Red Hat has announced the Australia and New Zealand winners of its Red Hat APAC Innovation Awards 2026, recognising projects by Auckland Transport, the Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG), and Westpac New Zealand.
The awards are part of a broader APAC program that Red Hat said includes 32 winners across 13 countries, spanning six categories: Digital Transformation, Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure, Cloud-Native Development, Automation, Virtualization, and AI.
In the Cloud-Native Development and Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure category, Auckland Transport was recognised for developing “Theia”, an in-house computer vision platform built using Red Hat OpenShift Platform Plus. Red Hat said the platform was designed to reduce reliance on manual monitoring of CCTV feeds and enable real-time traffic monitoring and incident detection across road, rail, ferry and parking operations.
DSTG, within the Australian Government’s Department of Defence, was named winner in the Virtualization and Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure category. Red Hat said DSTG used Red Hat OpenShift to build a secure research environment for a Five Eyes strategic code collaboration exercise, reducing build time from 14 weeks to two and increasing research sprints per hackathon cycle from six to 12. The platform supports virtual machines and containers within a defence-accredited environment, and Red Hat said it is intended to support future AI initiatives.
In the Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure and Automation category, Westpac New Zealand was recognised for modernising its hybrid cloud infrastructure and automating processes including patching and provisioning. Red Hat said the bank standardised on Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Red Hat OpenShift, Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform, and Red Hat Satellite to reduce vendor dependence, address regulatory risks, and decommission obsolete nodes.
Commenting on the awards, Daniel Aw, vice president and general manager, APAC at Red Hat APAC, said: “Enterprise technology is becoming more complex than ever, but success is no longer about how many new technologies an organisation adopts. What matters more is how effectively these solutions work together to address real business challenges and deliver tangible value.”
Representatives from the winning organisations also highlighted the role of open technologies and automation in supporting operational needs. Dr. Derek Zhang, delivery manager – computer vision at Auckland Transport, said: “Working with Red Hat has given us the flexibility to grow our Computer Vision capabilities as Auckland’s transport needs evolve.”
Shane Bennett, group leader cyber integration at DSTG, said: “In defence research, the ability to collaborate and experiment quickly is critical. Working with Red Hat enabled us to create a secure environment that supports both innovation and the stringent requirements of the industry.”
Westpac New Zealand’s head of infrastructure services and digital workplace, Garry Daniels, said: “Taking greater ownership of our technology has given us the opportunity to simplify how we operate and create a scalable foundation for innovation.”
