Bridging the Digital Divide with Martin La'a, GM of Digital Equity at Spark

Written by Daylight - November 27, 2025

Martin La’a’s journey, from his early years in South Auckland to leading Spark’s digital equity portfolio, is defined by purpose and perseverance. Having experienced exclusion firsthand, Martin is now on a mission to ensure all New Zealanders can confidently thrive in an increasingly digital world.

In this edition of Decoded, Martin shares how his upbringing shaped his drive, what digital equity means in practice, and why storytelling and collaboration are key to closing Aotearoa’s digital divide.

‍Kia ora, Martin! Can you share your journey to becoming GM of Digital Equity at Spark?

I was raised in South Auckland by my solo mum. We didn’t have much, but my childhood was happy. Experiencing struggle inspired me to create a better future for my family and me.

After high school, I started a law degree at the University of Auckland, but it wasn’t for me. I left in my second year and began working part-time at Spark’s Botany retail store. From there, I worked my way up to store manager and, at 26, became a regional manager for Spark’s South Island stores.

A restructure led to redundancy, which was tough. I took the opportunity to travel to South America and volunteer with children for six months. That experience gave me clarity. When I returned to New Zealand, I joined 2degrees in a leadership role before rejoining Spark a year later.

Over the last 6 years, since being back at Spark, I’ve had a number of roles that have scaffolded me into my current one as GM Digital Equity. The first part of my career was about gaining experience; now, it’s about using that experience to empower others. Leading Spark’s digital equity work feels like the perfect alignment of my values and Spark’s mission to close Aotearoa’s digital divide.

Was your role as GM of Digital Equity newly created?

Yes, the role was created to unite Spark’s digital equity investments under one portfolio— including Spark’s affordable access programme Skinny Jump; Spark’s charitable trust Spark Foundation, which invests in incredible community organisations working to close the digital divide in Aotearoa; and Spark’s skilling centre, Te Awe Skills Hub.

We know that equity isn’t siloed, and the challenges of digital inequity are complex and interconnected. Bringing them together under one portfolio allows us to better connect the dots between digital access, digital wellbeing and digital skills and maximise impact.

What inspired your passion for digital equity?

One in five New Zealanders is digitally excluded, with Māori and Pasifika youth among the most affected. The next generation will inherit a world of rapid digitisation, yet some of them lack real opportunities to participate, and our society misses out on their potential.

I’ve experienced digital exclusion firsthand. Growing up, we didn’t have internet at home, so I’d walk to the library to research or print assignments. That feeling of being on the outside—and the challenges it created—has stayed with me. This work is personal because I know how exclusion feels, and I’m driven to ensure no one is left behind.

‍Your career spans community, corporate, and social sectors. What have you learned from navigating these spaces?

A growth mindset and resilience is key. I have always been drawn to roles that stretch and challenge me. The portfolio of my current role, spans philanthropy, commercial, community, education and leadership – and it has been both my biggest challenge and proudest achievement, to date. Balancing my different hats effectively has been a steep learning curve, but I’ve worked hard to grow and develop where I’ve struggled. I see my role as a privilege, and whilst I’m here, I’m committed to making a meaningful impact for the communities we serve.

‍How do you stay motivated when tackling systemic challenges like digital equity?

It all comes back to purpose. There is no silver bullet to solve digital equity — for any equity Kaupapa, you learn really quickly that it’s a long-term game. Digital equity is closely connected to broader issues like the cost-of-living crisis and rural infrastructure challenges in Aotearoa.

The work can be tough, but I stay motivated by my personal why, staying connected with the communities that are facing challenges. Hearing their stories and seeing the difference that our work makes in people’s lives keeps me focused and energised.

How do you bring others on board, especially those who may not yet "get it"? 

Storytelling. The most powerful way to communicate equity is through human stories. You have to connect with the heart before the head. When people hear about the challenges faced by our young people and learn that one in five New Zealanders is digitally excluded, it changes the conversation. It makes people ask, “What can I do?”

The digital world offers incredible opportunities, but we must ensure everyone can engage safely, confidently, and responsibly. Everyone deserves a digital world they can trust.

What's been your proudest career moment so far? 

I’m proud of the impact Spark has made in accelerating digital equity in Aotearoa. Skinny Jump now connects over 34,000 homes that may not have otherwise had access due to affordability, and the Spark Foundation supports incredible community partners closing the digital divide in Aotearoa.

Internally, we’ve upskilled 2,500 Spark employees in critical digital skills like AI, cloud computing, and data analytics, providing our people with the digital skills needed tomorrow, today. We’ve also partnered with Te Pūkenga to create a Generative AI micro-credential, to help democratise this growing technology and making digital learning more accessible to everyone—not just those already in tech.

Spark’s commitment to digital equity has been a longstanding one, and I’m proud of what we’ve achieved so far. Whilst there's still more to do and closing the digital divide will require interventions across private and public sectors, we’re galvanised behind the mission to ensure no one is left behind in a digital world!

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