Auckland Data Eng meetup, May 2025

Hey all, please join us for our May Auckland Data Eng meetup. Join us for an engaging session filled with exciting discussions and networking opportunities.

Don't miss out—RSVP to secure your spot. A big shout-out to Tracksuit for providing us with the venue and Catering! 🎉

🏠 Location: 34/38 Drake Street, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
🍕 Catering: Tracksuit 😊
💬 Join our Slack Group here: Data Engineers Slack Channel

Schedule:
- 5.30pm: Doors Open
- 6.00pm: Announcements and Welcome
- 6.10pm: 1st Talk (25 mins + 5 min Q/A)
- 6.40pm: 2nd Talk (25 mins + 5 min Q/A)
- 7.10pm: Networking
- 8.00pm: Doors Close

Speakers:
🎤 Kaarthik Andavar, Intermediate Data Engineer, Tracksuit
🎤 Marcel van Vliet, Senior Data Engineer, Tracksuit
Talk Title: These Aren’t the Strings You’re Looking For: Mastering Translations and Regions in Survey Systems
Talk Summary: TBC
Speaker Bio: Kaarthik Andavar and Marcel van Vliet both work in Data at Tracksuit!

🎤 Konrad Mattheis, CTO / COO @ Astrato Analytics Ltd.
Talk Title: Unbundling BI: How Modern Cloud Data Warehouses Are Transforming Data for AI
Talk Summary: The rise of modern Cloud Data Warehouses (CDWHs) is driving a seismic shift in the data ecosystem, decoupling traditional Business Intelligence (BI) from data storage and transformation. In this talk, Konrad, CTO at Astrato Analytics, will explore how this unbundling moves data management out of BI tools and into CDWHs, where it’s stored and transformed in a clean, reliable state. He’ll highlight the ripple effects: not only does this enable AI applications—like Snowflake Cortex—to directly consume high-quality data for faster, more accurate insights, but it also paves the way for full analytical applications to thrive on the same robust foundation. Drawing from his experience building cloud BI solutions and leading data-driven teams, he’ll share practical examples of how this evolution empowers data engineers, supercharges AI, and unlocks advanced analytics.
Speaker Bio: Konrad is the COO/CTO at Astrato Analytics, where he channels his passion for data and visualization into delivering innovative cloud BI solutions. Firmly believing that AI can accelerate outcomes but requires accurate data to ensure reliable results, he has shaped Astrato’s technical direction since 2021. Previously, as CTO at Vizlib, he led the development of advanced data visualization tools, culminating in a successful exit to insightsoftware. Before that, he excelled as a Senior Manager at Deloitte Consulting, designing and delivering complex data analytics projects for global clients in insurance, banking, and real estate.

If you'd like to present at future meetups, please submit your talk here!

Remember to bring along some great questions! See you all there...