Former Kordia CEO Scott Bartlett dies at 40 after battle with cancer

One of the most high-profile personalities on New Zealand’s tech scene has died at age 40, after losing his battle with cancer.

“It is with deep sadness that the Kordia Group announces that its former CEO, Scott Bartlett, has passed away after a courageous and courageous fight against brain cancer,” the Kordia Group said in a statement this morning.

“Scott was one of New Zealand’s most respected business leaders. He had a brilliant mind and a natural ability to motivate the best in the people around him,” said Kordia Group Acting Chief Executive Officer Shaun Rendell.

“While this is an immensely sad day for all of us, Scott’s life and accomplishments, particularly at such a young age, are a legacy to be admired and celebrated. His vision, his passion for life and the creation of a A workplace where everyone had the opportunity to thrive is what made him such an incredible leader. He was always an advocate for diversity and was very proud of his work with the LGBTQ + community. New Zealand’s business community has lost to an outstanding person, “said Kordia President John Quirk.

Bartlett resigned as CEO of the state-owned company on October 2 to focus on his health.

In August of last year, Bartlett was diagnosed with multiple brain tumors and began a leave of absence.

“After going through a period of remission, he returned in January 2020 to resume his role, but unfortunately he fell ill again two months ago,” Kordia said this morning.

Bartlett, who recounted his illness via his Instagram account, was just five years out of college when the ISP he worked for, Orcon, was sold by founder Seeby Woodhouse to Kordia for $ 24.3 million in 2007.

While Woodhouse (now in charge of Voyager) left the stage with the deal, Bartlett stayed, initially running Orcon as a division within Kordia, then rising through the ranks to lead the Kordia Group as a whole.

Kordia President John Quirk previously said that Bartlett took Kordia to new heights during his tenure with the company.

“When Scott was first appointed CEO of the Kordia Group in 2016, we were widely known as a broadcasting and networking company. His leadership has seen Kordia evolve into the digital age, becoming a leading provider of enterprise technology. He played a role. instrumental in developing our cybersecurity capabilities with the acquisition of Aura Information Security and advancing our focus on cloud connectivity and transformation, “said Quirk when Bartlett stepped down as CEO.

“The work Scott has done with Kordia speaks for itself. He is one of the most talented entrepreneurs in New Zealand. Kordia is truly a better place to work because of Scott. His colleagues at Kordia will miss him deeply.”

Rendell will continue his role as the group’s interim CEO until a permanent replacement for Scott is appointed.