Chair Showcase: Mark Bregman – Building global ambitions from New Zealand 

Mark Bregman is not your average executive. A physicist by training and a technologist by trade, Mark’s leadership journey spans global boardrooms, high-growth start-ups, and venture investing across five continents. 

As a Vistage Chair in New Zealand, he now brings that experience full circle — mentoring ambitious CEOs and business owners who are ready to scale their vision and sharpen their leadership. 

“Helping CEOs and start-up leaders expand their ambitions beyond what they thought possible has been one of the most fulfilling parts of my journey.” 

Mark began his career at IBM, rising quickly from Research Staff Member to GM and worldwide management committee member. Under Chairman Lou Gerstner, Mark launched a new IoT-focused business unit — growing it to $750M in annual revenue in just three years. 

From there, his leadership journey took him through major milestones: 

• CTO of VERITAS, where he led technical integration with Symantec and a series of acquisitions. 

• Oversaw a $32M joint venture with Huawei, scaling it to $700M. 

• At NetApp, led a shift to cloud storage technology on AWS and Azure. 

His next chapter brought him to New Zealand, where he founded a seed-stage venture fund, investing in 20 start-ups and mentoring them on US market entry. 

Mark draws on his science background to help CEOs rethink how they lead and make decisions.

“Start-ups are like science — you’re testing hypotheses and learning from failure. In large companies, it’s more like engineering — you manage risk and scale proven models.” 

That’s where Vistage comes in. 

Having mentored founders and served on multiple boards, Mark was already familiar with guiding leaders. But joining Vistage added a new dimension — structured, peer-based learning where leaders gain clarity from questions, not answers. 

“Vistage isn’t an advisory group — it’s a support system. It helps leaders ask better questions and see new perspectives. That’s how real breakthroughs happen.” 

Mark’s group in New Zealand brings together ambitious CEOs and founders with a global mindset, many of whom are looking beyond the local market to scale internationally. He’s intentional about diversity — not just in background, but in thinking. 

Having lived and worked in the US, Japan, England, Switzerland, and now New Zealand, Mark brings a deep understanding of what drives global business — and what often holds leaders back. 

One unique insight he’s noticed in the local market: 

“Kiwis are brilliant networkers outside New Zealand, but more reserved about it at home. That can make leadership lonely — and that’s why groups like Vistage are even more valuable here.” 

He’s passionate about creating a space where leaders can share openly, challenge each other, and build lasting relationships grounded in trust. 

Vision for his group 

Mark’s vision is clear:  A diverse group of high-performing leaders who push each other to be bold, think globally, and never stop learning. Whether it’s navigating a complex merger, exploring AI adoption, or stepping back to rethink strategy — his group is designed for ambitious, curious thinkers. 

And as he puts it, “You don’t need 35,000 employees to apply global thinking. Some of the best breakthroughs start in small rooms, with smart people asking the right questions.” better outcomes for both organisations and the humans within them.