says the focus is not just on technology but on how people adjust to it. Photo/Masters In Business

“And I think that's actually a really powerful superpower that we have. You know, it teaches you to observe things that are going on around you."

That ability to observe, he says, is just as important in understanding how people respond to AI and workplace change.

A 2025 analysis by NewZealand.AI found 93 per cent of businesses say artificial intelligence has improved efficiency, but only 34 per cent of consumers say they trust the technology.

Skeens says the focus remains on the work itself, guiding teams through one of the fastest technological shifts in modern workplaces. Photo/Unsplash

Skeens says that gap shows why leadership matters as much as systems.

Born in Henderson and raised partly in Mangakino, where his mum is from, he says his upbringing shaped his values around respect, hard work, and service.

Of Cook Islands, Tahitian, and Scottish heritage, Skeens also points to his grandmother's journey from Rarotonga to Aotearoa as a key influence in his life.

"She gave up her whenua, her land, all her family to come here to give us more opportunity. And that's what I'm really thankful for."

He is now responsible for helping Tower’s AI integration including how customer service teams use new digital tools in their daily work.

Skeens’ appointment also adds to a wider conversation about representation in corporate New Zealand.

Watch Michael Skeens' interview below.

A 2019 Census of Women on Boards found the top 100 NZX companies remain largely Pākehā and many organisations did not disclose their ethnic board data. At the time, co-author Catriona MacLennan said Māori, Pasifika, and migrant representation was "almost absent from our top company boards”.

There is still no official public dataset tracking Pacific people in senior executive roles across NZX-listed companies.

A Diversity Works NZ survey in 2024 found 46.5 per cent of organisations believe their leadership teams are not as diverse as the rest of their workforce. Pacific people made up just four per cent of respondents, the survey showed.

Pacific business ownership is growing. Auckland Council's 2025 Quantifying the Pacific Economy report found Pacific-owned businesses have increased by 61 per cent over the past decade. But most of that growth has been in small businesses, construction and trades.

Fewer Pacific people are seen in senior leadership roles inside large listed companies and there is still limited data on how many of them reach top executive positions.

Skeens says the focus remains on the work itself, guiding teams through one of the fastest technological shifts in modern workplaces. He says adaptability is something deeply familiar to Pacific communities including many of the frontline staff he now leads.

Tower Insurance won Best Contact Centre in New Zealand at the 2025 CRM Contact Centre Awards. Skeens is pictured at centre, holding the award, with his team. Photo/Tower Insurance

"Take every opportunity that comes your way. Don't restrict yourself. You know, I come back to that point around we are built on navigators," Skeens says.

"It is innate within us. Leverage your culture, leverage your strengths that have been built within you from a value point of view. And every job has skill sets that are transferable.

“Find them and surround yourself with positive people who are going to fan your flames to drive you forward."

For Skeens, the challenge now is not just introducing new technology but helping people move through it with confidence.