As 2025 draws to a close, Intelligent Pathways finds itself in a period of meaningful momentum marked by new clients, emerging technologies, returning faces, and a team that has navigated a complex year with agility and grit. In our annual wrap up, CEO Peter Robertson reflects on the projects that shaped us and the opportunities energising the business as we move into 2026.
What’s been your highlight for 2025, personally and professionally?
On a personal note, watching my daughters apply themselves so wholeheartedly to their final year of school has been a real joy. They’ve worked incredibly hard and positioned themselves beautifully for the next chapter, whatever university they end up at. They’re remarkable young women, and I’m immensely proud of them.
Professionally, it has been an exceptionally positive year. We’ve secured a diverse mix of projects – some grounded in our integration heritage, others pushing into exciting AI-driven territory. After what I’d describe as a turbulent period leading into this year, it has been rewarding to see the confidence we felt 12 months ago materialise into strong growth, a new Jetstream customer in Virgin Australia, and a pipeline that has us actively recruiting again. There is a genuine sense of momentum across the business.
Were there any moments this year that reminded you why we do what we do?
Absolutely. Continuing to evolve the digital foundations that support Queensland Ambulance stands out – the work we’re doing has the potential to save minutes per interaction, which becomes hours, days, even weeks returned to frontline responders. That impact matters.
Our engagement with Shooting Stars was another project I loved. Having a balance of commercial, government, and not-for-profit work allows us to give back in meaningful ways.
I’m also continuously humbled by the number of former clients who call us into their new organisations – Western Sydney International Airport, BlueScope Steel, and others. When people go out of their way to bring us into their new teams as a result of our past impact and relationship, that’s when you know you’re doing something right.
Internally, the last 12 months have been described as ‘head down, bum up.’ With new clients onboarding, what’s driving that demand and how is it shaping the business?
Reputation is still our strongest driver. Many of our new opportunities come from people we’ve worked with before – individuals who know us, trust us, and continue to bring us into their new organisations. The rest stems from something not every consultancy can offer: the ability to bridge deep technical capability with clear, practical business strategy.
We’ve also won several competitive tenders this year, often against much larger firms. With consulting spend under greater scrutiny, organisations are looking past the traditional “big ticket” players and recognising the value of a partner our size – one with highly skilled people who can deliver the right outcome in a pragmatic, high-quality way.
These tenders are rigorous and demanding, but they level the playing field. They push clients to look beyond brand recognition and assess real capability. The fact that we’ve secured some tough ones this year speaks volumes about the calibre of our team and the confidence clients have in our work.
How have you seen AI influence our work this year, and what has it shifted in your thinking?
Internally, we’ve taken a measured approach – using AI to remove manual, time-consuming work so our senior people can focus on high-value problem-solving. And that’s where my thinking has shifted the most this year. Early on, I believed AI would help us scale by bringing in more junior staff and enabling them to deliver quickly. In reality, we’re seeing the opposite: AI significantly amplifies the output of highly experienced people who already have strong technical foundations.
That insight is reshaping how we think about capability. As we head into 2026, our focus is on senior talent who can use AI responsibly and with sound judgment. It reinforces a core principle for us – above all, we have to stay genuine. Clients come to us for complex problem-solving, and AI can support that, but it cannot replace it. We’re not in the business of presenting AI-generated work as expertise. Integrity has to stay at the centre of everything we deliver.
What qualities in our people have stood out to you most this year?
Professionalism, adaptability, and an unwavering willingness to roll up their sleeves. Across every corner of the business, people have stepped in where needed, sometimes outside their comfort zones, to deliver outcomes for our clients. What I appreciate most is the balance they strike: they know when to take ownership and when to call out the need for additional capability. It’s not chaotic; it’s considered. And I think many genuinely enjoy the variety that comes with that adaptability.
When you think about 2026, what are you most energised about?
Recruitment. Bringing new people into the business is always invigorating, and the work ahead of us makes this a particularly exciting moment to grow.
We’re stepping into projects involving biometrics, critical government platforms, and potentially global-scale initiatives – all highly impactful and technically sophisticated. This is the kind of work that attracts great talent and keeps our existing team inspired. It’s far from pedestrian; it’s the sort of portfolio many organisations aspire to.
What message would you like to leave the team and our clients as we wrap up a big year?
Simply, thank you. Our industry offers endless opportunities – people can choose to work anywhere, or create something of their own. The fact that so many have chosen to build long-term careers here means a great deal to me. Our average tenure speaks volumes about the culture we’ve created together.
To our clients, thank you for your trust. Whether you’ve invited us back into a new organisation or engaged us for the first time, we don’t take that confidence lightly. Every time someone picks up the phone and says, “Can you come in next week?” – often bypassing the traditional procurement hurdles – it fills me with immense pride.
We are passionate about improving this business and delivering work we can be proud of. I’m grateful to everyone who has been part of the journey this year.
