Anne, barely off the plane from attending the Sage FY23 Partner Kick-off event in South Africa, was accompanied by Nathalie and Steve at the equivalent Australia/New Zealand event held in Sydney yesterday.
On the Ball with George
As well as talks from the Sage regional executive team, a highlight was the keynote address given by George Gregan. (George is a household name in our part of the world, having been a key member, and often captain, of the Wallabies, Australia's national Rugby Union team, between 1994 and 2007.)
George's speech covered areas that are equally relevant to sports and business. These included understanding and playing to your competitive strengths, plus having a few core strategic principles that you can turn to and trust in when the going gets tough.
He also spoke about the increasing importance of data analytics in sport, and how he wished he'd had access to something like the 'smart ball', currently being introduced into European rugby as part of Sage's sponsorship agreement with Six Nations Rugby.
A Solid Foundation
Another highlight was the talk by Joe Kwan, founder & CEO of the not-for-profit Confit Pathways, now proudly sponsored by the Sage Foundation.
Joe's life is an inspirational example of the power of positive mentorship. His slide into a life of crime and violence saw him receive a lengthy prison sentence at the age of 21, before a chance meeting with an incarcerated businessman saw him choose a very different direction.
Confit stands for Convict Fitness. Their programs, built around physical fitness and mentorship, aim to reduce recidivism. By providing current and former inmates with pathways into education, employment, and healthy networks, they bridge the gap between incarceration and reintegration into society.
Joe spent his former years taking away from so many people's lives but now intends to spend the rest of his life giving back and adding value to those who need it most.
A Big Finish, and Kicking On
The afternoon wrapped up with drinks and award presentations.
Orchid Systems was thrilled to be named the region's 2022 Sage ISV of the Year.
That seemed like a great excuse for a large contingent to head across Darling Harbour to the Cargo Bar, their Sage-branded rugby balls in hand, and party on!
