Kablamo names Nat Abood head of product & AI strategy

Kablamo has appointed Nat Abood Head of Product & AI Strategy, adding a former Xero product leader to the Australian technology consultancy.

Abood joins after five years at Xero, where he was Principal Product Manager and led work on agentic AI tools designed to help teams build and use data products. In his new role, he will oversee the design and delivery of AI and agentic solutions for Kablamo's clients and the business itself.

Based in Melbourne, he will also help expand the company's presence in Victoria. The appointment comes as consultancies and software groups seek senior executives with experience applying AI tools to operations and product development.

Before Xero, Abood was at REA Group, where he led the integration of customer-facing platforms with customer relationship management systems across Southeast Asia. In Australia, he also worked on unifying customer data to support more tailored communications.

He later held a senior role at Origin Energy, leading the digital transformation of the company's online sales process. That included launching Origin's first chatbots and voice assistants in partnership with Google.

AI focus

Abood will work with organisations to identify where emerging technology can improve products and processes, then turn those opportunities into practical systems. Kablamo has been building its position in AI consulting and software as businesses weigh how to use newer tools in day-to-day operations.

Abood said many organisations were still trying to work out how to use AI effectively.

"I have always been drawn to technology that gives people almost superhuman abilities, letting one person do what used to take a whole team. AI is putting that power in people's hands right now, and many organisations are still working out how to make the most of it," said Nat Abood, Head of Product & AI Strategy, Kablamo.

He said Kablamo's mix of curiosity and practical problem-solving was a key reason he joined the business.

"What drew me to Kablamo was the team's curiosity and their focus on solving real problems. They have the breadth of experience to look at a challenge and use the right technology to deliver genuine value. I am excited to work with the team and help customers explore what these technologies can do for their business," Abood said.

Kablamo's leadership linked the appointment to a broader strategy around agentic software engineering and AI-led advisory work. Interest in AI projects is growing, but many businesses remain focused on governance, measurement and use cases tied to operational results.

Allan Waddell, Co-CEO of Kablamo, said clients were looking for help making those decisions.

"Everyone is talking about applied AI, but far fewer organisations know how to turn it into real business benefit. That means agreeing up front on how success will be measured and having the right governance in place to track it. This is Nat's world, and it's exactly the expertise our clients are asking for," said Allan Waddell, Co-CEO, Kablamo.

Waddell said AI's growing role in software development was also shifting attention to work beyond coding itself, including product strategy and systems design.

"As AI speeds up how we write code and build software, the roles wrapped around engineering matter more than ever. Product strategy, systems design and human-centred thinking are critical in deciding what gets built and making sure AI is applied to the right use case for the business. Nat has spent years doing this on the ground during his work at Xero, REA, and Origin, and he will bring that expertise to our clients," Waddell said.