Paul Taylor, GM - European Group
I am delighted that for 2010, Europe launched the CPA Australia congress season in London, our first and by no means the last, truly international event.
It was a great team effort from our councillors who helped put the programme together, to our office team, who were literally, up before the dawn to make sure everything went well for delegates and with several important VIP’s in attendance, it was a good opportunity for them to network.
During the CPA Congress, we had a number of satellite events, member breakfasts, presentation of an honorary membership, academic lunch to launch our entry into the UK tertiary space, making the use of our VIP guests, Richard Petty, Low Weng Keong, Alex Malley and Jeff Hughes.
The feedback from delegates was very pleasing and we exceed expectations and last years event.
There were a number of highlights including a Tasmanian double act of Graeme Butterworth from IBM and James Shugg from Westpac.
One of the more unexpected events was a speaker that did not show up for their allotted slot, so with twenty minutes preparation, we held an impromptu networking seminar, where we were able to discuss the challenges that delegates faced when they went networking, after the session a presentation was made available for delegates.
For the branch team including office staff and councillors, this was definitely a bum clenching moment, as Sir Alex Ferguson (Manager of Manchester United) would say, but in true style and with delegates understanding, we pulled it off.
Last week, we delivered a webinar on planning for career success, which gave a ten point plan that members can download and use, as well as providing additional CPD hours, free of charge.
So, now we can finally rest for a few days, with the baton well and truly passed to our colleagues in Australia, before we start planning for 2011 and with the Olympics just around the corner in 2012, London will certainly be the place to come and network with fellow members, discover new learning experiences, watch feats of athletic prowess and put your feet up on a well earned holiday.
Paul, congratulations to you and the team for pulling off a high quality seminar that punched above our weight in terms of our relatively small membership in Europe. Good content, good venue, and a good opportunity for members and for councillors to meet and share experiences.
Keith Irwin