Lancom names Priscila Bernardes as new CEO following acquisition

Lancom Technology has announced that Priscila Bernardes will become its new CEO, replacing Waruna Kirimetiyawa, who will now serve as Lancom Group Managing Director and ANZ CEO for Lyra Technology Group. Auckland-based Lancom Technology was acquired by San Francisco-based Evergreen Services Group in late 2023.

Originally from Brazil, Bernardes began her career in New Zealand with limited English. She quickly rose from office manager to executive positions in the technology sector. Bernardes has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Brazil, a Postgraduate Diploma in Business and an MBA from the University of Auckland.

Commenting on her new role, Bernardes said: “My mission is to build on the legacy established by Lancom Technology founder Warwick Eade i Kirimetiyawa, who I report to and continue to work with. It’s been quite a journey coming in with no English and continuing from there.”

Under her leadership, the company aims to expand its managed services and software development capabilities in New Zealand and Australia. The Melbourne office, established in 2020, is seen as a strategic location for further growth.

Bernardes has played a significant role in Lancom Technology’s growth, from joining as Customer Experience Manager in 2015 to becoming General Manager in 2021. During her tenure, she contributed to the strategic direction, leadership and performance management, leading to annual growth rates of 20 to 30 percent. The company also acquired companies such as Powernet IT Consultants NZ, Redbrick Technology and Connect 2.

Kirimetiyawa congratulated Bernardes on her new position, stating, “Like me, Priscila has remained committed to our company through thick and thin. She has an impeccable work ethic, a keen sense of what matters to customers, and is an inspiring leader for our technology and customer experience teams. Working together, we have achieved many milestones for the company, and with her as CEO, it’s safe to say this is just the beginning.”

Elliott Hyman, CEO of Lyra Technology Group, also offered his congratulations, saying, “We would like to congratulate Priscila and Waruna on their new roles. Priscila has demonstrated exceptional leadership and a passion for customer success over the past decade at Lancom. We look forward to her leading Lancom to new heights. Waruna’s approach to relationships and business has been completely in line with Lyra’s culture of decentralization and autonomy. As regional CEO, he will be Lyra’s standard-bearer in Australia and New Zealand, and we couldn’t have asked for a better partner for this next chapter.”

Bernardes attributes her professional growth to the company’s core values: talent, continuous learning, humility, perseverance, and curiosity. “Warwick started our graduate program based on those values, and Waruna came to the company in a similar way to me—as an immigrant eager to create and add value,” she explains.

She also appreciated Eade and Kirimetiyawa’s mentorship, noting that their support has helped many people in the company advance in their careers. Bernardes intends to continue Lancom Technology’s legacy as a talent incubator and innovative technology solutions that drive business forward. “We will do that in ANZ and other markets,” she confirmed. “We are known for delivering quality and technology excellence in demanding and complex engagements. And we are also known for our customer loyalty, with our first customer still with us 36 years later—and amazingly, they signed the year I was born,” she concluded.