"Dean Kelly has a very strong understanding of the local market. I don't just mean the relationships – and he has those in spades – but he understands what really makes agencies tick," said Rubrik ANZ managing director Jamie Humphrey.

"In Federal Government, more so than any other sector, instilling trust, understanding the client's challenges, and not only delivering, but exceeding, your promises is absolutely vital – Kelly has a strong track record on all these fronts."

Kelly has decades of sales experience, mostly in the ACT.

He most recently worked as federal government and ACT senior client director at Veritas, and has also held senior sales roles at Connexxion Technology for Business, BTAS, NEC, MCR, Open Systems Australia, Alphawest, Tower Software and Telstra, as well as a stint as a senior consultant at Strategic Consultancy Services.

Kelly holds a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Newcastle, and a graduate certificate in management form the Australian National University.

"More government agencies are exploring digitisation in the wake of COVID-19, with data-driven insights set to define how the services Australians rely on are delivered," he said.

"Rubrik and its partner network deliver innovation in the space and enable transformation now and into the future."

He added "With digital transformation efforts accelerated in response to the pandemic, and the Australian Federal Government allocating more than $3 billion in a bid to deliver all government services digitally by 2025, data has become Canberra's most important commodity.

"As things settle down throughout the pandemic and we gain more insight, there'll be a real reckoning as government IT leaders reassess their investments and realise some either weren't necessary, are too difficult or costly to maintain, or don't address the gaps they need."

Rubrik's Canberra office plans to hire more people and appoint more channel partners.