Annie Vella
Annie Vella is a Researcher and Advisor at Inference Labs.
Annie Vella is an engineering leader, researcher and advisor focused on AI adoption, governing agentic systems at scale, and the transformation of software engineering as the craft changes. She was most recently a Distinguished Engineer at Westpac New Zealand, where she shaped the bank’s approach to AI strategy, governance and adoption. With more than 20 years of experience across startups, scale-ups, and large enterprises in four countries, she has spent over two decades on both sides of the engineer/manager pendulum – and actively encourages others to do the same. Having fallen in love with computers when she got her first Commodore 64 at age six, Annie has cared deeply about the craft ever since. That curiosity led to a Master’s of Engineering exploring how professional software engineers experience the impact of AI coding assistants. Through her writing and speaking, Annie’s aim is to help engineers and leaders find joy and pride in the work ahead.
The reality of being a distinguished engineer
No two distinguished engineers operate the same way.
Deming's Wisdom for Staff+ Engineers: A Modern Take on Timeless Principles
In this talk, we'll delve into how Staff+ Engineers can embody Deming's timeless wisdom to enhance quality, productivity, and both employee and customer satisfaction within the modern engineering landscape.
