Institution:
Said Business School, University of Oxford (UK)
Course:
Strategic Leadership Program
From the chance encounter with a peer CEO in the digital industry wearing the ILF pin to our offices back in 2019 – the engagement with the Industry Leaders Fund (ILF) through their grant application process, awarding of my grant in 2020 and subsequent engagement with a community of like-minded, life-long learners, has been exceptional.
I’d like to provide sincere thanks to both Geoff Vogt, and previous grant recipients for their insights and support in finding the right programme for me – focussed on challenging the norm and any self-limiting beliefs to bring a keen focus on the next steps in my role as CEO at Comunet as well as co-founder of a South Australian edtech company and representation on NFP boards.
Finalising my course in March 2023, the Oxford Strategic Leadership Programme was everything I hoped it would be – although not for the faint-hearted! To get the most out of this course- there was a need to be vulnerable and challenge yourselves – and others – while being immersed in a deep, complex experiential learning experience. Blending business, strategy and culture through a very different lens of the humanities – this was unlike any other professional development and education I had experienced and left me with a sense of curiosity and excitement and alternative ways to think about growth, expansion and purpose.
The new connections both locally and internationally, providing a sounding board for conversations outside of normal circles has been sensational – and this group helped galvanised some thoughts, actions and next steps in the context of two questions: “What’s waiting for you?” – followed by “So, what are you waiting for?”.
Walking around Oxford once the course had finished, and the long trip home – these thoughts became a plan, and I’ve been able to implement a number of strategic, cultural and structural changes that have already seen significant growth in our business locally, nationally and has kept a keen eye on international opportunities for the future.
My thanks go out to the Industry Leaders Fund, the peer network and new friends and colleagues for helping turn this experience into actions that will benefit me personally, as well as growth in Comunet and provide further opportunities to do more in this great state of SA!
