EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP EVENT SERIES
Transformation Across Multiple Industries
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP EVENT | 19TH SEPTEMBER 2024
On Thursday the 19th, Pacific Talent Partners were delighted to host another extraordinary Executive Leadership Series Event at The Hilton, Sydney. Our sincere thanks to our panel of high-profile executive experts Chris Pemberton, Louise Portelli, and Colin Bradford for their perspectives on Transformation Across Multiple Industries, and for providing a critical discussion for any leader looking to drive results in a rapidly changing environment.
Louise Portelli
Chief Customer Experience Officer – ex Resimac, KPMG
"Pitfalls in Transformations"
Louise draws from her extensive experience leading transformations across the UK and Europe to outline common pitfalls when large-scale changes go off track. She explores a number of customer growth and technology transformations, highlighting how these major projects can derail despite high ambitions. She emphasises key factors such as:
Customer and People Engagement: Successful transformations depend heavily on understanding and managing stakeholder needs if outcomes for customers, partners and employees are not achieved, transformations will struggle to gain traction and generate the desired value.
Clarity of Ambition: A lack of focus and alignment regarding what the transformation is trying to achieve and the specific customer and commercial benefits it will drive, is a sure route to failure. This is particularly the case for transformations that are heavily focussed on implementing complex technology solutions which can sometimes draw the focus away from business outcomes.
create space for innovation to enable teams to build this capability.
Innovation & Change: A key learning is that organizations need to create space for innovation to enable teams to build this capability.
Chris Pemberton
Chief Transformation Officer – ex Downer, Transgrid, Qantas
"Building Leadership Teams"
Chris brings a unique perspective on building leadership teams to deliver transformation results. With 30 years of experience, Chris focuses on the strategic composition of teams and the dynamics that drive transformation success:
Diversity of Thought & Experience: Chris emphasizes the importance of bringing together leaders from diverse industries and backgrounds to solve complex transformation challenges. A varied team can introduce fresh perspectives and innovative solutions that a more homogenous group might overlook.
Clear, Simple Messaging: He also stresses the importance of simple communication when running transformation programs. Overly complex or ambiguous messaging can create confusion and misalignment across teams. A simple, consistent message helps ensure that everyone understands the vision and their role in achieving it.
Defining the ‘What’ and the ‘How’: Chris highlights the difference between defining what needs to change (the outcomes of the transformation) versus how it will be done (the process and tools used). This distinction is critical for leaders to avoid getting lost in tactical details and maintain focus on the broader strategic objectives.
Colin Bradford
Head of Transformation – Macquarie Bank
"Leadership in Transformation"
Colin focuses on the importance of top-level leadership in successful transformations, pointing out that 70% of transformations fail due to poor leadership. He emphasizes the need for leadership to clearly understand the difference between transformation and simple “change”:
Transformation vs. Change: Many leaders mistakenly equate transformation with minor adjustments or incremental improvements. However, Colin explains that true transformation is driven by a “burning platform”—a compelling reason for rapid, radical shifts in strategy. Without this, transformations tend to lose momentum.
Leadership Commitment: Colin highlights the need for leadership from the top to fully back and ‘sell’ the transformation to key decision-makers, including boards. This involves aligning on the urgency, scope, and potential outcomes of the transformation, ensuring that executives are not just involved but committed.
Transformation Successes: Colin shared examples from his career, where transformation efforts succeeded due to strong leadership and a clear focus on outcomes like cost reduction, performance improvement, and growth. These examples serve as evidence of how transformation requires coordinated efforts across the leadership and business units.
We’re grateful for the opportunity to facilitate meaningful conversations and foster connections within our executive network. Your presence and active participation made the event memorable & impactful.
To register your interest for our next event, please contact Pacific Talent Partners at talent@pacifictalentpartners.com.
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