About the IAPP

Sarah Carney is the National Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Microsoft Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), where she leads technical strategy and digital transformation initiatives for the company’s largest enterprise customers. With over two decades of experience across three continents, Sarah has built a distinguished career at the intersection of business, technology, and strategic innovation.

Her journey into technology was anything but conventional. Originally studying science, Sarah began her career in marketing before transitioning into tech—driven not by the allure of technology itself, but by Microsoft’s philanthropic work with Indigenous communities. This mission-first mindset continues to shape her leadership approach.