Avocado Consulting appoints Steven Zacharidis to lead transformation unit

Zacharidis wants to help organisations modernise with purpose and confidence.

IT professional services company Avocado Consulting has hired Steven Zacharidis as its new managing client partner leading its transformation portfolio.

Zacharidis told CRN Australia he is excited to drive meaningful change, not just deliver projects.

“Many are under pressure to evolve but are constrained by cost, complexity, or risk appetite,” he explained.

“This role allows me to bring together trusted delivery, strategic thinking, and emerging technologies to overcome those barriers.”

In this role, he will also help enterprises modernise legacy systems and streamlining fragmented delivery, clearing the path for secure, sustainable transformation.

The two biggest challenges he sees in modernising systems is cost and complexity.

“Legacy environments are often deeply entwined with critical operations, making change not only expensive but also high-risk,” he said.

“Many organisations underestimate the full cost- from integration and data migration to parallel run periods and internal change management.”

Without the right foundations, even well-intentioned modernisation efforts can stall or fail, Zacharidis explained.

“Add in the pressure to adopt AI capabilities on top of brittle foundations, and the risk of failure increases,” he said.

“Successful modernisation requires more than just the adoption of new tools. It demands a clear roadmap and a strong handle on performance, cost, and security across the entire tech stack.”

However, despite the barriers, application modernisation brings significant strategic upside, Zacharidis said.

“Bringing growth, agility, and cost control, so organisation’s can respond faster to market demands while strengthening long‑term competitiveness,” he added.

“Modern platforms also create the foundation for AI, automation, and emerging technologies. They strengthen risk and compliance postures and address the growing challenge of a retiring legacy IT workforce.

“At the same time, modernisation helps attract and retain top talent, upskill existing teams, and reposition IT as a driver of growth and innovation - not just a cost centre.”

For the first year in the role, Zacharidis said he wants to help Avocado cement its position in the Australian market as the delivery partner of choice.

“Particularly for organisations looking to modernise quickly, cost-effectively, and with greater certainty,” he said.

“For many, the cost and risk of legacy transformation have been major barriers to progress.

“But with the rise of AI-powered delivery approaches, we’re now seeing those barriers begin to fall.”

One of his goals is to help clients understand that modernisation doesn’t have to be a “multi-year, high-risk endeavour”.

“It can be accelerated, efficient, and tightly aligned to outcomes,” he said.

“Avocado is in a strong position to lead this shift. Through our evolving ecosystem of technology partnerships and our proven track record in delivery, we’re developing new ways to streamline transformation, offering clients a clear path forward that balances innovation with operational control.”

He said he is excited to work with a team that’s known for delivering certainty.

“Avocado has a strong reputation across government and corporate sectors, and I’m looking forward to building on that momentum - helping clients unlock value, uplift capability, and prepare for what’s next,” he added.

Zacharidis brings over 25 years of experience in technology leadership, most recently, he held leadership roles at CPT Global and DXC Technology. In these roles he built strategic partnerships and was instrumental in securing top-tier transformation programs across tightly regulated sectors.